Windows Options Cabs

Create folders under the windows directory and just copy them from the CD to that directory.

I forget off hand where it's at, but you can change the installation path using poledit. If you don't have that, then you it's probobly easiest to use soemthing like tweakui

Mark

Refer to Microsoft article Q129605, "How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files".

It's quite lengthy, but very detailed. It should provide all the information you need.

SUMMARY
This article describes how to extract compressed files. Many Microsoft product files are compressed and stored in cabinet (.cab) files, so to use a file within a .cab file, you must first extract that file. You may want to extract a new copy of a file if you have a missing or damaged file, and this articleprovides multiple methods for doing so. Windows 95 and Windows 98 are available on CD-ROM or floppy disks, both of which contain compressed cabinet files. Windows Millennium Edition (Me) is available on CD-ROM and it contains compressed cabinet files and also installs compressed cabinet files in the C:\Windows\Options\Install folder. Internet Explorer 4.0 and later is available on CD-ROM or you can download it from the Web, and it also contains compressed cabinet files. These cabinet files contain the actual Windows or Internet Explorer files. You can use the Extract tool to decompress Windows or Internet Explorer files from the original media, or you can use the new System File Checker or Extract Command Line Helper tool in Windows 98. This article describes how to extract individual files from compressed cabinet files and contains the following sections:

Cut and paste this link for the full article and detailed instructions:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q129605

>> REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URL <<

Maxwell

Just a note:

No version of windows automatically loads the cab files onto the hard drive.
Having the cab's on the drive started out as a way for system mfgs. to speed up the setup process when assembling PCs.

The only real advantage of havingthe cab files on the drive is that you don't need the CD when Windows needs to install files for new devices or network protocols.

If you are running an older version of W95, can you afford the 70MB of drive space that the files take up?

Also,having the cab files on the drive will not upgrade your version of windows.

The simplest way to point Windows to use the cab files from the hard drive, is to direct windows to the folder the next time it asks for the windows CD.

The other way is to edit the install location file path in the registry.
CAUTION!!! ERRORS MADE WHILE EDITING THE REGISTRY CAN DISABLE YOUR PC!!!

If you are looking for an upgrade, I would suggest going with W98SE.

No installation automatically does that. It is usually done by the person who installs the files. After formatting your C:\ drive, (I am assuming you have a boot floppy in the A: drive and are at the A:\ prompt) type md win95, this creates a directory called win95. then type cd win95, which takes you into that directory. Then type md options, then cd into that directory, then type cabs. You now have a directory tree looking like C:\win95\options\cabs. From the cdrom drive, type cd win95 (assuming this is win95 you are copying, and type copy *.* c:\win95\options\cabs This will then copy all the files from the cdrom's win95 directory into the computers cabs directory.
Good luck!

Mike

DO NOT TYPE SETUP UNLESS YOU WANT TO RE-INSTALL WINDOWS (%. WITH WIN95 THIS WILL ALSO REQUIRE RE-INSTALLING MOST IF NOT ALL OF YOUR OTHER SOFTWARE. All you need to do is copy the files and remember the location. Next time windows needs the disk, use browse to direct it there. It will probably default to check that loaction first from then on but if not you will be able to select that location from the drop down once it has been used before. As mentioned you can go into the registry and set this location as the default, but as mentioned above the registry is a very fragile and critical component of your system. I would advise you to take steps to learn about the registry and how to back it up and restore it from a command line (may require a boot disk) before attempting to change anything in it. one other point generally the files are in c:\windows\options\cabs where windows is your actual windows directory. If not using this path I would just dump the cabs folder at the root c:\cabs . If you upgrade to another version of windows delete all of these cabs and put the new ones in that folder. If you have lots of diskspace you can just rename the folder something like Win95cabs and then copy the new cabs to a new folder named cabs or Win98Cabs.

With a recovery disk and make sure you have xcopy32.exe. At the A: prompt type xcopy d:\win95 C:\win95 and than choose "D" for directory. Hope that helps. Make sure that D:\win95 is your cd rom

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