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gordd

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Install off CD-Rom from Floppy Images

I plan to copy my program diskettes to the hard drive or burn to cd-rom.  I would like it when I install from either to automatically continue to the next diskette without prompting.  I know there is a way as I have done it in the past . Unfortunately, I do not remember exactly how this is done.  What I do remember is that there was a folder created for each diskette (disk1, disk2,...) and a file was created and placed in each folder.  The contents of the file and how it is named eludes me.  Thanks.
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BillDL
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The Windows 3.1 disks have Setup.ini on "disk1" along with setup.exe.

The .ini file sets up a lot more "environments" etc to begin with, obviously from DOS, (extracts):

; Defaults used in setting up and names of a few files
    startup   = WIN.COM
    defdir    = C:\WINDOWS
    shortname = Windows
    welcome   = "Windows 3.1"
    deflang   = enu
    defxlat   = 437
    defkeydll = usadll
    register  = "regedit /s /u setup.reg"
    tutor     = "wintutor.exe "
    NetSetup  = FALSE
    MouseDrv  = TRUE
    Version   = "3.1.040"

; Names of the disks Setup can prompt for.
[disks]
    1 =. ,"Microsoft Windows 3.1 Disk #1",disk1
    2 =. ,"Microsoft Windows 3.1 Disk #2",disk2
    3 =. ,"Microsoft Windows 3.1 Disk #3",disk3
    4 =. ,"Microsoft Windows 3.1 Disk #4",disk4
    5 =. ,"Microsoft Windows 3.1 Disk #5",disk5
    6 =. ,"Microsoft Windows 3.1 Disk #6",disk6

[oemdisks]
    Z =. ,"HP DeskJet Series v2.0 disk (from printer box or contact HP)",diskz

[user]
    3:setup.ini, noupdate

etc, etc.

In this case all the files are extracted from the *.ex_  formats I spoke of earlier and created in the correct folders on your hard drive.
Avatar of gordd
gordd

ASKER

Thanks for you all your effort but I don't recall this being the solution.

Just as an example, say I copy MS Works 4 from the floppies to the hard drive in a folder called "MSWorks4".  In "MSWorks4", I have subfolders named disk1, disk2, etc to correspond with the diskette it came from.

Now, I burn this to a CD.  When I install (after answering the usual questions), it will install the program without prompting for the location of the next diskette or another diskette itself.  It should simulate the installation as if it was on the CD.

I do have a CD with this somewhere but am unable to discover its location at this point.  It was a rather simple procedure as I recall.
Yes, what is happening there is that there will be an .INI file, or some other data file on the first disk from which SETUP.EXE takes definintions.  As I stated above, when discussing the 2 different floppy sets, is that the "disks" are identified and defined.  Take a look at the entries under the arcade floppies again:

[Source Media Descriptions]
;<disk number>, <disk label>, <file>, <path>
"1","Return of Arcade Disk 1","arcade1.cab","..\disk1"
"2","Return of Arcade Disk 2","arcade2.cab","..\disk2"
"3","Return of Arcade Disk 3","arcade3.cab","..\disk3"

It is clear from the <headers> that there are several ways that the installation can be directed.  You will notice the ; at the start of the line:

;<disk number>, <disk label>, <file>, <path>

because this isn't part of the settings.  It is remarked out, and is only informative to identify the 4 different comma-separated entries below for each floppy.

If it could ONLY identify the floppies from their "Volume labels", then it it wouldn't quote the relative path to the next "floppy" as a directory path.  Instead, what it is specifying here, is that when setup detects that the files in the first .cab file have been extracted and installed, it will then look for the next "folder" OR disk if present.

Unfortunately I don't have a floppy set for Works v.4, or I would have a blast at this.  If it failed, then I would examine any .ini, .inf, .ins, or other data files to see why it failed.

Paste a list here of the files found on Disk 1 of the Works floppy set,  if the list is short enough.

Best way is from a DOS box in windows to direct a listing to a text file:

DIR  /s /b a:\*.* > c:\windows\desktop\wkslist.txt

Meantime, I will see if I can find an equivalent MS floppy set, from around the same era, amongst my archives to have a look at.

Let me explain that a bit better.  I'm not sure how well acquainted you are with navigating in DOS, so I apologise if this is something you are familiar with.

Do it by example, by opening a DOS box within Windows.  It should open to the C:\WINDOWS> prompt.

Here's the sequence of commands to demonstrate the significance of the ..\disk1  entries.  (assume I pressed the enter key after each issued command and that this is what you would see on screen):

C:\WINDOWS>cd ..

C:\>cd windows\fonts

C:\WINDOWS\FONTS>cd ..\command

C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND>cd \command
Invalid directory

C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND>cd\

C:\>cd windows\command\ebd

C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ebd>cd ..\..

C:\WINDOWS>

It's clear that the .. changes to a folder that is one up in the structure, and from there the \foldername  then changes into that folder.

In context with the ..\disk1  entry, Setup.exe is in the FOLDER "disk1" which is either inside another folder on your hard drive, or even only one folder deep from the root of a CD.  The .. takes it back out of the disk1 folder, and then the \disk2 tells it to move to the disk2 folder.  If you tried to use \disk2 without the .. before it, then it is looking for disk2 as a sub-folder of disk1.

It's as simple as that, but it all depends on the application.
If I remember correctly, it can be done with a .BAT file. It has been awhile since I have done this, so I don't remember the commands, but it should be able to set the default DIR that the setup program uses and " click " OK, so that the install works by itself. I am sorry I can't give more details, but like I said, it has been awhile.
Maybe you could post a low point Q in the MS-DOS section with a link here, and see if someone there could help.
I suppose it really depends on what command line switches or parameters the particular Setup.exe accepts.

With some, you can force it to address a particular data file for directions, while others will automatically use any .ini file of the same name in that same folder.  Some are SFX compressed installer archives that unpack to the %TEMP% folder and run, etc, etc.

It all depends on the applications.  Is it Works version 4 you wish to do this with?
BillDL:  Good point.  : )
I had a text file of notes I was compiling after working out the flow of things from a few different floppy sets, but I went and accidentally deleted it  :-(

It looks to me like these compressed and spanned archives mainly use the settings from an associated .STF file during the unpacking stage.

I wonder if it wouldn't be easier just unpacking the .cab files into one single folder on a CD and seeing if this would work.  After all, that's what it does before running setup.exe.  The .STF file and .inf/.INI files used for the initial unpacking aren's copied to the temp folder, they are only used at the start most often. ACMSETUP.EXE seems to be the common setup executable copied from these floppy sets into the temp folder, and they accept command line switches.

For the cost of a CD it might be worth experimenting.

Avatar of gordd

ASKER

Looks like BillDL has the correct answer although I'm sure that there was another way to do this.  I found my CD with MSWorks4 and it did have an .inf file that contains:

[Source Media Descriptions]
; <disk number>, <disk label>, <file>, <path>
 "1","Microsoft Works 4.0 Setup: Disk 1","MSWORKS1.CAB","."
 "2","Microsoft Works 4.0 Setup: Disk 2","MSWORKS2.CAB","..\disk2"'
 "3","Microsoft Works 4.0 Setup: Disk 3","MSWORKS3.CAB","..\disk3"'
 "4","Microsoft Works 4.0 Setup: Disk 4","MSWORKS4.CAB","..\disk4"'
 "5","Microsoft Works 4.0 Setup: Disk 5","MSWORKS5.CAB","..\disk5"'
 "6","Microsoft Works 4.0 Setup: Disk 6","MSWORKS6.CAB","..\disk6"'
 "7","Microsoft Works 4.0 Setup: Disk 7","MSWORKS7.CAB","..\disk7"'

[Default File Settings]
"STF_BACKUP" = ""
"STF_COPY" = "YES"
"STF_DATE" = "1995-07-11"
"STF_DECOMPRESS" = "CABINET"
"STF_OVERWRITE" = "ALWAYS"
"STF_READONLY" = ""
"STF_ROOT" = "YES"
"STF_SETTIME" = "YES"
"STF_TIME" = "0"
"STF_VITAL" = ""
;************* INF File list *****************

[WW2CBTRemove]
 1, labelswp.,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, wizzy1.lsn,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, cbtlib2.dll,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, wnworks.cbt,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, wnworks.les,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, auction.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, wyse2.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, wyse1.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, wwfloris.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, winners.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, whodunit.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, toys_m.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, toys_l.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, thesis.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, sheet1_u.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, sheet1_a.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, sales.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, sale1.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, resume.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, program.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, popsheet.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, popsales.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, popmemo.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, popcost.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, patrons.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, moles.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, lillooet.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, lexicone.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, letter.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, jun05src.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, herbfarm.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, grant.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, friends.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, forecast.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, florist.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, energy.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, coins.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, climbers.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, cheese.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, breeds.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, books.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, board.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, bbath.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, balou_p.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, balou_c.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, babbitt.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, auntmadg.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, attend.wps,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, address.wdb,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,
 1, sumatra.wks,,, !COPY,,,,,, REMOVE,,,,, 0,,,,,

<snip>

plus another hundred or so lines.

I'm going to keep searching for the other solution I was thinking of as I would like to backup more of my diskettes.

I realize that it would be just as easy to copy the diskettes and point to the correct path when prompted but if there is a simple solution, why not use it? :)

Thanks
Thanks, gordd.  I agree with you on that one.  There must be a simpler way.  Pity I don't have Works 4.0 on a floppy set, because I've got a spare hard drive to mess with and I'd like to experiment a bit.  The only older Works I have is 4.5 on CD, actually I must dig it out as it might just have an existing folder structure as disk1, etc from an alternative media distribution.

One thing I found about the Arcade floppies I was looking at is that it will NOT install if you make that 1st floppy Read Only.  It needs to write to what I'm sure is the .INI file on the floppy.  Here's some strings I found in acmsetup.exe which is unpacked from the .cab file on disk1:

Setup has found that this disk set may have already been used to install the product.
Only the legal owner of this product may reinstall it, either to update an existing copy, or to replace any corrupted or missing files.

This string appears to be generated when the unpacked file "complinc.dll"  reads the SETUP.INI file from the floppy and returns the results to acmsetup.exe.  Remember I said it was in binary, which is unusual for this kind of .INI file.

Here's another section from acmsetup.exe:

Organization:
Enter the name of your organization in the box below. Setup will use this name for subsequent installations of the product.
Name Information
Enter your name in the box below. Setup will use this name for subsequent installations of the product.
Name:
Enter your full name in the box below. You may also enter the name of your organization. Setup will use this information for subsequent installations of the product.
Disk Set Previously Installed
Setup has found that this disk set has already been used by:
Only the legal owner of this product may reinstall it, either to update an existing copy, or to replace any corrupted or missing files.
You can continue to install this product, but you should be aware that it is protected by copyright law and international treaties.
Disk Write Failure
Setup needs to modify a file on:
If you have locked your disk with a write-protect tab, please unlock it and then click OK.
%s Setup
Locate your 10-digit CD Key and enter it in the space below. You can find this number on the sticker of your CD liner notes or CD sleeve.
CD Key:
Locate your 20-digit Product ID number and enter it in the space below. You can find this number on your Certificate of Authenticity.
Product ID:
Product ID: 00000-0000000-00000
This is your Microsoft product identification number. If you want to call Microsoft for technical support, you will be asked for this number.

So, this might be something to watch out for, and might stop you burning the floppy set to CD.  A primitive "product activation"  :-)

If I studied it long enough, I would probably see how it flowed, and adjust a setting somewhere in an .ini file, but it can take a while.

Good luck.
Avatar of gordd

ASKER

This copy of Works 4 is burned to a CD so it is a read only file but works fine during setup.
That's good news.  Must have been an experimental method they adopted for a while.