Make Windows remember where install files are?

[bizzybody]

Is there any way to make Windows actually use the MRU lists in the Registry when it goes looking for its own installation files and other things like driver files?

All the MRU lists are used for is to fill in the drop list Windows asks the user to chose from (or Browse) when it gets amnesia and can't remember where things are, often several times during some driver installs or things like changing network settings.

Windows SHOULD SEARCH THE MRU PATHS for files. Windows SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO ASK WHERE ITS OWN INSTALLATION FILES ARE!

But no, it can't. It keeps asking for the "CD-ROM" even when it was installed from the Win98 folder on the hard drive. Really annoying is when it's asking "Duh... where's muh install files?" and RIGHT THERE in the drop list it has c:\win98 !

Every version of Windows from 95 through XP does this same STUPID thing. Does Vista still do this?

[bj-kaiser]

Shouldn't Windows 98 also have the Setup SourcePath Registry Key?

Try looking at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\SourcePath.

[bizzybody]

That's set to

C:\Windows\options\cabs

Dunno how it got set to that. Can I do this? C:\Windows\options\cabs,C:\win98

Most likely won't stop it asking where the Windows install files are. I used to service and build PCs for a living and I'd always copy the win9x folder to the hard drive and change all instances of D:\win98 (or whatever letter the CD-ROM was during install) to C:\win98 and ALWAYS during driver installs I had to go back and forth several times telling Windows where the drivers were then where Windows' files were.

The original Add New Hardware "Wizard" in 95 was the best version because the user could skip the id*** thing right to start with and point it to the drivers. With each new version of Windows users have been forced to endure more and more CRAP before finally getting to the point where the "Have Disk" button can be clicked.

If the 3rd party sofrware world wants to do people a wonderful service, come up with a replacement for the Add New Hardware "Wizard" that forces Windows to skip all the "automatic" garbage.

Yes, I do miss the days of "Jumper and STAY" resource settings. The hardware would work because it HAD TO- being locked down to what the jumpers were strapped to. Win95 would sometimes insist on assigning the wrong resources, but even then it could be hammerd into submission. Nowadays when Windows gets into its widdle mind that two devices are going to be assigned conflicting resources, there's little or nothing that can be done to convince it otherwise. *sigh* If only IBM hadn't been such 'tards on licensing the MCA bus and setup system.

[Ponch]

That's set to

C:\Windows\options\cabs

Dunno how it got set to that. Can I do this? C:\Windows\options\cabs,C:\win98

No but you can move your files to that one location.

I think 98seSP2 sets that path.

[ShadeTreeLee]

Is there any way to make Windows actually use the MRU lists in the Registry when it goes looking for its own installation files and other things like driver files?

No.

As you pointed out, MRU list is for drop down suggestion list only - they are also cleared by use of Start|Settings|Taskbar and Start Menu|Start Menu Programs Tab|Clear Documents Menu button, also clearing History in Internet Options depending on your exact IE version.

The only permanent and automatic location is found at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup|SourcePath value in the registry. And by automatic I mean Windows will just go get the file needed without asking where it might be from you. If yours is not doing this then the path of that registry value has a tailing backslash, other syntax error, or your cab files are not there such that the auto thing isn't so auto at all.

Just because you are complaining about it, I know your value at that registry key is not right somehow. And to that end, I offer this just to get you going in the right direction for sure.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup]
"SourcePath"="C:\\Win98"

The above is a reg file to be merged so it has double backslashes to represent a single backslash as would be found in a DOS path statement. Do not add on a trailing backslash as doing so will often cause Windows to ignore the given path totally and/or keep asking for the exact path that it already has.

Windows will always ask for the CD-ROM because that text is included in the Layout.inf series of files that Windows uses to "know" where to find it's own installation files in the first place (which cab for example). If you want it to ask for a skinny crack whore instead I suppose one could do that by altering a few text lines in those files. There is no reason to assume that any intelligence is actually in charge here.

What is really going on is a fumble inside a Windows dohicky that wasn't written to be absolutely bullet proof under all conditions. When you add in unknown about registry manipulations changing your SourcePath value to the standard Windows\Options\Cabs value, more than just "looking good" has to be considered. Several CRITICAL updates store their files in that "default" location for the precise reason that those files will be used from now on instead of the original and vunerable ones. The System File Checker (SFC) is written to do this also, such that when you use C:\Win98 folder you are making a particularly unique mess of things. Previously mentioned CRITICAL updates will make the Windows\Options\Cabs folder if it doesn't already exist and begin to use it even if you delete it. It's a fact of life - that folder is more than just a psudeo-default grab bag.

SFC and inf files will always use the already expanded file in a folder first rather than go inside of a cab file to get the same named file even if the cab file is there, valid and pointed to by the layout.inf series of files. This is the method by which the updates are guaranteed to be able to use their files instead of the vunerable versions stored inside the original cab files.

Therefore, I would move my cab files to Windows\Options\Cabs folder, set the default value in the registry under the key shown, let the CRITICAL updates do their thing, then delete and forget about the C:\Win98 folder. It just makes more sense to comply with it's use than to constantly fight it and lose out anyway.