Softwares integration into 98 se

[huskie]

Hello, i'm new in the forum but i'd like to say thanks for so many contributions from the people from here that have helped me in my unattended installations of Xp and W2k.

Curently i'm working with 98se but so far i just did a options menu with partition magic 8 and some other useful options like unattended installation and reparing using scandisk. I would like to know if i can use cab files for softwares and updates like i did with Xp or should i use WPI Classic (requires IE6 that i'm clueless to integrate), and about drivers, is that true that i only need to throw then into WIN98 folder to be recognized?

Thanks!

[MDGx]

Hi huskie, and welcome to MSFN.

To my knowledge, in Win9x/ME all you need in order to integrate drivers, is to place the actual driver files in %windir%\INF [or in the same dir with all other Win9x install CABs on your install CD/DVD] and together with all related INF files.

Also, to save disk space, you can zip them up into CABs, just leave the INFs separately [all in the same dir].

Tools that can compress in CAB format [free(ware)]:

http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#ZIP

Look at each tool see which ones support the CAB format [clearly stated].

Also make sure extract.exe or extrac32.exe [to extract files from CABs] are on the install CD/DVD in the same dir with the CABs + INFs.

Extract/Extrac32 command line switches and how to use them:

http://www.mdgx.com/last4.htm#EXTRACT

if you plan on using CAB extraction to install software.

More info:

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip15.htm#CABEX

CAB SDK [iexpress.exe = used to compile MS style installers in executable CAB format]:

http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#CAB

To integrate IE 5.5 SP2 or 6.0 SP1, all you need is place all IE CABs and the setup executable(s) into the same dir.

Then create a DOS BATch file with this command line [generic example, assumed your CD/DVD drive is letter D, and that you are installing Win98/98 SE (CABs are in WIN98 dir on setup CD)]:

D:\WIN98\ie6setup.exe" /c:"ie6wzd.exe /d /s:""#E"

More info:

http://www.broomeman.com/support/wsiedown.html

Then you can add this BATch to run from within an INF file [which sould be in the same dir] (generic example, assumes all dirs are at default locations according to %windir% environment variable):

[Version]
Signature=$CHICAGO$
AdvancedINF=2.5
[DefaultInstall]
RunPreSetupCommands=RPC:1
RunPostSetupCommands=ROC:1
[RPC]
"%10%\RUNDLL32.EXE %11%\ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection SHELLX.INF,DefaultInstall"
[ROC]
"%01%\Dir_1\Cmd98_1.BAT"
"%01%\Dir_2\Cmd98_2.BAT"

The :1 switch after RPC + ROC above executes the command line(s) silently [invisible].

RPC section = installs whatever list of commands before all other INF commands are processed.

ROC section = installs whatever list of commands after all other INF commands are processed.

INF, SED + Iexpress guidelines:

http://www.mdgx.com/INF_web/

Hard-wired DIRIDs/LDIDs for dirs locations the way they should be specified in INFs:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms790174.aspx

More info on INFs:

http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#INF

IE 6.0 SP1 full download [77 MB]:

http://www.filewatcher.com/m/ie60sp1.exe.81333001.0.0.html

More info:

http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm#6S1

IE 6.0 SP1 download + install guide [oldie but goodie]:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=34981

This SETUPPP.INF example uses WinME for a custom install [adapt to Win98 SE]:

http://www.mdgx.com/files/SETME.ZIP

Related topic here:

http://www.mdgx.com/me1.htm#UPH

Unattended Boot CD for Windows 98 SE (UBCD98) [by an MSFN member]:

http://www.mdgx.com/ubcd98.htm

This project has huge downloads, but I believe has the source files included.

This is a list of drivers UBCD98 uses:

http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/index.txt

Using WPI Classic:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129449

to install apps/tools/software/games/etc is not that difficult, just ask its author for help if u run into a snag.

Basically it's an HTA text file [requires IE 5/6 to function] you can edit in Notepad as you like.

HTH