I couldn't find out how to do this while searching the forum. I am new at this and it might be pretty obvious. I have some utility applications which came in a zip file. There is no installer just the files.

How would I install this? Or do I have to create an installer package. Is there a recommendation for a very very easy one for me to use.

Thank you.

You should be able to find such an application at Nirsoft plus other useful applications.

See here >

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/zipinst.html

I figured out a simple method of doing this finally. I extracted the files into a directory, but I still needed to create a shortcut link on the commandline. This function is unavailable in XP, but is available through another great free third party application XXMKLINK - they also had some other useful utilities so I installed them as well.

http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy38.htm

http://www.xxcopy.com/index.htm

cmdow @ /HID

ECHO.
ECHO Installing CpuZ
ECHO Please wait...
MD "C:\Winutil\CpuZ"
COPY /Y "%systemdrive%\install\cpuz\*.*" "C:\Winutil\CpuZ"
XXMKLINK "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Utilities\CpuZ" "C:\Winutil\CpuZ\cpuz.exe"

EXIT

i make a winzip sfx archive that installs silently to a set location, then i use the cab-method with the 7-zip installer to install it...

well u could try inno setup (google it!) its very easy to use and its free...u could try nullsoft...but once u create the installer wirh nullsoft u can extract and find out what the script is?

I use winrar and make a sfx archive and add this to comments

Path=.\%programfiles%\MyProgram

SavePath

Silent=1

Overwrite=2

Shortcut=P, MyEXE, DestFolder, "Description", "ShortcutName"

Shortcut=<DestType>,<SrcName>,<DestFolder>,<Description>,<ShortcutName>

Create a shortcut to unpacked file.

DestType is one character wide field, which can have the following values:

D Create a shortcut on Desktop

S Create a shortcut in Start Menu

P Create a shortcut in Start Menu/Programs

T Create a shortcut in Startup folder

SrcName is a name of archived file.

DestFolder is a folder to create a shortcut in. If it does not exist, it will be created by SFX archive.

Description is a text string describing a shortcut.

ShortcutName is a name of .lnk (shortcut) file created by SFX.

cmdow @ /HID

ECHO.
ECHO Installing CpuZ
ECHO Please wait...
MD "C:\Winutil\CpuZ"
COPY /Y "%systemdrive%\install\cpuz\*.*" "C:\Winutil\CpuZ"
XXMKLINK "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Utilities\CpuZ" "C:\Winutil\CpuZ\cpuz.exe"

EXIT

I take it that the %systemdrive% equates to the cdrom? Then theorically I can place any software on the cd then copy it to the hd using the following code:

COPY /Y "%systemdrive%\software\install\*.*" "c:\software\install"

I just noticed the quotes around each one of the command options. Is this required?

%systemdrive% is c:\ but I believe there are other parameters you can use.

Yes I believe the quotes are required.

The winrar looks good too.

cmdow @ /HID

ECHO.
ECHO Installing CpuZ
ECHO Please wait...
MD "C:\Winutil\CpuZ"
COPY /Y "%systemdrive%\install\cpuz\*.*" "C:\Winutil\CpuZ"
XXMKLINK "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Utilities\CpuZ" "C:\Winutil\CpuZ\cpuz.exe"

EXIT

I take it that the %systemdrive% equates to the cdrom? Then theorically I can place any software on the cd then copy it to the hd using the following code:

COPY /Y "%systemdrive%\software\install\*.*" "c:\software\install"

I just noticed the quotes around each one of the command options. Is this required?