CABS install directory on local drive?

[grendelos]

When I used to setup XP systems, I always copied the i386 folder from the CD to the local drive and pointed the install location in the registry to the local folder, that way if I chose to install windows software in the future, the files were already present.

Now that Windows 7 is structured with its "anytime upgrade" infrastructure, do I still need to continue to copy the disc install files to the local drive or is everything installed by default now?

Thanks for your input.

 

[linney]

The i386 folder no longer is part of the Windows Vista or Windows 7 Setup DVD/CD, everything is more like an image of the operating system thus allowing for quicker extraction and installation.

A normal Retail DVD will contain several GB of files because it contains several editions of the operating system and what you install depends on the Product Key entered, or user's choice (if no Product Key is entered).

 

[flyboytim]

With Microsoft's WAIK (Windows Automated Installation Kit), a free download, Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) supplies a command line program, Imagex.exe, which will enable a PC with Windows XP SP2 or later, Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later, Vista, Server 2008, and I guess Windows 7, to mount a Windows Image (.wim) file as a folder.

It has been simplified down to a right click menu, if you follow the instructions here:

http://grandstreamdreams.blogspot.com/2008/08/mount-imagex-wims-via-windows-explorer.html

By courtesy of Claus Valca and Robert McLaws (linked from above).

Such a facility has obvious uses to image a working system for rollout across an organization, or to restore corrupted systems.

As Linney says, the install.wim from Vista onwards contains all the components of the various editions for both 32 and 64-bit installations.