Office Setup: Differences Between Shared and System Files

• Microsoft Setup Program for Windows, version 1.0, 1.1
• Microsoft Setup Program for Windows 95, version 2.0
• Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.2, 4.2c, 4.3, 4.3c
• Microsoft Office for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0b
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Project for Windows, version 4.0
• Microsoft Access for Windows, version 2.0
• Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0c

SUMMARY

When you perform an administrative installation (Setup /a) of one of the applications listed above, you are prompted to choose where to install the shared applications on the server, and where the files will be installed on the workstation. These files are installed to the MSAPPS directory. The administrative installation also installs a number of files to the SYSTEM subdirectory of the Microsoft Office directory on the network server.

When you run the Setup program in maintenance mode, and you choose to remove one of the application components, you may receive a dialog box asking if you want to remove the shared files.

The following information discusses the difference between these system files, and the shared files.

MORE INFORMATION

Shared Files

The shared files include, but are not limited to, the Spelling checker files, text converters, and the Microsoft System Info application (MSINFO.EXE); shared files are shared by more than one application (or computer with a workstation installation). In general, the shared files are located in the MSAPPS directory, on the server or on the workstation.

System Files

The system files are those files that are used by Microsoft Windows, such as .DLL files, and are located in the \SYSTEM subdirectory of the application directory on the network server. They are copied to the \SYSTEM subdirectory of your Microsoft Windows directory when you run a workstation installation.

Administrative Installation

When you run an administrative installation of the application, all of the files are installed to the single directory that you enter for the application, such as F:\MSOFFICE. No subdirectories are created when you choose a location for the shared files. This option just sets a particular field in the setup table file, SETUP.STF that is created on the network. This field (tenth line in the top-level information of the SETUP.STF file) is set to either local, shared, or user-choice depending on the option that you choose during the server installation. When Setup is run on the workstation, this field is accessed and the workstation Setup performs the appropriate action.

Workstation Installation

When you run the workstation installation, if you choose to install the shared files to the local hard drive, Setup creates an MSAPPS subdirectory in the current Windows directory, whether it is located on the network or on the local hard drive. The shared files are installed to the MSAPPS directory. If you choose to install the shared files as shared, Setup leaves the files on the network and modifies the REG.DAT file and your WIN.INI file with the network location information.

Note that you do not have the option during Setup to change the directory in which the shared files are installed.