Setup Files Overview

The following table describes the key files used for Windows 98 Setup.

File name	Description

Setup.exe	The real-mode Setup component that initializes Windows 98 Setup. If this file is started from MS-DOS, it calls the real-mode stub. If started from within Windows, it is a 16-bit Windows stub.
Suwin.exe	The protected-mode Setup components responsible for calling all other dynamic link libraries (DLLs) used in Setup.
Setupx.dll	The primary DLL used during the Copy Files phase to perform most of the installation procedures. It is responsible for reading INF files, handling disks, and copying files.
Netdi.dll	The module called early in the Setup process to install networking services.
Scanreg.exe	The utility that scans an existing registry for errors.
Scandisk.exe	The utility that checks local hard disks for errors.

Also, the Wininstx.400 directory is created at the beginning of the Windows 98 Setup process. This directory contains a minimal set of files used during setup and requires about 10 to 12 MB of free disk space. This directory is removed upon the successful completion of Windows 98 installation.

Directory File Structure and File Locations

The following figure shows the typical default directory structure created for Windows 98. The bold entries are new entries in Windows 98.

    Win98
        All Users
        Application Data
        Applog
        Catalog
        Catroot
        Command
        Config
        Cookies
        Cursors
        Desktop
        Downloaded Program Files
        Drwatson
        Favorites
        Fonts
        Forms
        Help
        helpdesk
        History
        Inf
        Java
        Media
        MsApps
        msdownld.tmp
        NetHood
        ol98logs
        Pif
        PrintHood
        Profiles
        Recent
        Samples
        SendTo
        ShellNew
        Spool
            Printers

        Start Menu
            Programs
                Accessories
                Internet Explorer
                Microsoft NetShow
                Online Services
                StartUp
        Subscriptions
        Sysbckup
        System
            Color
            IE4Setup
            Iosubsys
            Macromed
            Setup
            Shellext
            Viewers
            Vmm32
            Wbem
        System32
            Drivers
        Tasks
        Temp
        Temporary Internet Files
        Tour
        Twain_32
        Vcm
        Vcm.000
        Web

Location of Key System Files

The following table lists the directories where various types of Windows 98 system files and supporting files are stored.

File type	Directory¹

Core Windows 98 files	%WinDir%
Shortcuts to applications	%WinDir%\Start Menu\Programs
MS-DOS commands	%WinDir%\Command
Printer drivers	%WinDir%\System
Help files	%WinDir%\Help
Font files	%WinDir%\Fonts
Setup and device installation files	%WinDir%\Inf
PIF files	%WinDir%\Pif
Drivers	%WinDir%\System
VxDs	%WinDir%\System
I/O Subsystem	%WinDir%\System\Iosubsys
Viewers	%WinDir%\System\Viewers
VxDs added after installation	%WinDir%\System\Vmm32
Java files	%WinDir%\Java\Classes
Internet Explorer browsing history	%WinDir%\History
Shell extensions	%WinDir%\System\Shellext
Active Desktop configuration files	%WinDir%\Web
Internet Explorer file cache	%WinDir%\Temporary Internet Files
Internet Explorer subscription files	%WinDir%\Subscriptions
Dr. Watson troubleshooting utility	%WinDir%\Drwatson


¹ "%WinDir%" refers to the directory that is specified during the installation process to contain the Windows 98 files.

The following list shows where key Windows 98 files are stored when Windows 98 is installed on the local hard disk of a computer.

Description	File name	Location

Real-mode operating system and system detection	Io.sys	Root directory of boot drive ¹
Command-line processor	Command.com	Root directory of boot drive
Real-mode stub to start Windows 98	Win.com	Windows
Protected-mode Virtual Machine Manager (VMM)	Vmm32.vxd	Windows\System
Registry	System.dat	Windows ¹
Registry backup files	Rb001.cab through Rb005.cab	Windows\Sysbckup
Registry when first created by Setup	System.new	Root directory of boot drive ²
User registry	User.dat	Windows ¹
User registry first created by Setup	User.new	Root directory of boot drive ²
Log of the Setup process	Setuplog.txt	Root directory of boot drive ¹
Hardware detection log	Detlog.txt	Root directory of boot drive ²
Log of Windows 98 startup process	Bootlog.txt	Root directory of boot drive ²
Real-mode network configuration	Protocol.ini	Windows
Boot configuration file	Msdos.sys	Root directory of boot drive ¹
Registry created by Setup completion	System.1st	Root directory of boot drive ¹
System initialization file	System.ini	Windows
Customization settings file	Win.ini	Windows
Shell executable file	Explorer.exe	Windows
Compression support file	Drvspace.bin	Root directory of boot drive ²


¹ This is a hidden file. ² This file is visible in the root directory only when the Windows 98 installation has failed. When setup completes, System.new is moved and renamed System.dat. User.new is moved and renamed User.dat.

Location of System Files on Compressed Disks

If you install Windows 98 on a compressed drive, Windows 98 Setup places the following files on the boot drive.

Windows 98 Files on the Boot Drive


Autoexec.bat	Dblspace.bin¹	Msdos.sys¹
Autoexec.dos	Detlog.txt¹	Netlog.txt
Bootlog.prv¹	Drvspace.bin¹	Setuplog.txt¹
Bootlog.txt¹	Drvspace.ini¹	Suhdlog.dat¹
Command.com	Io.dos¹	System.1st¹
Command.dos	Io.sys¹	Wina20.386
Config.dos	Msdos.--- ¹
Config.sys	Msdos.dos¹


¹ Indicates a hidden file.

When Windows 98 is installed on an uncompressed drive other than the startup drive, Setup adds the same files (with the exception of Drvspace.ini) to the boot drive, as listed earlier in this section. The only difference is that Win386.swp will be placed on the same drive as the Windows directory. For example, if you have drives C and D, and if you install Windows 98 on D:\Windows, Win386.swp will be on the root of D. Otherwise, it will be placed as described earlier for compressed drives.

The Windows 98 Startup Disk

The Windows 98 Startup Disk has changed significantly for Windows 98. The following functionality has been added:

Multi-start menu for booting your computer with or without access to the CD-ROM.
Real-mode IDE CD-ROM support
Real-mode SCSI CD-ROM support
Edb.cab file
RAMdrive
New extract command (Ext.exe)

For more information on how to make a Startup Disk, how to use it, and its new functionality, see Chapter 2, "Setting Up Windows 98" and Chapter 5, "Setup Technical Discussion."

The Edb.cab File

The Edb.cab file contains several utilities. It is a compressed file whose contents are expanded during the startup process. The following table lists the contents this file.

File	Function

Attrib.exe	Add or remove file attributes.
Chkdsk.exe	Simpler and smaller disk status tool.
Debug.exe	Debug utility.
Edit.com	Real-mode emergency text editor.
Ext.exe	File extract utility.
Format.com	Disk format tool.
Help.bat	Launches the readme.txt for the startup disk.
Help.txt	Text document with information for troubleshooting Windows 98 when it fails to set up correctly, third-party disk partitioning software, and diagnostic tools.
Mscdex.exe	Microsoft CD-ROM file extension for MS-DOS.
Restart.com	Restart your computer.
Scandisk.exe	Disk status tool.
Scandisk.ini	Disk status tool configuration file.
Sys.com	System transfer tool.
Uninstal.exe	Tool for removing Windows 98 from your computer and returning it to its previous state.

Contents of the Windows 98 Startup Disk

The following table lists the contents and describes the function of each file in the Startup Disk.

Note

The files contained in the Startup Disk are copied to the \Windows\Command directory only if the user chooses to create a Windows 98 startup disk during Setup. This happens during the first phase of the Startup Disk creation process. If you create a startup disk from Control Panel (From the Startup Disk property page in Add/Remove Programs) and the startup disk files are not in the \Windows\Command directory, you will prompted for the Windows 98 compact disk. A startup disk will be created but its contents will not be copied locally when you use this method.

File	Function

Aspi2dos.sys	Real-mode Adaptec CD-ROM driver.
Aspi4dos.sys	Real-mode Adaptec CD-ROM driver.
Aspi8dos.sys	Real-mode Adaptec CD-ROM driver.
Aspi8u2dos.sys	Real-mode Adaptec CD-ROM driver.
Aspicd.sys	Real-mode Adaptec CD-ROM driver.
Autoexec.bat	A batch file with a set of instructions that configure your computer when you boot it.
Btcdrom.sys	Mylex/BusLogic CD-ROM driver.
Btdosm.sys	Mylex/BusLogic CD-ROM driver.
Command.com	Command interpreter.
Config.sys	Loads the device drivers.
Drvspace.bin	Microsoft DriveSpace compression driver.
Edb.cab	Cabinet file containing extract utilities.
Ebd.sys	A file that identifies the disk as a Windows 98 startup disk.
Extract	File to expand the Ebd.cab file.
Fdisk.exe	Disk partition tool.
Findramd.exe	Utility to find the RAM drive during startup.
Flashpt.sys	Mylex/BusLogic CD-ROM driver.
Himem.sys	XMS Memory Manager.
Io.sys	System boot file.
Msdos.sys	Boot option information (paths, multiboot, and so on).
Mode.com	Lets you change display parameters such as number columns.
Oakcdrom.sys	Generic device driver for ATAPI CD-ROM drives.
Ramdrive.sys	Creates a Ramdrive during startup.
Readme.txt	Readme text document with information about the Windows 98 Startup Disk.
Setramd.bat	Searches for first available drive to be a Ramdrive.
Sys.com	System transfer tool.