Preparing the Distribution Media

After you build and sign your custom package files, you should prepare the media that you will use to distribute Internet Explorer to your users. Choose one or more of the following types of distribution media:

• Download Web or FTP sites on the Internet or intranet
• Flat network share (all files in one directory)
• CD-ROM
• Multiple floppy disks
• Single floppy disk (Internet service providers only)
• Single disk branding

Using Download Sites on the Internet or Intranet

The Internet Explorer Customization wizard places the setup file, IE5Setup.exe, in the location you entered at Stage 1 of the wizard. For example, you might have specified the following location:

C:\Webshare\WWWroot\CIE\Download\Win32\En\IE5Setup.exe

If you created the browser package on an Internet or intranet server, you need to set up your Web site so that users can download the files. For example, you might create a page where you post download information and provide a link to the setup file, IE5Setup.exe.

If you created the browser package on your hard disk or on a network drive, you need to move the following items to your Internet or intranet server:

• The folder that contains the language version you are posting. This folder is located within the destination folder you specify for each media type and platform. For example, if you specify your destination folder as C:\Inetpub\WWWroot\Cie\Dist, the English language version for Windows 32-bit versions would be created in the following folder: C:\Inetpub\WWWroot\Cie\Dist\Download\Win32\En.
• The IE5Sites.dat file. This file points to the download site (or sites) you specified when you ran the wizard.

Using a Flat Network Share

If you build your custom packages on a local area network, or if you plan to distribute your packages from one, select the Flat media option during Stage 1 of the Internet Explorer Customization wizard. This option places all of the necessary files in one directory that you specify using the wizard. For example, you might specify the following directory:

C:\Cie\Lan

Using CD-ROMs or Floppy Disks

If you want to distribute the custom package to your users on CD-ROMs or 1.44 MB floppy disks, you can specify your preference during Stage 1 of the Internet Explorer Customization wizard. The wizard produces a custom package that is designated for the media you specify.

Using a Combination of Media Types

If you plan to build different media types, you only have to create a custom package once (assuming that you aren't changing other settings). For example, you can build a downloadable package and CD-ROM package at the same time. Because the packages are built in subfolders within your build folder, you just need to transfer the files (as necessary) to their distribution or imaging locations.

Illustration 19.1 shows a build folder that contains files for Internet download and for CD-ROM. The files for Internet download have been built in the target Web server location on the build computer. The location or locations where you post files for Internet download should correspond to the URLs that you specify on the Component Download Sites screen of the Internet Explorer Customization wizard.

The files in the CD folder should be copied or moved to a CD-ROM imaging program. If the media imaging program supports drag-and-drop, you can simply drag the CD folder to the CD-ROM imaging software interface. For more information about whether your program provides that option, see the imaging software documentation.

The following illustration shows how to set up files for distribution.

Illustration 19.1 How to Set Up Files for Distribution