W95_04.CAB Bad Disk [Archive]

wilder

03-13-2004, 04:09 AM

I'm doing a reinstall of W95 on an old pc. I have all of the 30 something floppies, but some of them I had used before.

I got to disk four and it says "Cannot read from the specified path". I put it in this pc and the zip file opens fine and it looks like all of the files are good and the correct sizes. I can't extract the files to this pc to make a new disk, it extracts half of the files correctly but the second half are 0 byte files after extraction.
I have done a scandisk, twice, and it did fix some errors, but still won't extract correctly. How can I extract the files from a bad floppy so as to make a new one?
I'm afraid of what will happen if I cancel installation now!

CrazyMike

03-13-2004, 10:15 AM

It's possible the fourth disk is currupted. Do you know anybody with the same disk set that you can borrow that disk from?

edfair

03-13-2004, 10:42 AM

A 30 floppy install set? ZIP files? Sounds like somebody did a zip of an installation rather than supply you with the legitimate .cab files.
The original 95 was 17 disks if I recall. And I heard somewhere that there was a 22 disk set. Both of these were in DMF format, 1.7 roughly per disk except for disk 1.
Cancelling install won't hurt anything. You'll just need to restart from a reboot, being careful that the new install goes into the same space.

wilder

03-13-2004, 11:41 AM

I have disks numbered 0-29=30 disks plus a start-up disk. This is an old packard bell and that's all the software I have for it.

GaryRouth

03-13-2004, 04:04 PM

If you have a friend who has either a Win95 CD, or another floppy set, you can borrow it to install = but just use your current product key [one license (product key) per machine. . . ]

If the pc won't boot from a CD, you can use either the Packard Bell startup floppy, or download a Win95 bootable floppy from http://www.bootdisk.com

Good luck with your project
. . . Gary

wilder

03-13-2004, 11:49 PM

I've tried the boot disk. Im not sure what to type in at the prompt.
The problem started when I tried to instal new version of Internet Explorer and there was not enough disk space. So I did the 'add/remove' and I removed the old version. I guess I deleted some of the system files by mistake so now I'm stuck without backup. I made the floppies from the pb tools program.
There are alot of cab zip files because they don't all fit on 1.44MB floppies. When I posted originally, I thought #4 would be the only one I would have a problem with, but it seems that 10 of them are not readable. I believe this is due to stupidity in using used formatted floppies.
I can unzip all of them and they look fine but it will not let me extract them,"cannot read from the specified path".
There must be a way to get the files out and copy the contents of each to my hard drive, then make new floppies, right? Isn't there a program that will split files other than .zip? If it can read them, that is.
I have a file splitter program but I think it only works with .exe files.
I know it sounds like this pc isn't worth the trouble, but it worked fine for downloading and testing programs, before I screwed it up. Besides it's another freebie, but without software.
Grasping at straws here:(

GaryRouth

03-14-2004, 12:09 AM

Actually, it sounds like the .cab files are there on the hard drive, if you don't have an installaton CD, but are using a Packard Bell tool to create a floppy set. The Packard Bell tool is probably referencing the .cab files on your C drive.

If your Win95 is still bootable, you can check if the .cabs on the hard drive with Windows Explorer. Look in on C:\Windows\Options\Cabs . . . You can also check if they are there when booting from your floppy: use the Directory command from the DOS prompt:

dir C:\Windows\Options\Cabs

This would list the contents of the directory, should it exist. If there is a subdirectory \Win95, and it has a setup.exe, you should be able to run an over-the-top reinstall from there. Here's a guide: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70846

It's possible that Packard Bell has the .cab files in a different location (since it's up to the OEM to decide where to put them) - but that "\Windows\Options\Cabs" subfolder is the most common.

Free up as much disk space as you can before you try the reinstallation: it also sounds like you must be hurting for free space. Deleting everything from your Temp folder and Recycle Bin would be a good start.

If you can't find the .cabs, you'll need to find a CD or floppy set of Win95 to repair with.
. . . Gary

edfair

03-14-2004, 12:18 AM

I am getting some bad vibes coming off the page.At this point you are just about out of options. You have a bad non-standard 95 install set, no backup for them , and not enough space to put the install stuff on the hard drive to install from there.
I suspect that you could put the install stuff on with another machine if you took the PB install stuff off but you would be looking at a total reinstall of everything, OS, programs, and you probably will lose any data.

wilder

03-14-2004, 01:36 AM

A total reinstall is what I intended to do when I first had trouble after trying to install ie6.0. There's just alot of junk on that thing anyway. I think it was given to someone, who gave it to someone else and I ended up with it.

That's why I made the floppies. I'm beginning to wonder if having 'cab.zip' files in alot of the floppies might be the problem. It may not be recognizing the zip files, so it can't read the specified path.
I've gotten some of them split, now if I can figure out how to put them back on floppies in .cab format.. but that would mean more floppies and I don't think it would take them out of order.
I recently saw an article about how to make an installation cd from all those floppies so I'm going to try to find that again.

glc

03-14-2004, 04:08 AM

You can't install IE6 on Win95 to begin with - no wonder you are having problems.

I'm not advocating piracy here, but your best bet is wipe the drive and reinstall Win95 from a CD. You should be able to find one of those *somewhere*.

edfair

03-14-2004, 09:05 AM

You won't be able to put them back onto the floppies in .cab format without some additional tools. The .cab files for the floppy version of 95 were 1.7mb (DMF format) for all after disk 1, and those for the CD versions were 1.9mb if I recall correctly.
Better if the .cab files are on the hard drive is to get a bootdisk from www.bootdisk.com , boot with it, move to the location where the .cab files reside , and run setup. I think this was what PB intended, with the floppies as a fallback in the case of a HD failure. I also suspect that it was intended that you unzip the files back into the hard drive, but since you have problems with the floppies, that isn't advisable.
And if you plan to follow the advice of glc I would suggest a 95 boot disk to prepare the hard drive, and a 98 boot disk to gain access to the CD. Just don't use the 98 to do anything to the hard drive since it wants to create the partitions in a way that 95 might not be able to use.

wilder

03-14-2004, 11:34 AM

In no way am I suggest anything illegal like piracy, I appreciale this forum too much to do that, but if you're not exactly sure of the laws it's hard to know what help to ask for. I know it is illegal to make copies of licensed software. I know that W95 and W98 are usable on multiple machines, but I heard Millenium, 2000 and XP can be used on one machine only, even though you own the product key.
If you sell a used pc, the software goes with it, right? Then why is it illegal to sell just the software, say if your pc burns up?
Anyone know of a link to these software laws?

I was installing IE6 from a cd. If I had gone to ms update site I would have found out sooner that IE6 is only for W98 and up.

I'm going to try the boot disk again. I have W95 Original and W95 Ver.B, not sure which version it is yet. If that does'nt work i'll keep working on re-creating the bad floppies, I don't know anyone who has W95 anymore.
just in case you haven't yet heard, Microsoft has just come out with the 2004 edition of critical updates and sp's. They're free, (Free is good!) No postage either.

Windows Security Update 2 set CD Pack February 2004 Release at:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/default.asp?Locale=en-us

edfair

03-14-2004, 12:56 PM

You can buy software from many places, ebay for one. But if it is OEM it should be accompanied by the hardware to comply with the MS EULA and the license between MS and the distributor. Retail can be sold as long as it is not in violation of the licnese you agreed to.
Since you are taking it back to a fresh install, why not put the install stuff on the HD and install from there. Several threads here will tell you how.
When you are done, and you will be successful, you will have the equivalent of an Edsel, but people collect Edsels, so you will be in good company.

glc

03-14-2004, 01:06 PM

Even if the PB cabs are on the hard drive, they usually remove setup.exe which makes them uninstallable. Recreating floppies is just not feasible.

diver203_98

03-14-2004, 01:33 PM

I, myself, still have a floppy version of Windows 95. It is a boot disk plus 22 disks. When I got my computer, way back when, (it was a 486) it didn't have a CD drive so I had to buy it as floppys. I cleaned the old thing out, delete-ing all the windows system files using a zero-write utility. Only problem I had was I didn't get the product key before I did that. I called Microsoft, and they were kind enough to issue me a new key so I could reinstall Windows 95 on my old 486. The only thing it is used for any more is playing the games that were bundled with the OS. It isn't powerful enough for todays programs. That is why I replaced it in June 2001 with this system I have now.

wilder

03-14-2004, 04:03 PM

I'd say you got lucky there. The only thing that one is used for is browsing and occasionally downloading fixes when I don't keep updates current. It came in handy when I had XP on another pc and was hit with the blaster worm, which luckily didn't affect W95 or 98. So it has come in handy.
OK, I've gotten it into windows again but some of the files are "missing or corrupted". They should match what I have on the floppies right?
I can't find a system file checker on 95. What else would it be named? Or is there another similar program on 95 that lets you extract and replace files?
Thanks for all the help!

GaryRouth

03-14-2004, 05:07 PM

If you're able to get into Windows, I'd try the over-the-top, if you're certain you have a good .cab set either on your hard drive, or on a Win95 CD that's in good condition. Might want to save your product key first, depending on which over-the-top you try [there are two methods]. Here's the over-the-top link again http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70846
Good luck! ---- should only take about 45 minutes for the over the top
. . . Gary

[p.s. ...System File Checker didn't show up until Win98 ]

noby

03-16-2004, 03:49 AM

you could try reading the floppies with BadCopyPro...

noby

glc

03-16-2004, 11:50 AM

If you have already run scandisk on the floppy and it has fixed errors, you now have missing data.

wilder

03-16-2004, 07:06 PM

Yes, I could try Bad Copy Pro, if I had an extra $40.00 to put into this Packard Bell W95 pc. But being a SWG (single working gmother), I'll have to pass. But thank you very much for the suggestion.
I've just about given up on those floppies. It wasn't real smart to use used floppies anyway.
I've pretty much decided to go with Gary's suggestion, once I've had time to read all the instructions and feel confident I can do it, if I haven't come up with a CD by then.

Thanks for all the help!!

btw, here's a sample of one of the files I found on one of the floppies. Whatever that language is, I don't speak it.

wilder

03-16-2004, 07:09 PM

Don't know what happened.

edfair

03-16-2004, 08:27 PM

Just proved that the disk was corrupted.

The used floppies shouldn't have made any difference. It looks like the system corrupted them.

Look on ebay. Should be able to find a floppy set cheap.

wilder

03-16-2004, 08:45 PM

Thanks, I've been doing that all along, but nothing so far. All I can find are programs and games for W95. A friend of mine said that even though they are obsolete, that I could probably still order one from microsoft. I doubt it, but I'm going to check it out anyway.
Thanks!

edfair

03-16-2004, 10:30 PM

Your search parameters must be wrong. I just pulled 27 listings up.

"windows 95 floppy"

GaryRouth

03-17-2004, 03:30 PM

. . . or you could go with a search "Windows 95 CD" (assuming the PB has a IDE Cd-rom drive = not a sure thing). . . but it's a lot easier than all those floppies (and you usually get the OSR2 disk [a later version with more goodies])

. . . there were about 15 listed with an "exact match" search
. . . Gary

[ but I'd still ask around, I wouldn't be surprised if family or friends have a copy in a box in a garage somewhere. . . 1995 wasn't That long ago]

wilder

03-17-2004, 07:49 PM

I was searching Computers>Software>Windows 95 and got just a few results. I wasn't entering "CD" or "Floppy". Thanks!
I found them, but now I'm not exactly sure which would be the one I need. This pc is OEM, but there is no "product key" listed in regedit.
There is a "Stashed GMG" listing with letters and numbers that is very similar to a product key, only quite a bit longer. I don't know what the "Stashed GMG" is.
I would have to get the OEM version and not the retail, right? There is a Full Version I'm looking at but I'm not sure if that means OEM, retail or either one?
Theres nine hours left for the 'Full Version on CD in Jewel case with Recovery Diskette', so I'll watch my e-mail to see if anyone responds to this. If not, I'm sure I'll find something there sooner or later. I don't know many people here, so not much chance of finding it locally.
Yes this has a fairly new CD rom drive.
(BTW, Gary, the old Tandy 2500 with W3.1 is still alive and well!) Thanks to you and e-bay!

glc

03-17-2004, 08:17 PM

OEM or retail makes no difference, as long as it comes with a CD key.

GaryRouth

03-18-2004, 02:55 AM

Good luck with your Win95 search.

[Are you sure there's no product key in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version ---> you left-click directly on "Current Version" to see the list of keys and values to the right, one should read "ProductID" (or something like that. . . my Win95 is getting a little rusty) . . .]

Like glc says, don't need to pay extra for retail - official Win95 support ended a while back.

. . . Gary

[Pretty neat the Tandy's still going. We finally had to retire the 386 that was running as a terminal emulator at the lab (it was our oldest box). It was still running, but the hard drive started to make a pretty unacceptable whine - - - > which was growing louder! Any louder and you'd think it was designed just to make noise]

wilder

03-18-2004, 05:33 AM

I'm sure there is no produck key, the product ID is the OEM number. I wrote to the seller last night and there is a product key with the software he is selling.
I was just notified I was the high bidder at $15.50 + $3.85 shipping. So I am on my way, if it's as easy as reinstalling W98.

Thanks to all of you for your help!!
Very much appreciated!

edfair

03-18-2004, 07:51 AM

95 doesn't come with a boot disk, and the EBDs that it creates do not have CD support built in. So it is still a good idea to download the 2 mentioned in my previous post.
Once you have loaded your 95 you can create an EBD and combine the support files from the 98 downloadable version to end up with a 95 version with CD support.
That will make the reload easier the next time you need it.

wilder

03-18-2004, 08:11 PM

Ok, now you're getting a little ahead of me. Everything I know I have learned from here, or from trial and error, that's it.
This package I'm getting is the Full Version W95 plus a "Recovery" disk. Isn't the recovery disk the floppy that lets you reload,format, execute, etc? Entirely seperate from a start-up or boot disk?
Are you saying a start-up disk, created from add/remove programs is the same as a bootdisk?
I have already downloaded both versions of the W95 bootdisks (EBD?). One version will let me start windows. I don't create a start-up disk using that, do I? I don't want to create a bootdisk from the corrupted files on my hard drive.
What do you mean it doesnt have cd rom support? Can't I reload W95 just as I do W98? Put in the reload (recovery) disk, choose execute, wipe out the hard drive then install windows from the cd? If I can, that's when I create a start-up disk, right? I don't know how to add files while creating a start-up disk and I don't know which are the (CD rom?) support files.

edfair

03-18-2004, 10:50 PM

A recovery disk implies that it will boot and restore the operating system and applications to the hard drive. The emergency boot disks don't do that. One gives 95dos capability without CD support, the other gives 98dos capability with CD support. If you will look at the config.sys and autoexec.bat files on each you will see the difference.
The recovery disk may be machine dependent and not run on your system. Until you get it there is no way to know. But since you have the 2 boot disks you can do the same things that the restore disk would do. Just use them in the proper order if you have to go that route.

GaryRouth

03-19-2004, 04:55 AM

Sorry, wilder, if this is a little confusing - the terms do start tangling together even for tech veterans!

Since your Win95 computer is still booting, but you weren't able to reinstall/repair it - when the new Win95 installation CD comes, you can just try the "over-the-top" reinstall: that way you won't have to reinstall all your personal data and programs. The link to those instructions: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70846

The wild card in this situation is the age of your computer - especially whether or not it can boot from a CD, or even what kind of CD interface (plug) it has. If you have an option in the Bios Setup screens [...the ones you see if you "Press F1 (or DEL, or F10, etc) to Enter Setup" while the computer is starting up..] to put the CDROM as the 1st boot device, then you'll be OK. That would indicate that your CD-drive is probably of the ATAPI/IDE type - and not one of the earlier kinds [those non-IDE CD-drive generally had their main interface on a sound card connector rather than a motherboard connector].

If it turns out you do have that older non-IDE type of cd-rom, you might want to follow one of the earlier suggestions, (now that you'll have a fresh copy of the Win95 files) --> you could copy the Win95 installation cabs onto the harddrive & run setup from there [and not have to fool with floppies or CDs at all] . . . that might be a little challenging if you're having some space problems on the drive (but you also have the option of slaving your current drive into another computer & backing things up there)

I would be a little surprised if any Recovery Disk would be of use to you if it is from another OEM computer. Like ed mentions, those are usually machine-specific (they only work on the computer they are sold with). Not sure, really, why the seller would bother including it: but they might not know much about how Recovery Disks work.

If we've completely confused you, let us know. Sometimes my own head starts to spin on these details too. . .
. . . Gary

edfair

03-19-2004, 09:55 AM

Over the top sounds ugly on this problem. Probably better to do it clean. And with no applications installed it should be possible to do a HD install, even if the install files need to come off to load apps.
And if something screws up you can start over again with no loss but time.

glc

03-19-2004, 02:21 PM

Windows 95 CD's are not bootable. You have to use a bootdisk with CD support.

GaryRouth

03-20-2004, 04:22 AM

Oops --- I'm sorry: it's been a few years since I've had to install Win95. I'd forgotten it needs the floppy first! [strange how progress puts things into the past in my memory that weren't there - I was thinking that bootable cds arrived with OSR2, but it looks like it was Win98 . . . ]

Thanks, glc, for correcting my mistake.

. . . I'm hoping that the ebay item maybe meant to say Installation Diskette rather than Recovery Disk: that would work out very nicely. If you decide on a clean install [which is indeed much better for peace of mind & generally perkier performance], another benefit is that if your new disk is an OSR2 version of Win95, you could format your hard drive with FAT32, and no longer be restricted to partitions no greater than 2gb each. [. . . but you will have to find the Win95 drivers for your hardware (to reinstall them) - might want to try one of those freeware/shareware tools that copy the current drivers before you try either a reinstall or clean install . . . ]
. . . Gary

wilder

03-20-2004, 01:19 PM

The CD Rom is IDE Adaptor. I doesn't say ATAPI, though.

I really don't have any personal data or programs that aren't already saved, so I won't be losing anything by a clean install.

I guess I'll know in a few days exectly what I'm getting. If W95 cd isn't bootable, why is just the cd offered for sale new without the floppy bootdisk at places like http://www.newoem.net/ for example.
Do they expect you to know you'll also have to find the floppy disk?

If the floppy ins't an installation disk, I would put in the bootdisk and the cd, right? I know this sounds dumb, but I'm still not familiar with the basic commands and what to type in at the A:\ prompt since I don't want to start windows. (I'm still looking for a list of the basic 95 commands and what they will do.)
I know I'm getting ahead of myself, and should wait until I get the software, but isn't there a way to make a bootable W95 cd combining the cd with the autorun command from the floppy? I know it's not legal to make copies of licensed software, but if it's just for personal use, and not to distribute or sell would that be in violation? (if it's possible to do).
We'll see what I'm getting and I'll go from there.

GaryRouth

03-20-2004, 06:16 PM

Hi again

I'd lay odds that you'll get both the floppy dsikette and the install CD. If you don't, depending on which 95 arrives (whether OSR2 or original) - you can use a bootdisk from the site you mentioned, or from bootdisk.com = both seem to be good sources.

To do a clean install, you'd start the computer with the Win95 floppy, and use the fdisk tool to delete the current partition(s) [EXCEPT any non-Dos partition, if Packard Bell decided to use one -- leave any non-Dos partitions alone, unless you're sure the information on them isn't necessary]. (To see the current partitions, use option 4 in fdisk). Then you'd create a Primary Dos Partition, and mark it active. I don't remember if Win95 OSR2 Setup offers to format with FAT32 like Win98 does (the prompt, "enable Large Hard Drive Support" means to use FAT32). If it does, that would do it. You'd just follow the prompts & go through Setup as normal after that.
. . . Gary

[if the Win95 is the original first edition, the steps are the same, but when you fdisk, your partitions cannot be larger than 2gb each. If the hard drive is a small one, you won't really lose anything by using FAT16 instead of FAT32]

wilder

03-20-2004, 07:39 PM

Ok now, that sounds good to me. I've done that before with success on another pc. but I had the disk.
On the W95, I tried fdisk, without the cd or anything, after I messed it up with ie6. I know I shouldn't have tried it, but I figured why not?, I've already gone this far.
It said "cannot delete primary(?) partitions because the disk cannot be locked". I have no idea what that meant so I just quit and started looking for the software. Maybe I won't get that message after I get the cd and floppy.
We'll see, Thanks!