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Make Windows 95 install media from installation

O

Overmann

Experienced Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
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102
Location
Norway
Hi there,
I have a SiemensNixdorf xpert machine that has windows 95 installed, and it has all those nice graphics (like SiemensNixdorf logo in Control panel -> System etc.). The machine did not come with any CD's or floppies and I was hoping that there is a way to make install floppies or a CD from the installation I have so that I can install to the machine later if something should fail or install Win95 to my OTHER xpert machine (which lacks all those nice graphics) to get all that branded goodness. :)

Or is there perhaps a way to add this stuff? Or does anyone know a place to download machine specific windows distros etc. ?
 
Overmann said:
Hi there,
I have a SiemensNixdorf xpert machine that has windows 95 installed, and it has all those nice graphics (like SiemensNixdorf logo in Control panel -> System etc.). The machine did not come with any CD's or floppies and I was hoping that there is a way to make install floppies or a CD from the installation I have so that I can install to the machine later if something should fail or install Win95 to my OTHER xpert machine (which lacks all those nice graphics) to get all that branded goodness. :)

Or is there perhaps a way to add this stuff? Or does anyone know a place to download machine specific windows distros etc. ?
Click to expand...
Some OEMs included the files on the HDD in lieu of separate installation media. I remember seeing this on a laptop in C:\windows\options\cabs

So look for a series of .CAB files on there, you might get lucky. The alternative is to just clone that installation instead of reinstalling.
 
That's a very cool program. I had no idea something like that recovery disk maker existed in windows. However, after I made a set the utility dissapeared from my start menu, and I managed to skip the first disk.
Is there a way to get it back?
 
Depends on the program. I have an HP core 2 duo laptop that had an option to make recovery DVDs. When it was done, and during the process it edits the restore partition and the data stored there so that I can only be used to restore in place, it could only make the disks once.

Fortunately I had imaged the drive myself before running the tool.
 
This program very much looked like it was built into Windows by microsoft, though I've not seen it before. My problem is that several of the disks that I made fail to work and I clearly have to make another set, but I can't find the program.

The .cab files in the options/cabs directory are 1.63mb, so to large to simly be copied over to a floppy. I suppose I could transfer the cab-files to my modern machine via a CF-card, but the machine I'm installing to does not have CD-rom drivers installed (and the Win95 installation is ongoing).
 
I did find an dmf writing program in the .cab's parent directory but as the files are not DMF I'm at a loss :(
And I am beginning to think that this might not be the way to go. It appears to me that these floppies install a bare bones Windows95 with none of the SiemensNixdorf additions that I'm looking to capture. I seem to recall that they were provided on the Windows 95 CD, but as I think about it it must have been provided on separate floppies (right?). There is a guy who has the Windows CD and the floppies:
https://gshaw0.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/gshaw0-origins-the-pc-where-it-all-began/#comment-8901

But that is the only place on the internet that I've seen someone who has them :(
 
Does the Sieman's software show up in the Add/Remove Programs list? If so, there should be an INF file detailing what was installed. Reverse the process to select the files that were installed might result in recreating the CABs used for the install. It might be appended to the Windows 95 SETUP INF files if it isn't in a separate file.

The icon on System in Control Panel could be set through the Registry. Maybe checking Regedit would point out the file that was used for the new icon. I don't remember the exact steps needed and I can't find a web page with details in a quick search.
 
krebizfan said:
Does the Sieman's software show up in the Add/Remove Programs list? If so, there should be an INF file detailing what was installed. Reverse the process to select the files that were installed might result in recreating the CABs used for the install. It might be appended to the Windows 95 SETUP INF files if it isn't in a separate file.

The icon on System in Control Panel could be set through the Registry. Maybe checking Regedit would point out the file that was used for the new icon. I don't remember the exact steps needed and I can't find a web page with details in a quick search.
Click to expand...

Thank you, thats hugely helpful! I managed to get one of the programs transfered this way. You guys don't happen to know if there is a way to get the "SiemensNixdorf" logo from the Control Panel -> System window onto the new installation?
 
Start Regedit. Scroll to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID. Search for "Control Panel" or "My Computer" or the matching class IDes of {20D04FE0-3AEA-A2D8-08002B3039D} or {21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}. See what the value of Default ICON is there. One of those may be changed to point to a Siemens specific DLL or ico file to get the replacement icon. Copy that line for other systems where you want to make the same change. It might be done automatically in the INF file that installs Siemens software. It is also possible that Siemens altered the Control Panel embedding new icons in it in which case you need to move the Siemens Control Panel to the new system.

I am not sure as to which applies to your system. I hope I copied the Class ID correctly. Searches may need to be altered if Control Panel or My Computer was given a non-English name in the registry.
 
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