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How to extract cab file from exe ?

hi !
Most of our software are .exe files to be run from a PC and to be installed then on the PPC.
When one wants to perform a HR away from PC, it is then hard to quickly re-install all apps.
Having cab files stored in the SD card is the solution but what to do when no cab files are available only exe ?
My question is then the following : is there a possibility to extract CAB files from .exe files ?
Thx in advance

Hi,
Often the .exe is just a self extracting archive which you can open with winrar
doesn't always work, just right-click on the .exe en choose open with winrar...
also, when you try to install an exe file, the .cab is extracted and moved to you phone, that means you should be able to find the cab somewhere and copy it...
most of the time in \program files\microsoft active sync\(appname)
also, when you install an app, some of them ask you where to install it on your pc, in that directory you can find the cabs you need
now I'm just looking for a program that can make an cab installer that can be run on my phone and installs every cab to SD...
I found one, but it doesn't work... teksoft airwizard 1.1...
Bartus

at times one can also just rename it from .exe to .zip

yes copy from activesync folder is possible but i have the same problem only with this difference. On my working computer i have administrator rights and folder Program files is blocked for me. I need a program to extract cab form exe. WinRar does not work. Sorry for my bad english

well try this: after cab transferred to your device, don't install it (and don't cancel!!) , go to Windows\AppMgr , and see if a folder with the name of that program exists with a cab file in it ...
now I'm just looking for a program that can make an cab installer that can be run on my phone and installs every cab to SD...
I found one, but it doesn't work... teksoft airwizard 1.1...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try SettingsSaviour ... it has a silent install feature with which you can install many cabs at once, downside is silent isntall can't be used to install programs on SD, you'll have to manually choose Storage Card for each program...

Very comprehensive explanations ... thanks to all of you ! I gonna try and report if any further problems.
--------------------------------------------
After trying to change the extension of the .exe, I have to report that it works with one of the files I wanted to CABized.
To MODO : do I need to stamp this thread as SOLVED ?

Bonusbartus said:
Hi,
Often the .exe is just a self extracting archive which you can open with winrar
doesn't always work, just right-click on the .exe en choose open with winrar...
also, when you try to install an exe file, the .cab is extracted and moved to you phone, that means you should be able to find the cab somewhere and copy it...
most of the time in \program files\microsoft active sync\(appname)
also, when you install an app, some of them ask you where to install it on your pc, in that directory you can find the cabs you need
now I'm just looking for a program that can make an cab installer that can be run on my phone and installs every cab to SD...
I found one, but it doesn't work... teksoft airwizard 1.1...
Bartus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I did to keep installed cab files was I created a new folder in my storage card and named it "CABS", then I did a registry tweak to where the cab file was not deleted after installation. Now whenever I download a cab file, I "save as", CABS folder(from the dropdown box) on my storage card.

DR400 said:
hi !
Most of our software are .exe files to be run from a PC and to be installed then on the PPC.
When one wants to perform a HR away from PC, it is then hard to quickly re-install all apps.
Having cab files stored in the SD card is the solution but what to do when no cab files are available only exe ?
My question is then the following : is there a possibility to extract CAB files from .exe files ?
Thx in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just wants to mention a "universal" unpacker called UniExtract - http://legroom.net/software/uniextract - it can extract many .EXEs made by install tools. Also - check out MSCEInf - which can analyze an CAB-file - http://www.freewareppc.com/utilities/msceinf.shtml

Are you able to open a exe file on your device? 90% of the programs I like have exe files and I always get not a valid pocket pc application. I've even tried to rename exe to cab or zip, but doesn't work. The file extension being downloaded is shaded out in the file type box in the download dialog box and cannot be changed. I've tried programs to convert exe files to other extensions, but all they do is convert after the downloaded exe files have already been installed.

hotdog53 said:
Are you able to open a exe file on your device? 90% of the programs I like have exe files and I always get not a valid pocket pc application. I've even tried to rename exe to cab or zip, but doesn't work. The file extension being downloaded is shaded out in the file type box in the download dialog box and cannot be changed. I've tried programs to convert exe files to other extensions, but all they do is convert after the downloaded exe files have already been installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats because they are exe files that are supposed to be run on a normal PC. You download the exe to a PC, then when you have your Phone connected via Activesync, run the exe and it will install on your phone.
Alternativly, use WinRar on your PC to extract the exe, and copy the .cab files to your phone, then open them. (this does not always work, not all exe files are extractable)

DR400 said:
hi !
Most of our software are .exe files to be run from a PC and to be installed then on the PPC.
When one wants to perform a HR away from PC, it is then hard to quickly re-install all apps.
Having cab files stored in the SD card is the solution but what to do when no cab files are available only exe ?
My question is then the following : is there a possibility to extract CAB files from .exe files ?
Thx in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My solution is:
1) keep PDA disconnected (no active sync session)
2) install exe as usual and, when standard installation dialog will appear, go on (later cab installation will begin when you'll connect phone to pc)
3) open regedit.exe
4) go to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AppMgr\Apps
5) there you'll find a list of installable cabs via active sync
6) under each application, the value ListCabFiles is the name of cab file and the value InstallDir is its position of file system.
Remember to uninstall exe after you copy/move the cab file (or delete application key) otherwise installation of cab files will start on next activesync session!!
Simple, do you agree?

yeh... sure i cant use activesync, so i just extract the exes seems easy enough

mugglesquop said:
thats because they are exe files that are supposed to be run on a normal PC. You download the exe to a PC, then when you have your Phone connected via Activesync, run the exe and it will install on your phone.
Alternativly, use WinRar on your PC to extract the exe, and copy the .cab files to your phone, then open them. (this does not always work, not all exe files are extractable)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use a program called pocketRAR like winRAR but for mobile win -extract files- get cab and run its that easy just did it with this calc.exe

Knocksock said:
Just wants to mention a "universal" unpacker called UniExtract - http://legroom.net/software/uniextract - it can extract many .EXEs made by install tools. Also - check out MSCEInf - which can analyze an CAB-file - http://www.freewareppc.com/utilities/msceinf.shtml
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have just used uniextract to unpak my Pocket informant, I think this utility will be a life saver for all those files that i can't get as CABS. I have a lot of problems with active sync but can easily transfer to SD card with card reader or WM5Storage.
Thanks you so much

exe programs which use activesync
always get cabs from the install programs
if just renaming the exe to zip don't let you extract the cab file manualy
an installation on a pc without a pda connected to active sync would leave the cab files somewhere so next time the pda is connected the cabs can be transfered
search for *.cab and find the one you're looking for on the computer

Ran the .exe, found the cab, copied it.
Thanks.
Oh and UniExtract looks like a great program so I'll probably be using that next time.

NOT ALL
Not all the apps can run on the SD... thats for sure
but always you can... use setingsaivour BTW you can edit some cabs that arent sign trusted or only read with cab manager and edit the cab to apply the default installation or tell it that you dont want to choose set default main or SD... save it and tadaaaa!
I always do that... change .exe to .rar or .zip see inside extract the cab and copy it to my Cab folder on sd... always edit the sd config... and run the User customization !

this is not only easy, but it works flawlessly,
thanks

why don't you try 7zip for pocket pc? is the best way and quick cuz you ccan estract your cab files right on your ppc
just go to menu and extract, works for executables for windows

Bonusbartus said:
Hi,
Often the .exe is just a self extracting archive which you can open with winrar
doesn't always work, just right-click on the .exe en choose open with winrar...
also, when you try to install an exe file, the .cab is extracted and moved to you phone, that means you should be able to find the cab somewhere and copy it...
most of the time in \program files\microsoft active sync\(appname)
also, when you install an app, some of them ask you where to install it on your pc, in that directory you can find the cabs you need
now I'm just looking for a program that can make an cab installer that can be run on my phone and installs every cab to SD...
I found one, but it doesn't work... teksoft airwizard 1.1...
Bartus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to get off subject but teksoft is just one way. I know there is a nother and I can't remember where it was, but I'll keep looking for the cab install program and let you know where it is or provide a link, if I find it.

Program for changing splashscreens

Is there anyone that is able to create a program that can perhaps create a selv installing .cab file for splash screens, or similar? Those steps you have to take to change the splash screen now is kind of long and complicated.
Imagine a program with a very simple GUI that can change the picture to the required .bmp, create the necessary .nb and .nbh file, and then maybe a .cab file, or something.
Or is this impossible?

Does anyone feel they have the need for a program like this? Or is it just me that's lazy?

changing the bootscreen requires you to flash the rom
changing the after boot splash could be done using a self installing cab file, you can use wince cab manager to make one, or wait for a programmer like you said to do one that lets you choose what bmp or jpg or png and does the overwriting of the default splash for you. But you cannot do the first boot screen like that, you could make a program that automatically generated the .nbh file for you but you still have to flash it (it cannot be installed within windows mobile)

mcq3000 said:
changing the bootscreen requires you to flash the rom
changing the after boot splash could be done using a self installing cab file, you can use wince cab manager to make one, or wait for a programmer like you said to do one that lets you choose what bmp or jpg or png and does the overwriting of the default splash for you. But you cannot do the first boot screen like that, you could make a program that automatically generated the .nbh file for you but you still have to flash it (it cannot be installed within windows mobile)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha. But someone an easy way to change the splashscreen(not bootscreen)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=1752083#post1752083
But thanks

MiniWeather for the VOX

Hey guys... just released a new chome weather version that should work with the VOX also. Can somebody give it a shot ?

I can't seem to get it to install,
Installation was unsuccessful. The program or setting cannot be installed because it does not have sufficient system permissions.
I'm using version 3 of Zeeshee ROM.
Cheers,

Same for me! Same rom. Btw, both weather progs delete my clock icon and blackscreen is not possible to load. (mini with dr.gonzo 6.1 rom)

Everything works!
Extract from cab all files for Windows directory and place them into the device.
Delete this files from cab and save cab.
Modify cab working.

Works brilliant .. Thanks a lot keep it up ... i like the background on the pictures what you post there . it will be great if you send it as well . cheers

I'm being stupid here.
I still can't get it to work.
Can someone upload the modified cab please.
Thank you.

Unzip attached file.
Copy files from 'Windows' (archive) to 'Windows' (device).
Copy cab to device and run it.
Reboot.
Enjoy!

Excellent!
Thank you for posting.
Regards,

Anyone have a screen shot of what it looks like?

TabletGuru said:
Unzip attached file.
Copy files from 'Windows' (archive) to 'Windows' (device).
Copy cab to device and run it.
Reboot.
Enjoy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you it works perfect now.

Got it to work, sort of, so please help.
weather.yahoo.com gives me NLXX001 as code
Doesn't seem to do anything
(And so is c>f not working)
Are we still using weather.yahoo.com as source?

I had already installed the original MiniWeather on my on my vox (Orange E650) and all was OK except that in portrait mode the weather image didn't show on the clock tab whereas it did in portrait mode. So I decided to install the vox version to see if it would be fixed.
Unfortunately I've found that the files can't be copied over to the device's Windows folder because Resco says they already there as read-only files in ROM and therefore cannot be overwritten. So after installing the 1.0b CAB I get the following error when I initially select options:
Unknown command: "nu=timestamp"
Line 13(\program files\nrg\chomeminiweather\SetOptions.mscr):nu=TimeStamp()
Is there anything that can be done? Would the clock/weather Image have been fixed anyway? If not I'll revert to the previous version
Thanks and nice program !!!

can someoene post a home screen to show how this should look. Its messed up on mine i believe I get 2 panels - the first one works but the image is messed up. The second one says "forecast" but in there it just says "push centre button to update, push right softkey marked options to set your options"
I had trouble copying the two chome files to the windows directory - it said I didnt have permission to copy them.
can anyone assist ?

Frottage........ It sounds like you've had a similar problem to mine above.
If you can't copy the files over the install doesn't work properly.
I've reverted to the non-Vox version and all now seems OK on my Orange E650 with Dr.Gonzo's 5.2.19195 Rom

Try using the Resco Explorer trial to copy them across. It's because the files it's trying to replace are in ROM. Resco worked on my Dr. Gonzo E650.

Help creating a cab file

I have this comm manager that I found from the forums a while back.. It was made my MFRAZZ... This installs correctly and works fine... However, I wanted to change the color of the buttons from blue to a maroon color that fades to black to match the theme on my phone
I opened the cab file and found quite a few files and an XML file... I found out the the other files were actually .png files renamed. I renamed them to ] .PNG and used Gimp to edit the pictures. I then renamed the files back to the origional file extension and used winrar to make it back into .cab.
I have a pic of the comm manger below, a pic of the error message and a pic of my current theme listed below. I also have the comm manager made by MFRAZZ and the comm manager I have edited attached below. They are clearly labeled.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Maybe you could enlighten me on what I did wrong.
This is not an issue where the comm manager is open or running in the background. I think I might have done something to the files when editing them to change their colors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Picture titled Comm manager: This is the comm manager successfully installed to my device. This shows the blue Icons which I have changed to maroon.
Picture titled Unsuccessful: Error when I try to install the new edited comm manger.
Cab file titled Touch Comm Manager: The blue comm manger made by MFRAZZ
Cab file titled Comm Manager Maroon: The comm manager that I edited the picture colors and which will not install to my Device.

Help??
So no one interest in helping someone out?

you cant simply repack the cab with winrar , you need to sign the Comm Manager with Certificates, search the ofrum for msigner, download it and sign the comm manager with it and then hopefully you'r good to go

Do i run msigner on the cab file or do i run it on the individual files packed into the cab file? thanks

Msigner
Alright, this is what i got when using msigner on the cab file as well on the individual files inside of the cab file.... Looks like I'm doing something wrong.. Heres the error message
Error: Signing Failed. Result = 800b0003, (-2146762749)
I only found 2 threads on this error message while using msigner. Neither one was successful at helping me with my issue.
Thanks in advance

I searched some other forums on signing cab files as well as my best friend.... GOOGLE. It appears that im going to need a windows mobile 6 sdk and a program called MSDN.. Is this correct? Is there an easer way to do this?

i think it misses the Certificates, make sure you dnt take the EXE out of its root folder

Use MSCEinf to dump the CAB file (7th button from the left on the toolbar), then edit the PNGs, then repack the CAB with Cabwiz:
cabwiz "fullpath\filername.inf"
Cabwiz is included with XP, but if you can't find it, you can get it here.
the CAB does not have to be signed, and since you're not editing the EXE, it doesn't have to be signed either.
Thanks to Benthon for his wonderful MSCEinf. A free program that he continually updates for the benefit of us WinCE users.
J03M4N

Ok...
I have a folder on my desktop thats says Msigner. When I open it up, I see a file that says Ssigner.exe. I can click on that and it opens up but it wont let me write a certificate to my cab file. there is also a yellow folder that is labled tools..... It has a quite a few dll files in it.
Any help would be appreciated

Joemanb,
thanks for the software. Tried it out and it wont open up my cab file that I created. however it will open up the origional cab file... Maybe i did something wrong haha.....

*Update*
I used the program in the last post. it wouldnt readthe cab file that I created but It read the origional cab file from MFRAZZ. I put the origional cab file from MFRAZZ into the program and extracted the files.
It extracted all the files into the correct file format. All my pictures were .png. I thought I was on the right track. I went aheadand edited all the pictures to make them the colors I wanted them to be. I also saw a .mui file... and I saw comm.exe. I expect thats the comm manager. There is not .xml fle now.
How to I repack all of this back into a cab file?
Thanks in advanced

Instructions on how to create the CAB are in my first post :
then repack the CAB with Cabwiz:
cabwiz "fullpath\filename.inf"
Cabwiz is included with XP, but if you can't find it, you can get it here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Type the command at a DOS prompt: 'fullpath' is the full path to the folder you dumped the CAB to, and 'filename.inf' is the name of the .inf file created when you dumped the CAB. Don't forget the quotes.
J03M4N

Sorry. I get a little ahead of myself. This is my first go at making a cab file. if all goes well i might do this more.
Nice I read on later and back tracked. I noticed that the link provided takes me to msdn's website with a title of Cabwiz(PPC Only) there is no download option. IS cabwiz built into the Windows Mobile 6 sdk?
Thanks in advanced again

ok im slowly getting this.... HaHa. I used command prompt and cabwiz. I took the inf file and pasted it into the folder that was dumped from the other program. I typed it in like this in command prompt.
cabwiz "d:\documents and settings\rzrgs6\desktop\windows\maroon_comm_manager.inf"
it kicked back with this error message...
Error: section [CEStrings] key"installDir" - data value must be an absolute path, or must start with a supported windows CE DirID <of the form %CEx%>
confused on this, maybe a little light shining on this might help.. Any Clues?
Heres an attachment of what I have so far...

you shouldn't have to move or copy the .inf, it should already be in the folder you dumped the CAB to.

It dumped a folder on my desktop callled windows. The comm manager.inf file was dumped on my desktop next to the yellow folder called windows. what you are saying is to do this
in command prompt, navigate to the cabwiz file. Type in cabwiz "d:\documents and settings\rzrgs6\desktop\windows" for the filename and just leave the .inf file on the desktop?
What to type exactly in command prompt is what is confusing me.
Thanks

Ok... I got frusturated with the .cab making process. I just took the pictures for the comm manager that I edited in GIMP and dropped them in my windows directory of my device.
It will keep me happy for now.
Below is my comm manager now and my theme on my phone which i created for Manila 2D

I'd like to help but it's hardfor me to describe it in english(my english is poor).I suggest that you can open it by winrar,see what it likes.And you can search it on google.

I appreciate everyones help.
I used WinCE to unpack the .cab file. It left me with a windows folder on my desktop with a bunch of .png files. I edited those from blue to the maroon fading black. The windows folder also had a .dll file a .mui file and the comm manager.exe file.
Next to the yellow windows folder I saw a .inf file which was dumped from the origional cab file. I expect this was the .xml installation file that was packaged in the origional cab.
Heres what I did. I searched and found Cabwiz and a few other cab making programs. I tried them all out with no success. I keep trying to use cabwiz as I fell it will do what I want. The only think is, I get an error when using Cabwiz which is in an earler post.
For now I gave up.... I just took the .png files that I edited in Gimp and copied them over to my windows Directory on my phone. I soft reset and the icons on my comm manager are the way that I want them to be
If someone could help me actually in the making of this file or just get me back on my feet and try again. I want to understand what it is that I am doing wrong.
Thanks

use the path to the .INF file like I said....
if you dumped the stuff to your desktop (WHY?) then your path to the inf file is:
"d:\documents and settings\rzrgs6\desktop\maroon_comm_manage r.inf"
so your command line is:
cabwiz "d:\documents and settings\rzrgs6\desktop\maroon_comm_manage r.inf"
why you stuck 'windows' in your path I don't know since that is NOT the path to the .INF file. The Windows folder was dumped along with the .INF file, but it was NOT the folder you dumped the CAB to. the Folder you dumped the CAB to is the folder you select after clicking the seventh button from the left in MSCEinf. Obviously you just selected the folder that was presented to you in the dialogue (Desktop) instead of navigating to a work folder and dumping it there.
I did NOT say to navigate anywhere after going to the command prompt (Cabwiz is in the system path). Nor did I say to move or copy anything.
You're reading alot into what I've said, and that seems to be your problem.

How to install?

Hi there, I just bought a new HTC 2 Pro and upgrade to 6.5, so now I want to install a few application that I download from here but all I see is files and a setup.xml, there is no .cab file on it. Can some body tell how can I work this out.
Thank You.

What kind of files besides the xml? What were you trying to install?

Does the file you download appear as a .zip when you find all the files (like _setup.xml)? Your internet browser might be renaming the .cab extension on the downloaded files to .zip. When you're looking at the file you downloaded on your computer, does it show up with the extension .cab or .zip (does it look like a filing cabinet or a zipped folder)? If the file with _setup.xml inside it shows up as a ZIP file, rename the extension to .cab, place it on your device somewhere, and open it with File Explorer Mobile (on your device). You're likely opening the cab file one way or another

Thank you for your replys. I am trying to install (Srub) in my phone. when I extrac the files to a folder all I see is _setup.xml, 000scrub.000, 000scrub.001 and thats it. So do I have to rename one of this to .cab? if it is which one is?

my money is on the file you extracted those files from
rename that to cab

Problem Resolve, I upgrade to the later Rom (EnergyROM Leo! Landscape and Documents!) and this rom have an application named (Pocket Rar) so I just create a folder inside my Doc and launch the .cab from there. I love it!!! Thank You all for your help.