KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q172456: How to Automatically Replace Files In Use by Windows 95

Article: Q172456
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): win95
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

This article describes how to automatically replace a file that is in use by
Windows 95 without booting to MS-DOS mode.

MORE INFORMATION
================

You can replace files in use by Windows 95 by using an .inf file. The following
sample .inf file demonstrates this method:

  ; Replace.inf
  ; This is a Setup information file to replace a driver or file that is
  ; in use by Windows 95.
  ; Copyright 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation

  [DefaultInstall]
  CopyFiles=NewFile.copy.sys

  [version]
  signature="$CHICAGO$"
  AdvancedINF=2.0

  [DestinationDirs]
  NewFile.copy.sys=11

  [NewFile.copy.sys]
  Old.exe, New.exe, Tempfile.exe

  [SourceDisksNames]
  55="My Very Own File Update.","",1

  [SourceDisksFiles]
  New.exe=55

  ; End of this .inf file.

This sample file assumes that a file named Old.exe is located in the Windows
folder and is currently running. When you run the .inf file, the following
actions occur:

The New.exe file is copied to the C:\Windows\System folder. This location is
specified in the [DestinationDirs] section of the .inf file. In addition to
being copied, the file is renamed to Tempfile.exe. This temporary name is
specified in the [NewFile.copy.sys] section of the .inf file.

The computer must be rebooted for the changes to take effect. During the boot
process, the temporary file is renamed from the temporary name to the
appropriate name on the hard disk before the original file is loaded and locked
open. This functionality is defined in the [rename] section of the Wininit.ini
file.

Once the file rename has occurred, the Wininit.ini file is renamed to Wininit.bak
so you can see the last action that took place with the Wininit.ini file.

To process an .inf file, you can either right-click the file and then click
Install, or use the following command:

  c:\windows\rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 130
  <path to file>.inf

This line should be typed as a single line. It has been wrapped in this article
for readability purposes. When you run this command, you are prompted to restart
the computer.


REFERENCES
==========

For additional information about .inf files and their parameters, see Appendix C
in the Microsoft Windows 95 Resource Kit.

For more information about the Wininit.ini file, please see the following article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q140570 HOWTO: Moving Files That Are Currently in Use

======================================================================
Keywords          : win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.