Got this list of windows help sites from a ms newsgropus.... thought I =

would pass it on just in case anyone might need it.

< start clip >

In the spirit of exchanging information, tips, and techniques regarding

Microsoft products:

Windows Support Center (http://aumha.org/ or =

http://WinSupportCenter.com/)

Supporting Windows Desktop Systems:

Windows 95, 98, Millennium, 2000 & XP

(and just a smattering of Windows NT)

Many newsgroup participants have found this site useful in resolving a

variety of Windows issues. Among other things, it contains my most =

common

newsgroup answers. (http://WinSupportCenter/ may be substituted for

http://aumha.org/ in any of the links below.)

Support & Discussion Forums: http://forum.aumha.org/

Free newsletter, The E-List News: http://aumha.org/elist.htm

Links to Windows support sites: http://aumha.org/support.htm

Registry patches: http://aumha.org/regfiles.htm

My favorite freeware: http://aumha.org/freeware.htm

Other freeware recommendations: http://aumha.org/morefree.htm

Learn HTML coding: http://aumha.org/html/

A large collection of MSKB articles addressing common Windows error

messages:

http://aumha.org/kberrmsg.htm

Popular Windows support articles and FAQs include:

Windows Shutdown & Restart Troubleshooting: =

http://aumha.org/a/shutdown.htm

Win 98/ME Memory Management: http://aumha.org/a/memmgmt.htm

Virtual Memory in Windows XP: http://aumha.org/a/xpvm.htm {by Alex =

Nichol}

System Resources FAQ: http://aumha.org/a/resource.htm

Computer Health: http://aumha.org/a/health.htm

Windows PowerToys FAQ http://aumha.org/a/powertoy.htm

Control Startup Program Loading: http://aumha.org/a/loads.htm

KERNEL32 repair resources: http://aumha.org/a/kernel32.htm

Upgrading to Windows XP (tips): http://aumha.org/a/xpupgrad.htm {by Gary

Woodruff}

Windows Product Activation FAQ http://aumha.org/a/wpa.htm {by Alex =

Nichol}

Burning CDs in Windows XP http://aumha.org/a/xpcd.htm {by Alex Nichol}

FAT & NTFS File Systems in Win XP: http://aumha.org/a/ntfs.htm {by Alex

Nichol}

Ad-free. Spyware-free. In fact, it's all free. <g> (Cookies are served =

only

on the forums.)

--

Jim Eshelman MS-MVP

Windows Support Center: http://aumha.org

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We have been using non-Windows Installer products to distribute our VFP =

applications. Our current product of choice is Setup Factory by Indigo =

Rose but we are looking to migrate to Inno Setup because we would like =

to mechanically generate our setups via script vs. manually via a GUI.

My anxiety about not using Windows Installer based technology is that =

Microsoft and/or major 3rd party vendors may(???) be maintaining an =

up-to-date library of MSI component files that reflects the VERY LATEST =

component enhancements from Microsoft and 3rd party vendors like =

Crystal. So by using the MSI merge modules tracked and maintained by =

these vendors, we would, in theory, always have access to the very =

latest release of each component.=20

Am I correct in this assumption? Or must one manually go out and look =

for the latest and greatest MSI merge modules for all the merge modules =

included in a setup?

Is there a web site/service that tracks the very latest release of major =

components from Microsoft, Crystal, Infragistics, DBI, etc?

Thanks!

Malcolm

-----Original Message-----

From: Malcolm Greene [mailto:mgreene@bdurham.com]

Sent: Friday, April 18, 2003 6:59 PM

> Or must one manually go out and look for the latest and greatest MSI =

merge modules for all the merge >modules included in a setup?

You mean, like InstallShield goes to the web and grabs the latest and =

greatest? I don't think that's how it works. What you've got on your =

machine is what you get unless you grab new ones yourself.

>Is there a web site/service that tracks the very latest release of =

major components from Microsoft,=20

>Crystal, Infragistics, DBI, etc?

Not to my knowledge, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Mike Stewart

Hi Malcolm,

the WISE isntaller has an Automatic Updater for all Modules. Thus, before

you build a new installer package, you just verify that you have the latest

modules on your box. WISE is constantly watching those versions of the

modules and therefor you will always have the newest ones.

BTW, for the classic setups, where you need to find that newest versions o

your own: When dealing with regular OCX files from MS, take a look at the

corresponding *.DEP file. It lists the download adress for that module, as

well as all dependecies.

Servus

wOOdy

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- / auf www.prolib.de und www.AFPages.de

I've stopped 26.652 spam messages. You can too!

Get your free, safe spam protection at http://www.cloudmark.com/spamnetsig/

The online update of Installshield maintains some of the latest merge

modules.

-----Original Message-----

From: profox-admin@leafe.com [mailto:profox-admin@leafe.com] On Behalf

Of Malcolm Greene

Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2003 9:59 AM

To: profox@leafe.com

Subject: [NF] Windows Installer Question: Do MS, Installshield, Wise

continously update MSI merge modules?

We have been using non-Windows Installer products to distribute our VFP

applications. Our current product of choice is Setup Factory by Indigo

Rose but we are looking to migrate to Inno Setup because we would like

to mechanically generate our setups via script vs. manually via a GUI.

Thanks Clement!

Malcolm

<snip>

Clement Chin

Sent: Friday, April 18, 2003 10:14 PM

To: profox@leafe.com

Subject: RE: [NF] Windows Installer Question: Do MS, Installshield, Wise

continously update MSI merge modules?

The online update of Installshield maintains some of the latest merge

modules.

</snip>

Hi wOOdy,

Thanks for info on Wise's Automatic Updater service.=20

Just yesterday I posted a comment (what I thought was a brillant =

discovery on my part<g>) about MS publishing a URL for the latest CAB =

file updates in .DEP files: "Interesting info on ActiveX files from =

Microsoft and ideas for simpler, more up-to-date setups?"

Damn ... you guys are always 10 steps ahead of me!

Regards,

Malcolm

<snip>

J=FCrgen Wondzinski

Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2003 3:27 AM

To: profox@leafe.com

Subject: RE: [NF] Windows Installer Question: Do MS, Installshield, Wise

continously update MSI merge modules?

the WISE isntaller has an Automatic Updater for all Modules. Thus, =

before

you build a new installer package, you just verify that you have the =

latest

modules on your box. WISE is constantly watching those versions of the

modules and therefor you will always have the newest ones.

BTW, for the classic setups, where you need to find that newest versions =

o

your own: When dealing with regular OCX files from MS, take a look at =

the

corresponding *.DEP file. It lists the download adress for that module, =

as

well as all dependecies.

</snip>

Mike,

Thanks for you follow-up. Do you know what MS policy is regarding CAB =

files? I know CAB use is deprecated (replaced by Windows Installer 2.0 =

technology), but does that mean that MS will no longer be maintaining =

the CAB files referenced in DEP files? Has MS issued a date when support =

for this service (hosting and updating CAB files) will be discontinued?

Thanks!

Malcolm

<snip>

Mike Stewart

Sent: Friday, April 18, 2003 10:09 PM

To: profox@leafe.com

Subject: RE: [NF] Windows Installer Question: Do MS, Installshield, Wise

continously update MSI merge modules?

Not to my knowledge, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

</snip>

Thanks Mike!

Malcolm

<snip>

Mike Stewart

Sent: Monday, April 21, 2003 2:14 PM

To: profox@leafe.com

Subject: RE: [NF] Windows Installer Question: Do MS, InstallShield, Wise

continuously update MSI merge modules?

-----Original Message-----

From: Malcolm Greene [mailto:mgreene@bdurham.com]=20

Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2003 9:01 AM

>Thanks for you follow-up. Do you know what MS policy is regarding CAB

> files?

Considering that CABs are frequently used in web pages, I would guess

that they'll be around for a good long time. Couldn't find an

"official" position, but we seem to recommend cabinets as a distribution

medium on this page:

<http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=3D/library/en-us/vstoo=

l1/html/veconpackagingthreetypesofdistributionunits.asp>

</snip>

-----Original Message-----

From: Malcolm Greene [mailto:mgreene@bdurham.com]=20

Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2003 9:01 AM

>Thanks for you follow-up. Do you know what MS policy is regarding CAB

> files?

Considering that CABs are frequently used in web pages, I would guess

that they'll be around for a good long time. Couldn't find an

"official" position, but we seem to recommend cabinets as a distribution

medium on this page:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=3D/library/en-us/vstool=

1

/html/veconpackagingthreetypesofdistributionunits.asp.

Mike Stewart