How do I extract the contents of an "*.exe" file instead of running it?

[heap]

Well, in a roundabout way this is related to hdd...
-I have a computer that has no floppy
-I have the contents of a bootdisc in the form a an "*.exe" that I
want to use (from the bootdisc website).
-The program wants/needs a floppy drive to extract the contents to
-Instead I just want to extract the contents to my hard drive to copy
on CD or flashdrive.
-How??? There's no option given to change the location the exe wants
to put the stuff into

Ok, first I do realize that I can (and have) find the bootdisc files
other places, so this is a matter of proving a point of how to do
this....
Secondly, my new hard drive has a utility program from the
manufacturer that allows you to set some options/set-up that I'd like
to use, but it wants to extract to a floopy when I click on it and
(again) there's no options given to change the location that this exe
wants to write these files to. So I have other reasons for wanting to
know how to do this.

I figure there must be a way to pull the stuff out. I tried using
WinRAR and WInZip with no success. I'm thankful for any help on this
or pointers on what other groups to ask in.

Why in the world are companies still stuck in this "old fashion"
thinking that every PC (Win) computer has a floppy drive anymore?
Jeez, you'd think by now they'd get the idea that floppys are fading
away....or at least give you the option of just downloading the files
instead of using an exe.

Well, thanks for the help!

 

[Plato]

Why in the world are companies still stuck in this "old fashion"
thinking that every PC (Win) computer has a floppy drive anymore?

Because every pc should still have a floppy drive. Saving the ten bucks
by not having one is silly.

 

[Rod Speed]

Well, in a roundabout way this is related to hdd...
-I have a computer that has no floppy
-I have the contents of a bootdisc in the form a an
"*.exe" that I want to use (from the bootdisc website).
-The program wants/needs a floppy drive to extract the contents to
-Instead I just want to extract the contents to my hard drive to copy
on CD or flashdrive.
-How???
There's no option given to change the location the exe wants
to put the stuff into

The only completely viable approach is to fake up a floppy
well enough to keep the exe happy and have it write to what
it thinks is a floppy, but isnt actually a floppy. A pseudo floppy.

The other approach is to run the exe on a system which has
a floppy and then use that floppy to make a bootable CD.

Ok, first I do realize that I can (and have) find the bootdisc files
other places, so this is a matter of proving a point of how to do this....

Yeah, there's still a few dinosaur apps that assume there is a floppy.

Secondly, my new hard drive has a utility program from
the manufacturer that allows you to set some options/set-up
that I'd like to use, but it wants to extract to a floopy when
I click on it and (again) there's no options given to change
the location that this exe wants to write these files to.
So I have other reasons for wanting to know how to do this.

I figure there must be a way to pull the stuff out.

In the ultimate there cant be because there are different
ways to store what ends up on the floppy in the exe.

I tried using WinRAR and WInZip with no success. I'm thankful
for any help on this or pointers on what other groups to ask in.

Its a rather general question.

Why in the world are companies still stuck in this "old fashion"
thinking that every PC (Win) computer has a floppy drive anymore?

Basically its easier to assume there is a floppy
drive than to allow something more fancy.

The obvious approach is to provide both an exe which
creates a floppy and an ISO which can be burnt to a CD.

Jeez, you'd think by now they'd get the idea that floppys
are fading away....or at least give you the option of just
downloading the files instead of using an exe.

Yeah, some brain dead moron at the controls basically.

 

[Rod Speed]

heap wrote

Because every pc should still have a floppy drive.
Saving the ten bucks by not having one is silly.

I'd rather just have a PC that can turn the floppy the exe
produces into a bootable CD instead. And I have that anyway.

 

[Lil' Dave]

Well, in a roundabout way this is related to hdd...
-I have a computer that has no floppy
-I have the contents of a bootdisc in the form a an "*.exe" that I
want to use (from the bootdisc website).
-The program wants/needs a floppy drive to extract the contents to
-Instead I just want to extract the contents to my hard drive to copy
on CD or flashdrive.
-How??? There's no option given to change the location the exe wants
to put the stuff into

Ok, first I do realize that I can (and have) find the bootdisc files
other places, so this is a matter of proving a point of how to do
this....
Secondly, my new hard drive has a utility program from the
manufacturer that allows you to set some options/set-up that I'd like
to use, but it wants to extract to a floopy when I click on it and
(again) there's no options given to change the location that this exe
wants to write these files to. So I have other reasons for wanting to
know how to do this.

I figure there must be a way to pull the stuff out. I tried using
WinRAR and WInZip with no success. I'm thankful for any help on this
or pointers on what other groups to ask in.

Why in the world are companies still stuck in this "old fashion"
thinking that every PC (Win) computer has a floppy drive anymore?
Jeez, you'd think by now they'd get the idea that floppys are fading
away....or at least give you the option of just downloading the files
instead of using an exe.

Well, thanks for the help!

Throw in another question to the newsgroup. No floppy drive or floppy
controller as described on recent PC. What happens to irq 6? Is this
usable now, or locked out of use as it is on many PCs even if you disable
the onboard floppy controller.

One Asus mobo I had allowed me assign hardware irq 6 to a PCI slot after
disabling the onboard floppy controller. That was the only time I've seen
this asset usable other than a floppy controller.

 

[Peter]

Well, in a roundabout way this is related to hdd...

-I have a computer that has no floppy
-I have the contents of a bootdisc in the form a an "*.exe" that I
want to use (from the bootdisc website).
-The program wants/needs a floppy drive to extract the contents to
-Instead I just want to extract the contents to my hard drive to copy
on CD or flashdrive.
-How??? There's no option given to change the location the exe wants
to put the stuff into

Ok, first I do realize that I can (and have) find the bootdisc files
other places, so this is a matter of proving a point of how to do
this....
Secondly, my new hard drive has a utility program from the
manufacturer that allows you to set some options/set-up that I'd like
to use, but it wants to extract to a floopy when I click on it and
(again) there's no options given to change the location that this exe
wants to write these files to. So I have other reasons for wanting to
know how to do this.

I figure there must be a way to pull the stuff out. I tried using
WinRAR and WInZip with no success. I'm thankful for any help on this
or pointers on what other groups to ask in.

Why in the world are companies still stuck in this "old fashion"
thinking that every PC (Win) computer has a floppy drive anymore?
Jeez, you'd think by now they'd get the idea that floppys are fading
away....or at least give you the option of just downloading the files
instead of using an exe.

Well, thanks for the help!

VMware or alike?

 

[Rod Speed]

Throw in another question to the newsgroup. No floppy
drive or floppy controller as described on recent PC.
What happens to irq 6? Is this usable now,

Yes, if the floppy controller is disableable in the bios.

or locked out of use as it is on many PCs even
if you disable the onboard floppy controller.

Its not locked out, the main problem is that most devices
wont attempt to use it because its not normally free and
they arent setup to be able to use IRQ6 for that reason.

One Asus mobo I had allowed me assign hardware irq 6 to a PCI
slot after disabling the onboard floppy controller. That was the
only time I've seen this asset usable other than a floppy controller.

You'll see more now that a floppy isnt always present
and MS is attempting to discourage its use when its
simply interfaced, using USB instead for stuff like that.

 

[deap]

The only completely viable approach is to fake up a floppy
well enough to keep the exe happy and have it write to what
it thinks is a floppy, but isnt actually a floppy. A pseudo floppy.

Whoa!...back up...how do you fake up a floppy?? If there's some sort
of program that emulates (or mounts like the optical drive emulators)
then that would be the ticket. Extract to a fake floppy, then move
those contents to where you want to keep or burn them. I think you're
hitting the nail on the head (never thought to see if there's a floppy
emulator). Now if you have some freeware out there that does this I
believe the problem is solved.

Actually, now that I think of it, I wonder if you could assign the
"A:" drive extraction designation to the location where a USB flash
drive was located (i.e., plug the flash drive in and then rename it to
A? I hadn't thought of that before, but it's something for me to
check out once I find mine.

....and sorry for not replying to everyone else seperately. I wasn't
expecting so many follow posts, but thanks to everyone for chipping
in.

 

[deap]

VMware or alike?Just took a look and that might do it. Need to install and all that
but we'll see how it does. Thanks for the pointer!

 

[Rod Speed]

Whoa!...back up...how do you fake up a floppy??

It isnt easy. I prefer the other approach, make a bootable CD on
another PC. Real floppys are a pain the arse reliablity wise anyway.

If there's some sort of program that emulates (or mounts
like the optical drive emulators) then that would be the ticket.

You can get USB floppy drives.

Extract to a fake floppy, then move those contents
to where you want to keep or burn them.

You might as well just use a PC that has
a real floppy drive and a cdrom burner.

I think you're hitting the nail on the head (never thought to see
if there's a floppy emulator). Now if you have some freeware
out there that does this I believe the problem is solved.

I think its better solved the other way, basically because those
exes that produce a floppy normally do that so its bootable.

Actually, now that I think of it, I wonder if you could assign the "A:"
drive extraction designation to the location where a USB flash drive
was located (i.e., plug the flash drive in and then rename it to A?

There's more than just renaming involved because the exe
may well want to format what it thinks is the floppy etc.

I hadn't thought of that before, but it's something
for me to check out once I find mine.

The problem is that fewer systems can boot those than can boot a CD.
Even if the bios doesnt allow a boot from a CD, there is a boot loader that can.

...and sorry for not replying to everyone else seperately. I wasn't
expecting so many follow posts, but thanks to everyone for chipping in.

No problem, one reply makes most sense in that situation.