Question about ".cab files"

prodigy215 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-08-2007, 08:58 PM

When I download mostly any software for my PocketPC 6800, its an a .cab file.

How do you extract the .cab file onto the phone device?

Do you copy the .cab file into the Programs File phone folder or something?

Thanks.

**Perasite** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-10-2007, 12:00 PM

Copy the .cab file to your phone via activesync. Then open it up in file explorer to begin the install. A .cab is basically an installation program.

christinme7890 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-15-2007, 08:53 PM

im going to assume that you don't quite know how to use the ppc so to add some detail to 6700Yuma's post. Put the .cab on your ppc (through the sd card or syncing or however...if you need help with this post it) then browse to the cab file. all you have to do is click on it and your ppc will know to upen the installer and walk you through it. after installation, a link to your program will be located in the program folder of your ppc.

Mkostera1 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-18-2007, 02:35 AM

I was wondering this too, i will give it a try

buck95 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-19-2007, 06:05 AM

Nice explanation guys on cab files, also be nice to have an explaination on all the possible ways programs can be downloaded and installed on a ppc. It can be confusing when you download a file in rad form or zipped or has to be run from the pc with an exe. Or extracted 1st , etc. Also downloaded directly from the ppc. Where do u install them? Where and when do you extract them and what can u delete after the install? I can usually get them loaded on but not without some thinking and some experimentation. Wish i had the knowedge to put this explanation together correctly. Some posts are kind to us newbee and provide step by step instruction but lots assume u know what your doing. Not sure if there is a link to explain the methods or not but would sure be nice to have a forum for ppc users starting out. Would answer a lot of questions, save a lot of posts in the main forum when they have simple problems or questions that the experienced assume everyone knows.

christinme7890 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-19-2007, 09:10 AM

Cab files can be placed anywhere on your phone. All you have to do is remember where you placed them so you can located them to install. I keep all my cabs on my 2gig sd card in a folder called "my downloads" so that I know where they are located.

I have never heard of a rad file so I can't help you there. If the cab is located in a zip file, your ppc should have zip software and you should be able to extract the cab file to your phone. If you download the zip file from your computer then extract the cab to your computer and put only the cab on the phone by syncing it or by clicking on the "Browse" button on the sync app and browsing to where you want to place it.

sometimes you will download a zip file that has all the files located inside the zip and not in cab format. If that is the case I usually don't mess with it because it is a pain, but like a computer, you can create a new folder in your "program files" (in the application "file explorer" go browse to "my device" and you will see "program files", this is where your applications get installed if you chose to install on the device and not sd card). The name of the folder can represent the name of the software you are installing. Then extract from the zip all the files into the folder. Locate the exe file (executable file) and run it. (to create a new folder, in "file explorer", browse to where you want to put the folder, using the stylus, tap and hold down the stylus in a blank area and a menu will open up. On that menu should be the option to create a new folder.

I would recommend installing your cab files on your main phone. You can install them to the sd card but be careful because if you eject your sd card while the phone is using it you could crash your phone and have to soft-reset. I usually install important things to my phone and random play things like games or music or video to the sd card. Things on the sd card don't seem to play or run as fast as things on the phone storage.

After finishing installing the application from a cab file you can delete the cab. I don't normally do this because there are two reasons I install something. 1) I always use the program and thus would never delete it. 2) I am trying the software and don't want to delete the cab until I know that I would never use the program again. If you are storing your cabs on a sd card, I wouldn't worry about deleting the file. If you are storing the cabs on your computer and then transferring them to you phone as needed then feel free to delete the cabs after you are finished installing it. When you are done installing a cab you can delete it without doing harm to your ppc.

STEP by STEP instructions for installing a cab... (for the newb)
1) Locate and open "file explorer" which can be found by opening up program files under the start menu.
2) When you open "file explorer" it should start you in the "my device" folder which can be proven by the word "my device" in the upper left hand corner.
3) you have to know where you installed the cab. If you synced it, it will be located under "my documents" which is located in "my device".
4) use your stylus to scroll down and find your file.
5) tap on the file once you have found it.
6) The cab file will load and ask you where you want to install it: "device" or "\Storage Card"
NOTE: if you don't have a sd card installed, I don't know if it will still ask where to install. When trying it on my ppc, I installed a cab and it asked where and I didn't have the sd card in, it still gave me the option to install to the "\Storage Card" and when I selected the storage card it just installed it to the typical "Program files".
7) OPTIONAL: delete the cab (there will be no harm done) and you can find the installed files under "program files" which is under "my device". Sometimes the cab will install somewhere else, in which case you can find where it was installed by referring to the readme that came with the install instructions.

rpro95 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-19-2007, 09:37 PM

This is cool. I was having trouble also.Thanks

prodigy215 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 11:49 AM

Thanks a lot for the great reply! Well said!

thejudge · #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2007, 11:04 AM

Nice step-by-step! Thanks.

IC going with the cab file vs the rar or zip on the pc first basically saves a step...er..or two. Otherwise, you un rar or un zip, install the exe on your PC then use Activesync to install the program to the phone. It then shows under Installed Programs on your PC too. I could do away with all this personally.

Now that I know that a cab file is basically an exe for the ppc OS. So now I can just browse to my fav download page and grab the cab to the the phone then install. Much simpler.

Thanks for the explanation! I learned something today....