PROBLEM

Whenever you change or add windows components it always asks you to insert the Windows CD.

CAUSE

Windows needs to copy certain files across in order to use the new or changed component. These files are stored in .cab files on the Windows CD.

SOLUTION

1. See if the system already has CAB files loaded on hard drive.
   
   a) go to START / FIND / FILES OR FOLDERS
   b) look for *.cab files on drive c:
   c) if it finds dozens of files including precopy1.cab,  mini.cab, win9x.cab, etc then the files are already loaded - skip to section 5.
   
   
2. Place Windows CD in CD-ROM drive. Close autostart if it runs.
   N.B. Make sure it's the same windows version CD as is installed on the system.
   
   
3. Go to START / RUN + type "command" and click OK.
   
   
4. Type the following: (note: x = your CD-ROM drive letter)
   
   cd\
   md Win98
   cd Win98
   copy x:\Win98
   
   When the files have finished copying, type "exit" to return to windows
   
   
5. Windows 98 users only - others skip to section 6.
   Go to START / RUN and type "scanregw" and click OK. Click YES if prompted.
   
   
6. Go to START / RUN and type "regedit" and click OK.
   
   
7. Navigate to :
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / MICROSOFT / WINDOWS / CURRENTVERSION / SETUP
   
   
8. In the right hand pane, scroll down and locate the "SOURCEPATH" string.
   
   
9. Double click on the string name and modify the "value" to  reflect the folder that your CAB files are located in and click OK.
   E.G. C:\Win98

Close regedit and under most circumstances, windows will never ask you to insert your Windows CD again.