EXPAND (2000 AND XP ONLY)

Expands one or more compressed files. This command is used to retrieve compressed files from distribution disks such as Windows installation disks, often designated with an underscore as the final character in the file extension, or found in 9x in the \Windows\Options\Cabs or \Windows\Options\Install folder.

Use

Type “EXPAND” followed by the path of the source file and the path of the destination file. If you are expanding a file within a cabinet file, navigate to the cab file’s folder and type “EXPAND” followed by the cab filename and then the -f: switch, followed, without a space, by the individual files within the cab file. For example, navigate to C:\Windows\Options\Cabs (found in many Windows 9x installations) and type:

EXPAND net10.cab -f:snip.vxd C:\Windows

This will expand the snip.vxd file into the C:\Windows folder.

Switch

/f: -f followed, without a space, by filenames of files within cab files.