How to expand Windows XP files from the installation disk (888017)

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To expand Windows XP files from the installation disk, use any one of the following methods:

Method 1: Use Expand File in Msconfig.exe

To use Expand File in Msconfig.exe, follow these steps:

1. Insert your Windows XP installation disk into your CD drive or DVD drive.
2. Click Start, click Run, type Msconfig, and then click OK.
3. On the General tab, click Expand File.
4. In the File to restore box, type the name of the file you want to expand. Or, to locate the file you want to replace, click Browse File, and then click Open.
5. In the Restore from box, type the path from which to restore the file. Or, to locate the source file you want to expand on your Windows XP installation disk, click Browse From, and then click Open.
6. If the Save file in box is not already populated from step 4, type the path to which you want the file to be restored. Or, to locate the destination folder you want to expand the file into, click Browse To, and then click OK.
7. Click Expand.

Method 2: Use Expand.exe at a command prompt

To use Expand.exe at a command prompt, follow these steps:

1. Insert your Windows XP installation disk into your CD drive or DVD drive.
2. Click Start, click Run, type Cmd, and then click OK.
3. Type cd\, and then press ENTER.
4. At the command prompt, type expand source destination, where source is the path to the file that you want to expand on the Windows XP installation disk, and destination is the path to the location where you want to save the file, and then press ENTER.

Method 3: Use Expand.exe from the Run line

To use Expand.exe from the Run line, follow these steps:

1. Insert your Windows XP installation disk into your CD drive or DVD drive.
2. Click Start, click Run, type expand source destination, where source is the path to the file that you want to expand on the Windows XP installation disk, and destination is the path to the location where you want to save the file, and then click OK.

Method 4: Use Expand.exe in the Recovery Console

To use Expand.exe in the Recovery Console, follow these steps:

1. Insert your Windows XP installation disk into your CD drive or DVD drive.
2. Start the Recovery Console.
   
   For additional information about how to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   307654 How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

3. At the command prompt, type expand source destination, where source is the path to the file that you want to expand on the Windows XP installation disk, and destination is the path to the location where you want to save the file, and then press ENTER.
   
   Note If you have to verify the source and destination drive letters, type Map, and then press ENTER.