Microsoft KWAJ installation compression
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== Identification == | == Identification == | ||
− | + | Files begin with bytes {{magic|4b 57 41 4a 88 f0 27 d1}}. | |
== Specifications == | == Specifications == | ||
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== Software == | == Software == | ||
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* [https://archive.org/details/msdn-1996-04 MSDN Library - April 1996] → MSDN15_1.iso → MSDNSMPL/PROD/EISPAK11/DECOMP.EXE - Decompression utility for DOS; supports compression methods 2, 3, 4 | * [https://archive.org/details/msdn-1996-04 MSDN Library - April 1996] → MSDN15_1.iso → MSDNSMPL/PROD/EISPAK11/DECOMP.EXE - Decompression utility for DOS; supports compression methods 2, 3, 4 | ||
+ | * [https://www.cabextract.org.uk/libmspack/ libmspack] → msexpand (decompress only) | ||
+ | * {{Deark}} | ||
See also [[MS-DOS installation compression#Software]]. | See also [[MS-DOS installation compression#Software]]. | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Sample files == | ||
+ | Compression method 2: | ||
+ | * {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows94/DRIVERS/MOUSE901.ZIP|MOUSE901.ZIP}} → *.??$ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Compression method 3: | ||
+ | * {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9606/WIN3/INET/POWERTCP.ZIP|POWERTCP.ZIP}} | ||
+ | * {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9606/WIN3/PRINT/PRTFRM41.ZIP|PRTFRM41.ZIP}} | ||
+ | * {{CdTextfiles|cica/cica9404/WIN3/MISC/NSWP20.ZIP|NSWP20.ZIP}} | ||
+ | * [https://archive.org/download/ms-dos-6.2 MS-DOS 6.2] → *.IMA → *.??_ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Compression method 4: | ||
+ | * [https://archive.org/details/MicrosoftWorks3.01994English Microsoft Works 3.0] → MMWORKS300.iso → MSWORKS/*.??_ | ||
[[Category:Microsoft]] | [[Category:Microsoft]] | ||
+ | [[Category:MS-DOS]] |
Latest revision as of 19:34, 28 February 2023
Microsoft KWAJ installation compression refers to a compressed file format used for software installation by Microsoft and their installer tools. "KWAJ" refers to the signature bytes at the beginning of a compressed file.
KWAJ is a relative of some similar formats, most importantly the one known as "SZDD". For the other formats, see MS-DOS installation compression and Microsoft SZ installation compression.
KWAJ is more sophisticated than SZDD, though the relationship between them is not clear.
Contents |
[edit] Format details
There is a 16-bit field at offset 8 that specifies the compression or encoding method.
Compression code | Description |
---|---|
0 | Uncompressed (rare) |
1 | XOR (rare) |
2 | Okumura's LZSS |
3 | LZ77 + Huffman |
4 | MSZIP (based on DEFLATE) |
[edit] Identification
Files begin with bytes 4b 57 41 4a 88 f0 27 d1
.
[edit] Specifications
[edit] Software
- MSDN Library - April 1996 → MSDN15_1.iso → MSDNSMPL/PROD/EISPAK11/DECOMP.EXE - Decompression utility for DOS; supports compression methods 2, 3, 4
- libmspack → msexpand (decompress only)
- Deark
See also MS-DOS installation compression#Software.
[edit] Sample files
Compression method 2:
- MOUSE901.ZIP → *.??$
Compression method 3:
- POWERTCP.ZIP
- PRTFRM41.ZIP
- NSWP20.ZIP
- MS-DOS 6.2 → *.IMA → *.??_
Compression method 4:
- Microsoft Works 3.0 → MMWORKS300.iso → MSWORKS/*.??_