Editing STF Files in MS-DOS Edit Causes Errors

ID: Q120799

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Setup, versions 1.0, 1.1
• MS-DOS Editor, versions 1.0, 1.1
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0
• Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.2
• Microsoft Office Professional for Windows, version 4.3
• Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows, version 4.0
• Microsoft Access for Windows, version 2.0
• Microsoft Office for Windows95, version 7.0

SYMPTOMS

When you run the Setup program for a Microsoft application, if you are using an STF file that has been edited in the MS-DOS Editor application, you may receive one the following error messages:

   Setup was not completed successfully.

   A Setup initialization file has been corrupted

CAUSE

The MS-DOS Editor replaces tabs in edited files with spaces. If the tabs are missing from an edited STF file, the Microsoft Setup program cannot properly use the STF file, resulting in the error message shown above. (Note: this error message can also be caused by insufficient hard drive space where the Windows directory is located.)

WORKAROUND

Do not use the MS-DOS Editor to modify STF files. Instead, use a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel to modify the STF file.

We recommend that you edit the STF files in a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel. This type of program opens the STF in a table format with the appropriate columns in place--having the data in columns makes it easy to edit.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119357
   TITLE     : OFF: "How to Create a Custom Installation Script" (WC1046)

   ARTICLE-ID: Q111248
   TITLE     : XL5: Saving .STF File in Excel May Cause Setup
               Error Messages

Version           : 1.00 1.10
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: July 29, 1998