These instructions apply to WinZip 11.0 only and assume you are running Windows XP or Windows 2000. Links to instructions are also available for other WinZip versions.
Note: Updates to WinZip 11.0 were released adding features, fixing minor bugs, and addressing a security issue. WinZip Computing does not distribute earlier versions in this situation. If you do not have a WinZip 11.0 install file, you will only be able to obtain WinZip 11.2.
Contents:
The WinZip Multi-User License File: WinZip.wzmul
Customers who purchased a multi-user license will have received a unique WinZip.wzmul registration file which must be copied to a WinZip subfolder in the Windows Common AppData folder. This folder contains application data for all users. For Windows Xp and Windows 2000, a typical path for the WinZip.wzmul file is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\WinZip. The presence of WinZip.wzmul in this folder will convert the evaluation version of WinZip to a licensed registered version.
Note: A WinZip multi-user license file (WinZip.wzmul) would have been provided as part of a customized backup CD, if one was obtained, and will automatically be copied to the correct location during the installation process.
If you downloaded a distribution file, your WinZip.wzmul registration file will also need to be downloaded and will need to be copied to the WinZip folder described above, either manually or by double clicking on the WinZip.wzmul file.
Is there a WinZip 11.0 MSI file?
A WinZip 11.0 MSI file was available when this version was relesed. However, as you will read in the note above, WinZip 11.0 is no longer distributed. You may need to consider installing WinZip 11.2 instead.
What are the user requirements to install WinZip?
The initial WinZip install to a computer must be done from an account with Administrator or Power User privileges. These privileges are required to install any program that includes a shell extension, such as WinZip. This initial installation configures WinZip both at the machine level (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Nico Mak Computing\WinZip) and at the user level for the installing user only (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Nico Mak Computing\WinZip). Thereafter, no special privileges are required as the machine level configuration will be silently propagated to subsequent users (administrators or limited users) who run WinZip for the first time.
The default installation settings include the creation of WinZip shortcuts and a program group in the All Users folder so that the icons appear on the Desktop and in the Start menu for all users of the machine.
For example, if you are using Windows XP or Windows 2000, the shortcuts will be added to the two folders
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu
and the WinZip program group will be created in:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\StartMenu\Programs
In addition, a shortcut to the WinZip Quick Pick tray icon is added to the Startup folder for all users. For example, on Windows XP or Windows 2000, this shortcut will be added to:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\StartMenu\Programs\Startup
Can the WinZip program files be located on the server (zero footprint)?
Yes. The steps involved are:
- Network Administrator installs WinZip to a server to which all users have access.
From the customized WinZip 11.0 distribution CD, install WinZip to the server.
If you do not have a CD and are using a distribution file, then double click on WINZIP110.EXE and install WinZip to the Program Files\WinZip folder.
- The Network Administrator logs onto each computer as an administrator (all other users should be logged off), ensures each user on the computer has access to the WinZip folder on the server, and runs WINZIP32.EXE. For example, using a batch file or executing from the Start menu RUN command, use: "N:\Program Files\WinZip\WINZIP32.EXE"
Note: If the computer users have administrative privileges, they can do the installation themselves.
- Next, you need to copy your WinZip.wzmul registration file to CSIDL_Common_AppDATA, the file directory containing application data for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data.
- When limited users log onto their computer and into the server where WinZip is located, they are now ready to use WinZip.
Can the WinZip program files be located on the users' computers?
Yes. The steps involved are:
- Network Administrator installs WinZip to a server.
- From the customized WinZip 11.0 distribution CD, install WinZip to the server.
- If you do not have a CD and are using a distribution file, double click on WINZIP110.EXE and install WinZip to the Program Files\WinZip folder.
- The Network Administrator copies the contents of the WinZip folder on the server to the user's local hard disk, and then runs WINZIP32.EXE from the local computer. For example, using a batch file or executing from the Start menu RUN command, use: "C:\Program Files\WinZip\WINZIP32.EXE"
- The WinZip.wzmul registration file must be copied to CSIDL_Common_AppDATA, the file directory containing application data for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data.
- When limited users log onto their computer they are now ready to use WinZip.
Note: If you are not allowed to install a program onto the server, please perform the above steps on a client computer and then copy the WinZip files to the server.
How to install WinZip silently
When you run WINZIP32.EXE, using the above examples, you go through the entire installation process. You have to reply to each panel in the installation wizard. There is a silent WinZip install method which can be managed by packages like Microsoft's System Management Server (SMS).
The /AUTOINSTALL variable is added to the end of the WINZIP32.EXE command line to perform silent installations of WinZip.
Rather than using: "N:\Program Files\WinZip\WINZIP32.EXE"
Use: "N:\Program Files\WinZip\WINZIP32.EXE" /autoinstall
Be sure to use WINZIP32.EXE. Do not use WINZIP110.EXE or SETUP.EXE.
Be sure there is a space between WINZIP32.EXE and /autoinstall.
Note: The /autoinstall switch, when used on its own, facilitates an automatic installation of WinZip with default installation settings, using the default Classic interface, as if the user had manually selected the Express Install option. The default installation settings include the creation of a program group, desktop and start menu shortcuts for all users, addition of the Quick Pick tray icon in the startup folder for all users, creation of WinZip file associations for all users, and configuration of WinZip's Check for Updates feature, among other things.
How to customize the silent installation of WinZip
Switches that can be used with /autoinstall are:
- /noqp - prevent WinZip from including the WinZip Quick Pick icon in the taskbar tray
- /noc4u - prevent the "Check for Update" function from running
- /notip - prevent the "Tip of the Day" from displaying
- /nopredefinedjobs - prevent pre-configured WinZip jobs from being installed
- /nojobrunprompt - prevent the prompt dialog from appearing when running WinZip jobs **
- /nodesktop - prevent WinZip from including the WinZip shortcut on the desktop
- /nostartmenu - prevent WinZip from including a WinZip shortcut at the top of the Start menu
- /nomenugroup - prevent WinZip from creating a WinZip program group and icons
- /altext "xxx" - set an association with WinZip for the extension that you specified. In this case, ".xxx"
**Be sure to consider the security implications of allowing your users to automatically run WinZip Job files before installing with this parameter.
You may use any combination, or all, of these switches. However, when using multiple switches, they must be in the order displayed below:
/noqp
/noc4u
/notip
/nopredefinedjobs
/nojobrunprompt
/nodesktop
/nostartmenu
/nomenugroup
/altext "xxx"
For example, if you want to customize your installation to have no WinZip Quick Pick icon, no WinZip desktop icon and no WinZip icon in the start menu, you would issue this command:
"n:\program files\winzip\winzip32.exe" /noqp /nodesktop /nostartmenu /autoinstall
Note: You can tell if you made an error if the WinZip installation wizard begins. Cancel the installation and fix the problem.
What can I do if the user's registry is cleared out every day?
In some network environments, WinZip may repeat the installation process (including the Setup Wizard) each time it is run from a workstation. This may occur when the network environment does not preserve WinZip's registry settings between WinZip sessions.
If you encounter this situation, or if you have a simple deployment scheme that involves only the placement of the WinZip files with no special customizations, you can set WinZip up to install itself "on demand" by creating a file called AUTOINST.TXT in the WinZip folder. This file, which must be a plain text file, must contain this exact text:
I agree to the WinZip Computing License Agreement
If the AUTOINST.TXT file is present in the WinZip folder and contains the specified text, WinZip will perform the equivalent of an /autoinstallrun (install WinZip quietly and start WinZip with no other parameters) each time it is run and your users will never see the Setup Wizard.
Once again the user who invokes the installation at the beginning of the day needs to be a local administrator. Then the limited users can log in and use WinZip.
However, if the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry is not touched and only HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry keys are reset, then limited users can do the initial installation.
Note: The presence of AUTOINST.TXT facilitates a silent installation of WinZip with default installation settings, using the Classic interface, as if the user had manually selected the Express Install option. The default installation settings include the creation of a program group, desktop and start menu shortcuts for all users, addition of the Quick Pick tray icon in the startup folder for all users, creation of WinZip file associations for all users, and configuration of WinZip's Check for Updates feature, among other things. There is no facility for customizing the installation when AUTOINST.TXT is used to silently install WinZip.
