Install .cab file outside of IE

Question

Our company’s computers are locked down so users cannot install anything. Now, we have just bought a service that requires the download and install of a cab file.

When I go to the web page with this control installed under my admin account, everything works fine because I have rights to install it. But if I go to that web page under my normal user account, I cannot use the control because I don’t have rights to install it. Now, that being said, if I visit the page under my admin account, then go back under my normal user account, I’m able to use the control.

So, either I have to login as admin on everybody’s machine as admin and visit that web page to install that .cab file (not an option, 100s of pcs), or I need to figure out a way to install the .cab file outside of IE so networking can push it to all of their PCs. My question is how can I install it outside of IE. I have downloaded the .cab file and right clicked the .ini file and clicked install. I can see the files (dll,ocx) in my system32 folders. But when I don’t see it listed as “installed” in “c:\windows\Downloaded Program Files” like I see it in my admin account, and it doesn't work.

Info – Our company is using IE6, Windows XP, the file I’m trying to install is “ewebeditpro3.cab.”, from what I can tell, web edit pro 3 is a product from Ektron, I’ve looked at their site, but couldn’t find any info on installing the client.

Answer 1

Your organization is probably using SMS, BigFix, or something to push changes. The cab file will contain an ActiveX control; you can use WinZip to extract it from the cab file and use your existing system to install it. (with regsvr32.exe)

Answer 2

A cab file installation also makes changes to the registry. Perhaps you could try to replicate those changes?