How to Install .CAB File on Windows
Scenario : You downloaded a file that you required urgently but its format is .cab. What do you do with it ??
Solution : You know what to do when the files are .exe executable or .msi Windows installer file format, but what the hell do you do with .cab ??
The .cab Cabinet file is a compressed archive that cannot be ran or executed directly. However, Windows has built-in support to open and view .cab archive content, but not outright install the .cab even if it’s part of an update or hotfix. In order to install a manually downloaded .cab file, use the following trick that makes use of pkgmgr.exe (Windows Package Manager) instead.
Open an elevated privileges command prompt as administrator, and run the following command to install and integrate the Cabinet archive:
pkgmgr /ip /m:<path><file name>.cab /quietOr,
start /wait pkgmgr /ip /m:<path><file name>.cab /quiet
Replace <path> with the path (location) to the .cab file, and <file name> with the actual file name of the .cab file, without parenthesis. If the Cabinet file is located on the current directory (same directory where command is ran, the path can be skipped.
A complete list of the commands that can be used with pkgmgr is shown below (for the power users) :
Tip: If you intend to save an installation log, append the /l:<path><file name>.log to the end of the command. Again, replace <path><file name>.cab with the file name of log file to save to with its folder location (path). Also if you do not want to restart at the end of installation, use the switch /norestart
If you are unable to use the command, then it might be because you are missing the Package Manager(pkgmgr.exe in Win/System32) file, in that case, i’m attaching the file here. Use it well!!!! 🙂
[Download PkgMgr.exe] [Password is Obin]
Scenario-Solution 
Hi. Well, it has been a while since you posted the article, but im going to ask anyways. I tried just what you said but i got an error:
Error 0×80070057: The parameter is incorrect.
I have searched a little on the web but i cannot find a correct way to fix it. If you have any idea i will be really thankfull, really~~
can you give me a bit more details regarding what command you typed in the command promptand where your cab file is located. also are you sure that the pkmgr.exe file is present or not ??
Im totally sure the pkmgr.exe is present and i writed just as you said:
pkgmgr /ip /m:.cab /quiet
later i tried the other one and i got a “this command is not for doing that” message or something like that. Thanks again for your help~
hey nejisa…you have written the command correctly but you have not written the name of the cab file….the command you should write is :
pkgmgr /ip /m:the name of cab file.cab /quiet
comment back if you need more help….
you must have not done proper spacing
note there is spacing in the commands
I also had the same problem, spacing did the job for me
if you look at the code, you can see that i have and if not, then clarify where the issue is…
I know what you mean. What I mean is that i wrote everything correctly, with the name, the location/folder etc, but still the pc gives me that message.
I don´t know what to do 😦
Thanks again for your help~
could you just run the command using the file i have shared here and tell me whether the error comes, and if it comes, what exactly it is….i will be able to help you better then….
And where is the thing you shared? O_O
Oh….the link does not work….here…..uploaded it to dropbox : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/56771153/PkgMgr.exe
Also…will you be able to tell me what file you are trying to extract ??
Well the pkgmgr file i already have it. And i was trying to install a game. A readme.txt file says that it can be installed in windows 7 but i have tried everything i could find and i didn´t get it to work. Anyways, i think i just give up, ahahaha.
Hi all, not sure if I have the format correct but I am gettin gan error returning tellin gme that the parameter is incorrect. So here you go:
start /w pkgmgr /ip /m:C:\users\tom\downloads\aoc
this trick is not work….
pkgmgr /ip /m:”C:\sdsdfbsd\file name with spaces\drvgf.cab” /quiet
does not work……
I had the same issue, where I needed to deploy a plug in for a data discovery site. Instead of a MSI or EXE file, it was a CAB file. By opening to cab file , there were just a bunch of DLLs all I have to do was register the DLL (regsvr32….). PKGMGR did not do it for me either.
Does anyone have a solution for the “parameter is incorrect” error?
copy the file to the root directory, then enter: pkgmgr /ip /m:.cab
Although I must say, I tried that and still am getting:
Operation failed with 0x80070002
The system cannot find the file specified
Even though the file is right there plain as day. In my case AMD64.cab. So I use:
C:\>pkgmgr /ip /m:AMD64.cab, and
C:\>pkgmgr /ip /m:\AMD64.cab, and
C:\>pkgmgr /ip /m:”\AMD64.cab”, and
C:\>pkgmgr /ip /m:”C:\AMD64.cab”
And still getting “cannot find the file specified”.
Microsoft may have wrapped the .msp inside a .cab. Try using 7zip to unpack the cab file and try again
Impressive, but given the ‘fumble factor’ and all that, no need for all the ‘rocket science’.
Just extract the CAB to a folder with 7-zip, select ‘Update Driver > Browse My Computer’, browse to the folder you extracted the .CAB to, click ‘Next’, and watch the magic…
incorrect parameter is /noreboot should have been /norestart
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/cc749465%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
where did you see – /noreboot ??
i have a question here.
It changes the working directory for update.Will it impact System?
If we delete Temp all those updates will be deleted