win95 compressed volume need to uncompress

[Galdorf]

I have a drive with very expensive software they don't have the original software for monitoring a water plant, it is on an old system with win95 and it is compressed with drvspace i need to un-compress the volume to be able to run a install repair any ideas how to do this.
I could install 95 on vmware but need to un-compress the entire volume to work with it.

 

[Xander]

Can you uninstall every other piece of non-essentials and copy off docs/data to make room?

 

[Galdorf]

there is quite a bit if extra space why they used compression ill never know but i cannot boot 95 only command prompt.
I have never used drvspace and made it a habit of telling customers to never use it due to viruses and they never did so i never had to bother with it.
If it can be removed via command prompt i should be ok.

 

[dbdawn]

maybe this helps?

Syntax

    DRVSPACE /UNCOMPRESS drive:

Parameter

drive:
    Specifies the drive you want to uncompress.

Switch

/UNCOMPRESS
    Uncompresses the specified drive.

[I]example[/I]
drvspace /uncompress c:

 

[Galdorf]

Ok i checked the volume and found it was not compressed with drivespace but the 95 os cd says it is compressed and refuses to do a repair install.
I can see the volumes on my win95 virtual machine and xp so setup is picking up some file and thinks it is compressed?.

 

[dbdawn]

I found this site, maybe there is something in there that might be of help for you.
http://users.cybercity.dk/~bse26236/batutil/help/DRVSPS.HTM

 

[hyfidel]

Assuming you've imaged the drive, you may want to delete any files called drivespc.000 or dblspace.000 in the root. If it really is compressed, deleting these will kill ALL the data, but if it's just leftover bits, the CD may let you repair.

Back in those days people installed Superstore, Stacker, and all sorts of crazy compression. Check the program directories for any evidence of these programs too. You may need a 3rd-party boot floppy to uncompress.

 

[Xander]

What about compressing it (all) from the command line and then uncompressing it?