Microsoft KWAJ installation compression

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== Software ==
 
== Software ==
 
* [https://archive.org/details/msdn-1996-04 MSDN Library - April 1996] → MSDN15_1.iso → MSDNSMPL/PROD/EISPAK11/DECOMP.EXE - Decompression utility for DOS; supports compression methods 2, 3, 4
 
* [https://archive.org/details/msdn-1996-04 MSDN Library - April 1996] → MSDN15_1.iso → MSDNSMPL/PROD/EISPAK11/DECOMP.EXE - Decompression utility for DOS; supports compression methods 2, 3, 4
* [https://www.cabextract.org.uk/libmspack/ libmspack]
+
* [https://www.cabextract.org.uk/libmspack/ libmspack] → msexpand (decompress only)
 
* {{Deark}}
 
* {{Deark}}
  
 
See also [[MS-DOS installation compression#Software]].
 
See also [[MS-DOS installation compression#Software]].
 +
 +
== Sample files ==
 +
Compression method 2:
 +
* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows94/DRIVERS/MOUSE901.ZIP|MOUSE901.ZIP}} → *.??$
 +
 +
Compression method 3:
 +
* {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9606/WIN3/INET/POWERTCP.ZIP|POWERTCP.ZIP}}
 +
* {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9606/WIN3/PRINT/PRTFRM41.ZIP|PRTFRM41.ZIP}}
 +
* {{CdTextfiles|cica/cica9404/WIN3/MISC/NSWP20.ZIP|NSWP20.ZIP}}
 +
* [https://archive.org/download/ms-dos-6.2 MS-DOS 6.2] → *.IMA → *.??_
 +
 +
Compression method 4:
 +
* [https://archive.org/details/MicrosoftWorks3.01994English Microsoft Works 3.0] → MMWORKS300.iso → MSWORKS/*.??_
  
 
[[Category:Microsoft]]
 
[[Category:Microsoft]]
 
[[Category:MS-DOS]]
 
[[Category:MS-DOS]]

Latest revision as of 19:34, 28 February 2023

File Format
Name Microsoft KWAJ installation compression
Ontology
Extension(s) .??_, .??$
PRONOM fmt/469
Wikidata ID Q105850885

Microsoft KWAJ installation compression refers to a compressed file format used for software installation by Microsoft and their installer tools. "KWAJ" refers to the signature bytes at the beginning of a compressed file.

KWAJ is a relative of some similar formats, most importantly the one known as "SZDD". For the other formats, see MS-DOS installation compression and Microsoft SZ installation compression.

KWAJ is more sophisticated than SZDD, though the relationship between them is not clear.

Contents

[edit] Format details

There is a 16-bit field at offset 8 that specifies the compression or encoding method.

Compression code Description
0 Uncompressed (rare)
1 XOR (rare)
2 Okumura's LZSS
3 LZ77 + Huffman
4 MSZIP (based on DEFLATE)

[edit] Identification

Files begin with bytes 4b 57 41 4a 88 f0 27 d1.

[edit] Specifications

[edit] Software

  • MSDN Library - April 1996 → MSDN15_1.iso → MSDNSMPL/PROD/EISPAK11/DECOMP.EXE - Decompression utility for DOS; supports compression methods 2, 3, 4
  • libmspack → msexpand (decompress only)
  • Deark

See also MS-DOS installation compression#Software.

[edit] Sample files

Compression method 2:

Compression method 3:

Compression method 4:

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