The .cab File Extension ? An Introduction
The CAB format is the Microsoft Windows native archive format. Files with the .cab extension are referred to as Windows Cabinet Files. .cab files are similar to ZIP files, and are file containers which are multiple compressed files stored in a single file.
The CAB format supports the following compression algorithms:
- Quantum
- ZIP
- LZX
The Mime type of .cab files is vnd.ms-cab-compressed.
Purpose of .cab files
.cab files are used to compress software files for easy distribution and for Windows software installation, such as device drivers, system files, and network components. Microsoft installation engines, such as AdvPack ( which installs ActiveX components in Internet Explorer), Device Installer, Setup API, and Windows Installer all install data from .cab files.
How to restore the .cab file extension association
If for some reason the cab file extension association on your Windows PC is disabled, then you may perform the following steps to correct the issue:
- Click Start and the click the Run utility.
- In the Open box, type cmd and press Enter.
- At command prompt, type the following command and press Enter
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\cabview.dll - At command prompt, type exit and press Enter
Names of the programs that can open .cab files
If you use Windows, you may open .cab files using any of the following programs:
- StuffIt Deluxe 2010
- Msconfig
- Add/Remove utility
- Corel WinZip
If you use a Mac operating system, you may open .cab files using the following program:
- StuffIt Deluxe 2010
If you use Linux, you may open .cab files using the following program:
- cabextract
To open a .cab file, just double-click the file. In case you encounter a file type error when you try to open a .cab file, then you may use a reliable file fixer software to repair the issue and open the required .cab file.