Is it possible to convert the language pack archive (lp.cab) to SVF format?

[captainlinux8880]

Hello. For the sake of interest, I decided to download language packs for Windows 7 build 7127 from BAFTP. And I had such an interest in how to create ISO images of this assembly in different languages. The language pack files come as cab archives and can be installed using DISM. However, there is a way to apply the language pack to the entire ISO, using the correct SVF file and the SVF eXtractor program. Is it possible to somehow extract or convert these cab archives to svf?

[mrpijey]

Converting the cab files in the iso to svf patches isn't an issue, but for what purpose? To make a smaller pack of all the languages instead of using the ISO? What do you want to do with the svf patches? Use them to apply to an ISO? For that you would need to "unpack" it to the original cab file and then apply it using DISM... But you can't use the svf to apply directly to an ISO. Then it would be simply easier to create a full ISO set, pre-DISMed with every language and then make a svf set out of that instead. But doubtful if you would save any space whatsoever.

I made a test by patching every cab using the en-us cab as base, and the total space used went from 2.3GB down to 2.045GB, so not a massive save in space, less than 300MB save out of 2.3GB.

[captainlinux8880]

Target: Create full ISO images in different languages ​​for tests

[mrpijey]

Yes, but where does the svf:s come in here? Do you want to make a patch set out of the finalized ISO images? Because you can't use svf patches with DISM obviously.

[captainlinux8880]

Yes, but where does the svf:s come in here? Do you want to make a patch set out of the finalized ISO images? Because you can't use svf patches with DISM obviously.

There are many Windows 10/11 releases from Microsoft UUP on BAFTP. The ISO image is the English version, and the rest of the language packs are svf files (which are originally shipped as cab archives)

[mrpijey]

The Windows 10/11 releases are separate original ISOs to begin with, so naturally I make them into SVF patches to save space and still regain the ability to recreate them to keep the originality. But the language pack you refer to is just a single ISO file with cab files in it, and making patches out of them saves very little space.

To answer your initial question:

Is it possible to convert the language pack archive (lp.cab) to SVF format?

Yes, but you save very little space by doing so. Out of the 2.7GB you save less than 300MB.

However, there is a way to apply the language pack to the entire ISO, using the correct SVF file and the SVF eXtractor program. Is it possible to somehow extract or convert these cab archives to svf?

No, as the SVF format is a completely different format than what Microsoft uses for their LP cabs. You can of course make custom ISOs, pre-patched with each language and then make SVF patches out of that to have readily available ISOs, one for each language, but you would have to do it manually. Use a base image, dism in the LP cab, create a new ISO, repeat for each language, and then make SVF patches out of everything.

Have I misunderstood your question somehow here?

[captainlinux8880]

Alright. Thanks