how to install using .zip files from DOS program diskettes

[KB5cmd]

I have a DOS programs spread on 3 zipped to files on my HDD that are supposed to be images of the original program floppies.
I do not have access to a floppy drive.
I can extract them to USB flashdrives etc. to get a different drive letter from [C:], etc.
But when I run the "install.com" program, it only loads the files from the 1st disk, then hangs after I press [ENTER] to load the 2nd disk. 
Please help, I have more than one old DOS software like this that I need to use; I can either boot to DOS 9x, or use DOS-mode under XP Pro.

[mat123]

are the all 3 disk in the same folder?

[KB5cmd]

are the all 3 disk in the same folder?

I have tried it both ways:
1- extract each .zip file into a single folder
2- extract each .zip file into separate folder, named as it was suggested by Winrar.

Same result (or lack of, rather!) in both cases.

[Salmon Trout]

Sounds like the installer is looking for the different disk volume labels. Possibly if you told what the program is called, we might be able to remember (or locate) a workaround that has been discovered in the past. Of course, it could be a pirate copy of copyright software. is that why you are being coy about the identity of the software? Possibly you may find buying a USB floppy drive useful if you are doing a lot of this stuff.

[BC_Programmer]

Based on previous threads I'm pretty sure at least one of the programs in question is PC-File.

[KB5cmd]

is that why you are being coy about the identity of the software?

Ah, thanks for a good laugh. Great choice of words, you made my day!
I got the .zip files from a very legit-looking link posted by contributor Geek-9pm:
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http://www.gurus.org/margy/pc-file.htm
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Sounds like the installer is looking for the different disk volume labels. Possibly if you told what the program is called, we might be able to remember (or locate) a workaround that has been discovered in the past.

The program is Pc-File, but I did not want to mention it from the start because I wish for the replies to be focused on finding a generic method, and not be program-specific, neither from the start nor in the end...
Apart from Pc-File, I'm looking to experiment with several DOS-installable old small Linux distros, downloadble as zip-files-from-diskettes too.
And, apart from this instance of already zipped diskette files, I also have an unopened set of 123-R3 (that I had to put side after I bought it, to learn & use Excel at work), about 12 disks, I'd like to find out how I should zip them (using a friend's floppy drive) onto a flashdrive, for smooth, "diskette-free" install later.
I do remember from the old days of DOS, about diskette ID requirement on some programs, but not enough to figure it out now: thank you for your interest and for your help here!
.
Regarding the current instance, here is the files list from the 3 zip files:
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Disk 1
install.com
pcf1.zip
pkunzip.exe
readme.doc
vendor.doc
.
Disk2
dbrpt.exe
fconvert.exe
msherc.com
pcg2.exe
pclabel.exe
pcpack.exe
read.me
setu.com
[additional file are 2 sample databases]
.

Maybe you can help elucidate the disk ID process?  (Oherwise, I'm wondering if the documentation and the install.com program are wrong, and it is not supposed to copy the files from disk 2, i.e.you should copy them manually).
The doc says disk 3 is an additional, documentation disk which you are supposed to copy manually. Please note I'm not simply trying to run PC-file here, I'm trying to work out the install process in general, which should load disk 1 then disk 2 from within the install program. Then I could apply this to the other programs I mentioned above.   

[KB5cmd]

Based on previous threads I'm pretty sure at least one of the programs in question is PC-File.

I'm really glad this thread is attracting more contributors than another thread I posted, in which Pc-file is coming up in a reply... 
But although Pc-file is coming up in both threads, it is NOT the central, fundamental subject matter, in either thread.
I hope maybe as an off-shoot of this one, new contributors might give me a solution in that other thread. There I'm trying to find/buy a database that saves data natively in TXT format (.txt, .csv) etc., and where the data file can be edited externally, i.e. independently from the database program, like, with DOS edit etc., and then can be read and processed again by the database program as-is, without need for conversion.
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Thread title: Need DOS flat-database program with data in text file - Freebase, Nuthsell etc
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If you have anything to contribute to this topic, please do it at:
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http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php?topic=106576.new;topicseen#new
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Thanks!

[Salmon Trout]

I wish for the replies to be focused on finding a generic method, and not be program-specific, neither from the start nor in the end...

There is no such thing as a "generic method" in this context. Some multi-floppy install programs just prompt you to insert the next disk and look for the next file. These install packages usually work if you copy all the files to one folder and just hit ENTER or whatever each time.  Others look at the disk volume label. These tend to be more tricky, and it may be easier to buy a floppy drive.

Which version of PC-File? Where did you get it? (a link please) This is a shareware program so it's OK to post the link on here.

[KB5cmd]

On the page I had quoted the link to, there is a link to download the program, it brings to:
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http://www.umich.edu/~archive/msdos/database/pcfile/
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Version: PC-File 5.0

[Computer_Commando]

I suspect the floppy disks have a volume label; If so, the directory names must be the volume label.  The installer is looking for the volume label.   In your case, change directory names to:  Disk 1, Disk 2, etc.  It must match exactly (if space between Disk name & number).