Slipstreaming XP & SP2 CD's - Problems with creating a Bootable CD

A

admiral_victory

I have been attempting to create a "slipstream" CD which incorporates
both the original XP Pro Installation CD and the SP2 CD data into one
CD.

I've found many references to this process and am . at present , using
the advice given in the web page " www.theeldergeek.com"
..
This advice seems to have succeeded in producing a CD which meets all
the requirements in that I now have burned a CD which , when inserted
in the CD drive , initiates the normal XP installation preliminary
screen .

However the whole idea behind creating such a disk is to be able , in
the event of a re-format of the h/d , to insert just one CD which
re-boots the PC and then procedes to install , not just XP Pro , but
all the updates to , and including , SP2.

This CD , on checking its alleged "bootable" qualities , fails in this
respect as , on inserting it and then re-booting the PC after having
changed the BIOS to boot initially from the CD drive , fails to give
the message :- " Click any key to boot from the CD"

In other words , it would seem that this disk is a "slipstreamed" disk
but is not a "bootable" disk.

This is in spite of using the last stages of this process to burn a
"BOOTABLE" CD with NERO.

Can anyone suggest why the created disk is not "bootable"?

P.S.

I inserted the "normal" XP Pro Installation Disk and re-booted the PC
with this in the CD drive and this CD does re-boot into the normal
blue XP installation procedure.

B.N.
 
G

Gordie

Hi,
Just a few thoughts.
Have you checked to see if there are any updates for Nero? Also, have you
explored the disc to make sure the boot files are there?
 
R

Ross Durie

Certain CDROM drives have difficulty booting from CDR/CDRW media. If using a
CDRW then try a CDR. What brand CDs are you using, e.g., Imation? If some el
cheapo brand then stop using them. Otherwise swap out the CDROM drive.
 
A

admiral_victory

Hi,
Just a few thoughts.
Have you checked to see if there are any updates for Nero?
Click to expand...

Yes I did


Also, have you
explored the disc to make sure the boot files are there?
Click to expand...

Ah! - now that is what I'd like to do but don't know how !

How do I do that - I opened the disk in Windows Explorer - but what
files exactly am I looking for here , please ?

B.N.
 
E

Eric McG

In following the procedure for using Nero, there's a step that you may have
missed that could cause this. It's in the section where you're setting the
criteria for the boot image. The warning on the web page states:

"Set [Number of Loaded Sectors] to 4 (Failing to set Number of Loaded Sectors to
4 will make the CD unbootable)"



This may have been the cause.



Here's a link to a utility that takes all pain out of doing this. You just point
& click and it creates the final product (merged and bootable) in an ISO image
for easy burning:

http://www.autopatcher.com/autostreamer.html
 
A

admiral_victory

Hi ... What happen if you put your slipstreamed disc in your Optical drive
and go to double click the drive , Is there anything there ??
Click to expand...

If you mean my CD drive by "Optical drive" then , when I put the
slipstreamed disk into the CD drive and double click the drive I get
the normal XP Installation blue screen which you get when you insert
the normal XP Installation CD .

But what I don't get is , on bootup , (after the BIOS is set to boot
initially from the CD drive) , the message " click any key to boot
from a CD " - i.e it would appear that the created CD is NOT a
bootable one.

Have a look at this site and compare the 2 to see whether what you done is
the same as this website

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp
Click to expand...

I have done and it seems to be an identical procedure from the one I
followed .

The CD which I have created would seem to be able to re-install XP
with SP2 incorporated - ( although I can't be certain of this as I
haven't let it continue to the end of its operation ) - but is NOT
capable of booting a PC which has a formatted hard drive - thereby
loosing the whole "raison d'etre" for the creation of such a disk in
that such a disk should be capable of combining XP installation
complete with SP2 AND be bootable !

B.N.
 
A

admiral_victory

Certain CDROM drives have difficulty booting from CDR/CDRW media. If using a
CDRW then try a CDR. What brand CDs are you using, e.g., Imation? If some el
cheapo brand then stop using them. Otherwise swap out the CDROM drive.
Click to expand...

I use ones called " World Memory CD-R 80/700 mb 48X"
 
E

Eric McG

Maybe there's something wrong with your Windows XP CD? Is it an original or is
it a copy that you're using? Either case, does it bootup properly?
 
N

NoNoBadDog!

If Autostreamer didn't produce a bootable CD (which it does for myself and
everyone that I know that uses it), then you have other issues causing your
problem. Is your computer set to boot from the optical drive?
Bobby
 
A

admiral_victory

Maybe there's something wrong with your Windows XP CD? Is it an original or is
it a copy that you're using? Either case, does it bootup properly?
Click to expand...

Its an original and it does boot properly
 
A

admiral_victory

If Autostreamer didn't produce a bootable CD (which it does for myself and
everyone that I know that uses it), then you have other issues causing your
problem. Is your computer set to boot from the optical drive?
Bobby
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you mean by "optical drive" - I have it set to boot
initially from the CD drive which , when the normal XP Pro
Installation Disk is inserted , produces the expected " press any key
to boot from CD " message but I don't get this message when the
slipstreamed CD is inserted - it just goes into the XP Setup screen
eventually .

What I , therefore , assume happens here is that - the PC first checks
the CD Rom drive for a bootable CD ( if it finds such a CD I then get
the " press any key....etc " message ) and if it doesn't find such a
disk it then boots from the hard drive as it would normally do.
 
A

admiral_victory

In following the procedure for using Nero, there's a step that you may have
missed that could cause this. It's in the section where you're setting the
criteria for the boot image. The warning on the web page states:

"Set [Number of Loaded Sectors] to 4 (Failing to set Number of Loaded Sectors to
4 will make the CD unbootable)"



This may have been the cause.
Click to expand...

Yes I noticed that and was very careful to ensure I did select the
Loaded Sections to 4 .

I have even repeated the whole process , including this section , but
with the same results.
Here's a link to a utility that takes all pain out of doing this. You just point
& click and it creates the final product (merged and bootable) in an ISO image
for easy burning:

http://www.autopatcher.com/autostreamer.html
Click to expand...

Yes I used this method also but I still don't get the " select any key
message........" on bootup which you do get if the PC detects a
bootable CD

I'll try using Nero with a blank CD-R and just creat a simple Bootable
CD and see what happens.
 
A

Alex Nichol

.
This advice seems to have succeeded in producing a CD which meets all
the requirements in that I now have burned a CD which , when inserted
in the CD drive , initiates the normal XP installation preliminary
screen .

However the whole idea behind creating such a disk is to be able , in
the event of a re-format of the h/d , to insert just one CD which
re-boots the PC and then procedes to install , not just XP Pro , but
all the updates to , and including , SP2.

This CD , on checking its alleged "bootable" qualities , fails in this
respect as , on inserting it and then re-booting the PC after having
changed the BIOS to boot initially from the CD drive , fails to give
the message :- " Click any key to boot from the CD"

In other words , it would seem that this disk is a "slipstreamed" disk
but is not a "bootable" disk.

This is in spite of using the last stages of this process to burn a
"BOOTABLE" CD with NERO.
Click to expand...

When you do so, and put the folders of files needed in the 'compilation'
pane of Nero, it is essential when you Burn to take the option to
'Finalize CD' or it will not boot
 

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