Slipstreamed CD

[Desert Rider]

I've just created a slipstreamed installation CD of my original OEM
Dell XP SP1 and the network installation of SP2. I used Autostreamer
and the process seemed to go fine. It created an ISO file of about 550
MB. I then burned that to a CD making sure it was a bootable disk.

This is the first time I've done this and I'm not sure what the
process would be if I wanted to re-install XP. I assume I would insert
the CD and then reboot the system. How does the installation process
start from the ISO file? Is this automatic -- the necessary
installation files are extracted from the ISO file and the
installation proceeds from there?

I will also be burning a CD of the extracted SP2 files. Does this CD
have to also be a bootable disk? My thinking is that if the
slipstreamed CD did not work I could always format the partition,
install the OEM XP SP1 and then update to XP SP2 from the 2nd CD. Of
course, I would have to then re-install the latest drivers, Windows
updates, programs, data, etc. but I've got all that backed up on an
external hard drive and I know how to do that.

I would appreciate any input on this. I have done a couple of format/
clean installs of XP before but obviously it's a long process having
to use an XP SP1 CD, then updating to XP SP2 via Windows Update.

TIA.

 

[Jerry]

You did it wrong. Just copying the ISO file to a CD wasted time.

The ISO file is an image file that CD burning software uses to create the
CD.

You will have to check the software you have to determine the procedure to
follow to use the ISO file to make a CD.

 

[Script]

If you burned it right, [I believe I used ISO Recorder (freeware from Alex
Feinman)], it will work just like the original Windows CD. (Automatic.)

 

[Gary Brandenburg]

If you slipstreamed SP2 into your XP SP1 disc then you won't have to install SP2, in
the event of a reinstall or repair install.
That's the whole idea behind slipstreaming in the 1st place-to integrate the service
pack(2) into the original operating system disc.

~Gary


I've just created a slipstreamed installation CD of my original OEM
Dell XP SP1 and the network installation of SP2. I used Autostreamer
and the process seemed to go fine. It created an ISO file of about 550
MB. I then burned that to a CD making sure it was a bootable disk.

This is the first time I've done this and I'm not sure what the
process would be if I wanted to re-install XP. I assume I would insert
the CD and then reboot the system. How does the installation process
start from the ISO file? Is this automatic -- the necessary
installation files are extracted from the ISO file and the
installation proceeds from there?

I will also be burning a CD of the extracted SP2 files. Does this CD
have to also be a bootable disk? My thinking is that if the
slipstreamed CD did not work I could always format the partition,
install the OEM XP SP1 and then update to XP SP2 from the 2nd CD. Of
course, I would have to then re-install the latest drivers, Windows
updates, programs, data, etc. but I've got all that backed up on an
external hard drive and I know how to do that.

I would appreciate any input on this. I have done a couple of format/
clean installs of XP before but obviously it's a long process having
to use an XP SP1 CD, then updating to XP SP2 via Windows Update.

TIA.

 

[Daave]

I've just created a slipstreamed installation CD of my original OEM
Dell XP SP1 and the network installation of SP2. I used Autostreamer
and the process seemed to go fine. It created an ISO file of about 550
MB. I then burned that to a CD making sure it was a bootable disk.

Slipstreaming a Dell disc can be tricky. Which method did you use?

This is the first time I've done this and I'm not sure what the
process would be if I wanted to re-install XP. I assume I would insert
the CD and then reboot the system.

Yes, but only if you want to perform a repair install. If you ever want
to perform a clean install, you must instead boot off the disc.

You could always image your hard drive using Acronis True Image, then
try to fiddle around with your new slipstreamed disc. Then if you run
into problems, you could always restore the image.

 

[Desert Rider]

You did it wrong. Just copying the ISO file to a CD wasted time.

The ISO file is an image file that CD burning software uses to create the
CD.

You will have to check the software you have to determine the procedure to
follow to use the ISO file to make a CD.

Thanks Jerry, I can see now that I erred in the steps after creating
the ISO image. I'm a little lost as to what to do with the ISO image
in order to properly burn it to the CD. Anyone have any advice? I'll
keep poking around for answers. Oh, BTW, you're right....it was wasted
time! Wasn't the first and won't be the last

 

[Gary Brandenburg]

You did it wrong. Just copying the ISO file to a CD wasted time.

The ISO file is an image file that CD burning software uses to create the
CD.

You will have to check the software you have to determine the procedure to
follow to use the ISO file to make a CD.

Thanks Jerry, I can see now that I erred in the steps after creating
the ISO image. I'm a little lost as to what to do with the ISO image
in order to properly burn it to the CD. Anyone have any advice? I'll
keep poking around for answers. Oh, BTW, you're right....it was wasted
time! Wasn't the first and won't be the last


I used the freeware program CDBurnerXP: http://www.cdburnerxp.se/download.php

You said in your original post that you made sure to burn it to a bootable disc. If
so, what program did you use?

~Gary

 

[WaIIy]

I've just created a slipstreamed installation CD of my original OEM
Dell XP SP1 and the network installation of SP2. I used Autostreamer
and the process seemed to go fine. It created an ISO file of about 550
MB. I then burned that to a CD making sure it was a bootable disk.

I did the exact same thing with nLite and you can burn the cd right from
the program at the end.

It will be bootable. You can make your ISO bootable, but I would
suggest nLite which is highly regarded.

Pretty easy to use if you just stick to the basics. Forget all the
unattended and driver stuff.

http://www.nliteos.com/

 

[ThoraD]

I did the exact same thing with nLite and you can burn the cd right from
the program at the end.

It will be bootable. You can make your ISO bootable, but I would
suggest nLite which is highly regarded.

Pretty easy to use if you just stick to the basics. Forget all the
unattended and driver stuff.

http://www.nliteos.com/

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html
http://old.bink.nu/xpbootcd/

I have used these procedures several times, they work.
ThoraD

 

[WaIIy]

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html
http://old.bink.nu/xpbootcd/

I have used these procedures several times, they work.
ThoraD

Nice links. Have you tried nLite? Quite painless.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

I've just created a slipstreamed installation CD of my original OEM

Dell XP SP1 and the network installation of SP2. I used Autostreamer
and the process seemed to go fine. It created an ISO file of about 550
MB. I then burned that to a CD making sure it was a bootable disk.

This is the first time I've done this and I'm not sure what the
process would be if I wanted to re-install XP. I assume I would insert
the CD and then reboot the system. How does the installation process
start from the ISO file? Is this automatic -- the necessary
installation files are extracted from the ISO file and the
installation proceeds from there?

I will also be burning a CD of the extracted SP2 files. Does this CD
have to also be a bootable disk? My thinking is that if the
slipstreamed CD did not work I could always format the partition,
install the OEM XP SP1 and then update to XP SP2 from the 2nd CD. Of
course, I would have to then re-install the latest drivers, Windows
updates, programs, data, etc. but I've got all that backed up on an
external hard drive and I know how to do that.

I would appreciate any input on this. I have done a couple of format/
clean installs of XP before but obviously it's a long process having
to use an XP SP1 CD, then updating to XP SP2 via Windows Update.

A better way to do the job is to use NLite 1.4 as it takes all of this
work out of the user's hand and packages it up for you as a finished
ISO if you like. Blank CDs being cheap, I'd give it a shot.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Desert Rider]

A better way to do the job is to use NLite 1.4 as it takes all of this
work out of the user's hand and packages it up for you as a finished
ISO if you like. Blank CDs being cheap, I'd give it a shot.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

I actually did use nLite on my second attempt. Once I OK'd the removal
of Software Update files it completed the process. I checked the
folder where I had transfered the Dell XP SP1 files and the update
files had been removed there. I had configured it to make it a
bootable CD and I think it was successful. Here are a couple of screen
shots. 1st shows the isoimage with the slipstreamed structure and the
second is of the bootable CD window. Anyone out there able to confirm
that this looks right? If so, I'd feel pretty confident about redoing
it and writing direct to a CD.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/hicountryrider/test/isobstr2_alt.gif
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/hicountryrider/test/isobstr3_alt.gif

 

[Frank Pajerski]

I just want to positively echo the reference to nLite below.

Just built a new PC with SATA-connected devices. Installed Vista ... and
disgustedly rejected my use of it. Then quickly learned that the base WinXP
was too old to be installed on such new hardware. Found a number of
multi-step procedures to slipstream SP2 into a new WinXP install CD, but
they looked somewhat troublesome what with my inexperience. Then found
nLite. It did the slipstream job very quickly and easily and correctly,
especially if one "sticks to the basics" as noted below.

--- Frank