Slipstream and Install Windows XP Using SP3 – Two roads to success
For this article I will be creating two Windows XP SP3 slipstreamed CDs using AutoStreamer. The first CD will be created using a previously slipstreamed SP2 CD (that I originally created from a Windows XP Gold CD). The second CD will use my Windows XP Gold (the original release of XP and therefore has no service packs) as a starting point.
This is a test to see if both slipstreamed CDs install Windows XP with SP3. Take note that there seams to be some questions posted on the Internet about starting with the XP Gold CD for creating a slipstreamed SP3 CD and bypassing SP1 or SP2 altogether (for example the XP Gold CD does not include the DOTNETFX folder).
For more information on that DOTNETFX folder see:
http://www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t201122.html
In any case using the slipstreamed SP2 CD as the basis for creating the slipstreamed SP3 CD will provide another means to compare a “Clean Install” to some tests I had made and reported on earlier. See: http://www.pagestart.com/windowsxpsp3p1.html
Preparation:
AutoStreamer download:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/Autostreamer.shtml
AutoStreamer is not the only way to create a slipstreamed XP CD.
Using nLite for example allows you to integrate the drivers for your PC, remove unwanted components and much more. However you now have a customized CD and not a “generic” XP CD.
nLite: http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html
Pre AutoStreamer faqs:
The next step is to create a set directories/folders names that will be used by AutoStreamer to create a slipstreamed CD. It helps if you create these folders using names that are meaningful to you and also identify what is to be paced into or will be created in these folders.
I created the folders shown below, and they are located on multiple drives and partitions, but if all you have is a C: drive, you can substitute C: for the drive letters I used and that will work just as well. My CD drive letter is H: which is where I will place my Windows XP SP2 CD and the XP Gold CD. Your drive letter could be different; it doesn’t matter as long as you specify the correct drive letter so AutoStreamer can find your original Windows CD.
Windows CD/R Drive: H:
Service Pack file location: E:\XP_SP3
(E:\XP_SP3 is the location were you will download the SP3 file to)
AutoStreamer Temporary folder: I:\Temp
(This is a partition on my second hard drive)
Desired label: PRQ3W_SP3
(I used the last 5 letters and numbers of my key code+SP3)
Using PRQ3W_SP3 when burning/creating the slipstreamed CD makes it easy to identify which CD belongs to a key code if you are creating more than one slipstreamed CD.
(Note: PRQ3W are not real but should be similar to your key)
Target ISO file: M:\PRQ3W_ISO
(M:\PRQ3W_ISO is the folder/directory location you specify in AutoStreamer to create the .ISO file).
Where to download “Network Install” version of SP3
(File name is: WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5b33b5a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&DisplayLang=en
Guided tours of using AutoStreamer to create a slipstreamed CD:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/slipstream.htm
http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/using_autostreamer/using_autostreamer.shtml
What to do with the .ISO file that AutoStreamer created:
You will need software that can use the .ISO file and create/burn a bootable Windows XP SP3 CD. I will be using Easy CD Creator. But there are other choices:
ImgBurn - In addition to supporting the creation of CD's from .ISO files, it supports a wide range of other image file formats, and it's free.
(BIN, CUE, DI, DVD, GI, IMG, MDS, NRG, PDI and ISO)
http://www.imgburn.com/
There is also WinIso and PowerIso, both cost around $30.00
http://www.winiso.com/
http://www.poweriso.com/
For a few $$ more you might be able to Google and locate an older version of Easy CD Creator 8 or by Roxio or Nero 7.
Warning - Check that the seller is offering the full product and not an OEM version.
Or you can buy the latest versions of Easy CD Creator or Nero.
Roxio and Nero both provide a lot more ability than using an image file to create a bootable Windows XP CD.
http://www.roxio.com/
http://www.nero.com/enu/index.html
How long did it take to create a slipstreamed CD:
Not including the time it takes to download the Service Pack 3 file from Microsoft’s web site. It takes about 30 minutes for AutoStreamer to create a slipstreamed .ISO file and a few more minutes for Easy CD Creator to burn a CD using the .ISO file, so in about 90 minutes I had both CD(s) created and ready to install.
Where the two slipstreamed CDs identical:
But before using the newly created slipstreamed CDs to install Windows I decided to compare the contents of each CD. There were only a few differences located in the I386 folder as shown below. Most of these file had an older date and timestamp on the Gold slipstreamed CD and as it turn out none of the files listed below end up being installed on your hard drive no matter which of the two slipstreamed CDs I used.
XPTHT41W.HT_ - Appears to be part of the old Remote Desktop Client (RDP).
TSCUPGRD.EX_ - Part SP2 setup.
RDSKTPW.CH_ - Old version of Remote Desktop Help file.
GUITRN_A.DL_ - Part of the old Migration Wizard.
MSTSC.CH_ - Remote Desktop Connection, older version of help file.
MIGWIZ_A.EX_ - Part of the old Files and Folders transfer wizard.
SYSMOD_A.DL_ - System Migration Module (leftover from SP2).
SCRIPT_A.DL_ - INF Script module (leftover from SP2).
MIGISM_A.DL_ - Cobra Migration engine dll file.
MSTSC.EX_ - Remote Desktop Connection .exe file.
MMC.CH_ - Microsoft Management Console 3.0 Help file.
MSTSCAX.DL - Terminal Services ActiveX Client.
MSRDP.CA_ - Terminal Services.
These three files are remnants of the SP2 slipstream:
SP2.CAT - NOT in GOLD (.99 MB)
SP2.CAB - NOT IN GOLD (17.9MB)
WIN51IP.SP2 - NOT IN GOLD (2 Bytes)
Testing each slipstreamed CD:
After the completion of each clean install, the drivers for my built in Audio and Network chips were be installed. It should be noted that SP3 correctly recognized and installed the Firewire drivers, something that a SP2 clean install failed to do in some earlier test made using the same PC.
Windows Activation – I chose not to activate Windows.
Additional Software installed:
Norton Ghost version 10 - installed for the purpose of creating an image backup of each of the two “Clean Installs”. Installing Ghost requires .NET so these files were also installed along with Ghost.
Beyond Compare - used to compare the results of installing Windows from each of the two slipstreamed CD(s). I will use Ghost to extract the C:\Windows folder from each image backup to their own unique directory (Example: D:\GoldSlipstream\Windows) and then use Beyond Compare to find any differences.
Windows Updates – No updates were downloaded and installed. It was at this point that I created the first image backup and then proceeded to install Windows all over again, this time using the second slipstreamed CD.
Were the two Clean Installs identical?
The only thing of some significance were the two MDAC (Microsoft Data Access Components) file listed below. In the install from the SP3 slipstreamed CD created by using the SP2 CD as the starting point, these two files had version numbers whereas in the other install they did not, otherwise in both installs these files were the same size and had the same date and time stamp.
MSADCE.DLL – Version 2.81.1132.0
MSADO15.DLL
Comparing two additional clean installs:
Comparing the results of a clean install of Windows SP2, then downloading the SP3 file and installing the SP3 update versus using the SP3 slipstreamed CD that I had created from a SP2 CD as mentioned earlier.
Here I wanted to see if the results of performing a clean install using a Windows SP2 CD and then installing SP3 using the SP3 download file would end up be the same (having the same files) as using the slipstreamed SP3 CD created from the Windows SP2 CD mentioned earlier.
Results: When comparing a “PC that started with a SP2 clean install and then applying the SP3 update” to a “Clean Install using the SP3 slipstreamed CD”
1) The SP2 clean install + applying SP3 update has both driver cab files
(Windows\Drive cache\iI386\Sp2.cab Sp3.cab).
The SP3 Slipstreamed CD clean install only has the Sp3.cab file.
2) You will find that a significant number of older drivers located in the (C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers) directory are not in the slipstreamed SP3 Clean Install; especially a number of MiniDrivers, but on the plus side SP3 does add a number of newer driver files.
Conclusion:
Although both slipstreamed CD installed and booted to Windows without any problems, my gut feeling for individuals who only have a Windows Gold CD is to create a slipstreamed CD using SP2 first and then use that CD to create a slipstreamed SP3 CD.
Food for thought:
If you have already installed SP3 on your PC and believe there is no reason to create a slipstreamed Windows CD that includes Service Pack 3, think again. If you ever need to perform a “Repair Install” you will need that slipstreamed CD.
Why: Because if you chose to use your original Windows CD to perform a repair install then when the repair process has completed, Windows will no longer be at SP3 but will effectively be at the version of the CD you used to perform the repair install.
For those of you who do not have a Windows XP CD but instead the vendor provided you with a restore CD or recovery partition I would suggest investing in an Image Backup software package.
Make an image backup before you install SP3 and if all goes well another image backup after installing SP3. Now you can recover your Windows OS with SP3 already installed. Why do this, because a restore CD or recovery partition will wipe out all your application and data files should you ever have a need to reinstall Windows.
Image Backup Software:
Norton Ghost - has a 30 day trial available
(Note: I believe the trial version does not allow you to create a Bootable Restore CD)
http://www.symantec.com/norton/products/overview.jsp?pcid=br&pvid=ghost14
Product Review "Symantec's 14th Ghost":
http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Norton-Ghost--Review-78775.shtml
True Image - has a 15 day trial version available,
(Trial version can create a Restore CD, but I have not verified this yet)
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
One final note: Image backups are best stored on a second hard drive, external hard drive or even burned to DVD media. You can not create an image backup of your C: drive/partition and store the backup file on the same partition.
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