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    How do I create an XP SP3 bootable CD?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by JWBlue, Oct 2, 2009.

  1. JWBlue

    JWBlue Notebook Deity

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    I already Googled this and went through the first 4 pages of search results. I could not find ONE set of instructions that were simple and step by step.


    Creating a bootable CD does not seem like a difficult thing to do.
    It just seems tech people love to make things more complicated than they are. Not sure why this is.

    Anyway. If anyone can provide simple step by step instructions, that would be great.
     
    JWBlue, Oct 2, 2009
    #1
  2. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    a) dump your original, UNMODIFIED (meaning, straight from MSFT, NOT a download from the net or a gift from a friend) to a working directory on your hard drive. A 'recovery disk' will NOT work for this. It MUST be a genuine hologram-ed full-copy of XP.

    b) obtain the full (300+ mb!) SP3 installer DIRECTLY from MSFT. DO NOT trust a so-called installer from any other source. Put your sp3 installer into another working directory.

    c) cd to the working directory that holds the SP3 installer and run this command:

    name_of_the_sp3_installer /integrate:C:directory_that_has_the_dump_of_your_original_XP_install_disk

    d) wait a few mins for the integration to occur.

    e) using your fave cd burning program (I personally like imgburn), burn the freshly integrated directory to a CD as a bootable image. Imgburn will help you out here, other programs can/will too but I've never used any of them.

    f) enjoy

    cautions:

    Many people report problems trying to create an integrated XP/SP3 image on a host system that is running anything other than 32bit XP SP2. I've had the problems, and then didn't have the problems. There may be a way to accurately predict under what conditions you will have problems, but I haven't seen anything other than blustering hot-aired guesses.
     
    newsposter, Oct 2, 2009
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  3. Prydeless

    Prydeless Stupid is

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    An alternative is nlite. You will still need a full version disc of XP and a download of sp3 from the Microsoft website. Follow the guide on the nlite website and everything should go smoothly.
     
    Prydeless, Oct 2, 2009
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  4. JWBlue

    JWBlue Notebook Deity

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    Do I need an original copy of Windows on a CD. I don't have that.
     
    JWBlue, Oct 3, 2009
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  5. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    you must have an original copy of xp on a cd. No wiggle room there.

    Success in updating an XP image depends ABSOLUTELY on having a clean, unmolested original source.
     
    newsposter, Oct 3, 2009
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  6. deeastman

    deeastman Notebook Deity

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    You at least need a COPY of an ORIGINAL full install XP CD, not the upgrade.

    If you don't have a XP CD, how did you plan to make ANY kind of XP copy?

    You will also need your valid XP product key to install your XP product.
     
    deeastman, Oct 3, 2009
    #6