A slip-streamed XP id a clean copy of Windows XPpro with the necessary service packs, hotfixes, and anything you want already in place. It can be used to make an installation on many computers with the necessary applications already in place, You can use it to reinstall after a bad infection or system crash, or get rid of the useless "free" OEM software.

Be aware of what a slip-streamed XP CD is not. It is not a complete backup. While it will hold standard files you always want on all your installions and software and software to restore application data from a backup, it will not hold application programs or work data. You need to do a legitimate backup of those files.

Nor is a slip-streamed XP a way to bypass purchasing the OS. All it does is create a CD that you can use later. You will still need to purchase a license for each and every computer that it is used on. Like the instructions for bypassing the activation process, it does not bypass the need for licenses. It just makes it easier to do.

This assumes that you have XP installed on your hard-disk and all the licensing information.

Also, the file name of the network version of SP2 varies and it is either: XPSP2.EXE or WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe.

While I'm trying to get as many instructions as possible here, I'll start with Nero and IsoBusters. The rest will be add at a later time but for now know that Roxio, BMC, Cygwin are all possibilities but you'll be on your own.

1. set XP to show all hidden files

2. create the following directories
• XP: a working directory
• XP-SP2: a directory to hold the service pack
• XP-BOOT:


3. Download the following packages
• Download Windows XP Package.
  • http://www.cheetahcomputer.com/nu2files/wxp10.zip
  • http://www.web-techs.net/bart/wxp10.zip


• Sevice Packs
• Service Pack 1a (125MB)
• Service Pack 2 (266MB)
  If you have SP2 on a CD copy the file XPSP2.EXE or WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe


• CD burning software
• Nero6+
• Roxio7+
• Cygwin (no instructions yet)


• software to create a bootable CD
• BCD (no instructions yet)
• http://www.mirror.ac.uk/mirror/ftp.nu2.nu/bcd111.zip
• http://www.web-techs.net/bart/bcd111.zip
• http://www.loshmali.com/mirrors/nu2files/bcd111.zip
• ISObusters:
  
  • http://www.isobuster.com/isobusterdownload.php

4. Copy the entire contents of the installation CD into the working directory XP.

5. Extract the service pack into the direcotry SP2
   xpsp2.exe -x:\sp2
   or
   WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe -x:\sp2

6. Add any additional drivers into C:\XP\$OEM$\$1\Drivers
   Those drivers include any RAID or SATA drivers

7. Add backup software into C:\XP\$OEM$\$1\SOFTWARE
   This is any software needed to pull your data off of your backup media.

8. integrate SP2 into XP
   C:\SP2\i386\update\update /s:C:XP
   



9. create a bootable disk
• using ISObusters
• put the installation CD in the drive
• extract the image "Microsoft Corporation.img" into "C:\XP-BOOT"
• using BCD
To be added later


10. burn the CD
    
    • using Nero
    • new compilation -> "CD-ROM (Boot)"
    • source of boot image data -> image file -> C:\XP
    • expert -> select "no emulation"
    • expert -> "number of loaded sectors" = 4
    • ISO -> file name length = ISO2 (31 characters)
    • ISO -> format = level1
    • ISO -> character set = ISO 9660
    • ISO -> select Joilet
    • ISO -> relax ISO restrictions (select all of them)
    • ISO -> relax Joilet restrictions
    • FILE -> NEW -> drag and all files in C:\XP into the ISO1 window
    • BURN (tab) -> ACTION -> write
    • BURN (tab) -> ACTION -> finalize
    • BURN (button)
    
    
    • using Roxio
    • file -> new project -> bootable disk
    • "choose type of bootable disk" -> "bootable disk type" -> "no emulation"
    • "choose type of bootable disk" -> advanced -> "load segment" = 0x7c0
    • "choose type of bootable disk" -> advanced -> "sector output" = 4
    • "click ... bootable image" -> browse -> point to 'C:/XP-BOOT/Microsoft Corporation.img'
    • file -> "project properties" -> general -> "file system" = Joliet
    • file -> "project properties" -> general -> "physical format of disk" = mode 1: CD-ROM
    • file -> "project properties" -> "file filter" -> uncheck "do not add hidden"
    • file -> "project properties" -> "file filter" -> uncheck "do not add system files"
    • file -> "select source" -> drag and drop all contents of "C:/XP" into "add to project"
    
    
11. Get the Product Key
    

    The product key can be found several ways

    • a sticker on the back/bottom of the computer
    • in the documentation for that computer
    • in the file "C:\Windows\i386\unattend.txt"
    • Test the CD
      if you can boot the CD without any menus coming up then it is ok