INTEGRATE WINDOWS XP with SP2 & slipstream all the hotfixes
The following is a tutorial for those stuck up with Windows XP CD's and have to install Service Packs & Hotfixes separately each time they format the HDD.



1. WinXP bootable CD with SP2
2. Adding Post SP2 updates
3. Creating answer file
4. Customizing WinXP setup process
5. Adding your own programs to get installed automatically.

-> For starters these are the programs / files you will need, so go on and download them.

1. Your WinXP CD
2. Win XP SP2 --> get it here .
3. Get all Post SP2 updates from here . I will work with the Full version of update pack.
4. Get latest version of nLite from here .

You will need a lot of free space for this process. Please make sure you have around 2 GB of free space on your drive. Now copy the content of your Windows XP installation CD (all files and folders) to a new folder on the drive, which has at least the given amount of free space.


Install nLite. You will need .NET framework to run it. You can get the .NET framework runtimes from here

Alternatively you can also go through this tutorial here

Start nLite. After welcome screen, it ill ask for tasks selection. Since we are creating a plain WinXP bootable CD with SP2 integrated, select only

* Integrate a Service Pack

On the next screen, select the source of your WinXP Setup files - the folder where u put all files from XP CD. (While nLite supports files directly from CD, it will then copy all files to HDD so better why not do that beforehand?)

nLite will detect the version of XP setup files and build version. If you don't have WinXP SP2 then continue to next step. If you have SP2 but build less than 2180 then u have a WinXP SP2 beta integrated, you cant use such CD to integrate SP2 Final. If your setup is detected as WinXP SP2 build 2180 then you have a WinXP SP2 setup files.

Integrating SP2 : On next screen, browse to the WinXP SP2 file you downloaded. It may take around 15 minutes for the integration to complete.

After integrating SP2 completely into your WinXP source, you will see that your source is upgraded to SP2 build 2180.



Code:

Instead of going through this step, you can also type the following at the COMMAND PROMPT :
H:\ XPsp2.exe /X: D:\xpsp2 - where H:\ = CD Drive, D:| = any partition with free space.

you will have to extract the win XP CD on to the drive also.

The next step would be:-

D:\temp\i386\update\update.exe /Integrate:D:\XPSP2_INT\PRO


This will deal with integrating Post SP2 updates and Windows Media Player 10. Also some tweaking and removal of some programs.

This process is irreversible means once you integrate Post SP2 updates and WMP 10 in your source, there is no way to remove them. But since updates are not meant for removal, it is ok for most of us. But there may be cases where particular hotfix may cause some conflict with other programs. This is not a fault of Microsoft but of other programs but still I am warning you all.

Similarly, programs removed in this process cannot be brought back since they are removed from source setup files. Also it is not easy to install them afterwards if you have installed XP with CD that have programs removed.

Start nLite. On next screen, select the location of your WinXP (with SP2 integrated) setup files. nLite should detect them as build 2180.

On next page select
Integrate Hotfixes
Remove Components
Unattended Setup
Options and tweaks

This was not given where to add Hotfixes, though most of you must have found it out.
This will be in Integrate Hotfixes screen, add the hotfixes file by clicking on Insert Button.

Next screen will give you some compatibility options. Select those which apply to you.


In next screen, "Remove Components", you can remove Windows XP's inbuilt softwares, which you will never be using in ages. Many such softwares are installed with default XP setup and will stay on your hard drive. Removing them from here will remove them from the setup files itself. This will result in smaller setup size, and also make the installation faster.
Spend some time in this section. You can see the description and space saved for each item.
Select the components you want to remove.
Do not remove Windows Media Player if you want to integrate Windows Media Player 10
Do not remove services from here if you are not sure, you can disable them in next steps


Next screen will give you to create an answer file, to create unattended setup. I use "DefaultHide" option because I give some details like User Name and Organization name while installing, while others are given in answer file. You can choose any of the options.


Part 1:
Give your CD-KEY and select Unattended Type. I have also disabled Hibernate.

Part 2:
Here you can give your personal details like name, computer name, workgroup, language and timezone.
If you don't want the network prompt while in setup, then give some workgroup name. Keeping it blank will give you a prompt.

Part 3:
Display settings: Modify it only if you know that your monitor will support those modes.

On next screen, "Options and Tweaks", you can do a lot of tweaking stuff here. This will easily save your couple of hours and installation of some tweaking programs.

Next screen will show the progress while updates are applied. This process may take lot of time. You may stop your antivirus, anti-spyware and other tools to speedup the process a little bit.

Finally, a window will show you about the space saved on your windows XP source CD.

Now that we have WinXP SP2 fully updated with latest hotfixes, we can also integrate Windows Media Player 10 in it. This is optional step.

WMP10 slipstreamer script is given in the attachment.

Create a new folder. Extract the WMP10_Slipstreamer_V11.cmd from downloaded zip to this folder. Also copy the Windows Media Player 10 setup file you downloaded to this folder. Rename it to MP10Setup.exe if it is not. Run the script.

New folder is created at C:\i386. Copy all newly created files from that folder to i386 folder of your XP Setup source you updated. Overwrite any old files if prompted.

Now open hivedef.inf under i386 folder of your CD in notepad and look for section [Addreg]. There add the line

Code:

Code:
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences",\
"AcceptedPrivacyStatement",0x00010003,1

Now save the file.

Since you have WMP10 slipstreamed, updates specific to WMP9 are not required. There are 5 such updates.

You are done. Just 1 more step remaining.

Creating bootable ISO
Start nLite. This time select only to create bootable cd. Select the XP setup folder. Make ISO. Test it with Virtual PC / VMWare, or else burn it to CD-RW and test it on a test PC. If it works then burn it to CD-R else debug your mistake.