How To Save an Hour (Or More) On XP Installs

Information Week ^ | September 20, 2004 | Fred Langa

[Stoat]

Pre-patch your XP Setup CD once; never have to install SP2 again. Fred Langa walks you through a 16-step process.

Our recent discussions about Windows XP's SP2 show that the huge patch is working fine for most users; and that with caution (make a full backup or image beforehand; read and follow all of Microsoft's pre-SP2 installation tips), even potentially troublesome installations can be handled smoothly.

But not swiftly: The update process can take a considerable chunk of your workday, even if you don't count the download time or install from the free SP2 CD. Twenty to 40 minutes seems about the norm for installs on faster PCs; older, slower systems can take well over an hour.

There's not a lot that can be done about that, but you can achieve a huge time savings on future installations and reinstallations of XP by integrating SP2's files with those of your original XP setup CD. Your hybrid install CD will work exactly as the original one did, even to the point of using the same 25-character Product Key, but it will be completely up to date with all patches and updates, up to and including SP2. Any system you set up with the hybrid CD will be pre-patched to current levels, in one step. You'll be totally up to date from the start, rather than facing maybe an hour or more of additional downloads to bring the new installation or reinstallation to SP2 levels.

Creating a new hybrid installation CD is surprisingly easy--a point and click exercise with only a few geeky parts. And it works very well. In fact, in most ways, this method of pre-patching an installation CD is basically the same process software vendors use to produce an updated version of their installation software; indeed, starting this fall, Microsoft will offer for sale fully prepatched versions of XP on CD. But you don't have to wait: You can create your own totally legitimate prepatched copy of XP on CD today.

Before you begin, you'll need the following:

1) A legitimate XP setup CD (almost any variation will work: Pro or Home; retail or OEM; full install CD or upgrade CD; etc.)

2) A CD burner, blank CD, and software capable of creating a bootable CD (eg. Nero, Roxio, etc.)

3) About a gigabyte of free space on your hard drive for temporary file storage. (This space can be recovered after you've made your new CD.)

Ready? Let's dig in, step by step: The Steps Required
Step One: Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the top level of your hard drive, or to some other suitable location that's easy to get back to.

Step Two: Create a new folder. We'll use this new folder to hold the components of your CD project. You can give it any name, but for clarity, let's call it XPSP2 in this working example.

Step Three: Open the newly created XPSP2 folder. Inside, create three new (empty) folders; name them Root, Boot, and SP2. These folders will house various components that later will be combined into a new, pre-patched setup CD.

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Step Two: Create a working folder for your CD project in a convenient location (e.g. c:\) and with an obvious name. The disk you select to host the project should have at least about one gigabyte free.				Step Three: Create these three empty folders inside your main project folder. These subfolders will be used to store the working pieces of the new CD you're building.

Copying Files, Folders
Step Four: Put your original, unpatched XP installation CD in the CD drive; copy all of its files and folders to the new "Root" folder you just created in Step Three. (i.e. C:\XPSP2\ROOT )

Step Five: Open the Root folder; you'll see the files that have just been copied from the installation CD. Click to open the Support folder; then click to open the Tools folder inside that. Delete the file named "deploy.cab" inside the Tools folder. (In other words, delete: C:\XPSP2\ROOT\SUPPORT\TOOLS\DEPLOY.CAB )

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Step Four: Copying the contents of your original read-only setup CD to a normal read/writable hard drive makes the setup files patchable. Getting the files off the CD can take a long time on older, slower systems, but isn't too onerous on newer PCs.				Step Five: The original Deploy.Cab, in the \ROOT\SUPPORT\TOOLS\ folder, must be deleted. Later, we'll replace it with an updated Deploy.Cab.

Step Six: Download the (free) "Windows XP Service Pack 2 Deployment Tools" from Microsoft.

Download an Install Package
Step Seven: The file you download In Step Six will have a name like "WindowsXP-KB838080-SP2-DeployTools-ENU.cab". Rename this to "deploy.cab" and copy it into the C:\XPSP2\ROOT\SUPPORT\TOOLS\ folder, replacing the "deploy.cab" you previously deleted there.

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Step Six: Microsoft's free "Windows XP Service Pack 2 Deployment Tools" can be downloaded for free, and will become the basis of the new "Deploy.Cab" you'll need for your prepatched setup CD.				Step Seven: Rename the Deployment Tools to "deploy.cab" and copy them to the \ROOT\SUPPORT\TOOLS\ folder.

Step Eight: Download the (free) "Windows XP Service Pack 2 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers" from Microsoft. Download the file to the C:\XPSP2 folder; or if you downloaded it elsewhere, copy it into the C:\XPSP2 folder. Once it's there, rename the downloaded file (which is named something like WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe ) to "SP2.EXE"

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Step Eight: Download a (free) copy of the complete SP2 patch from Microsoft.				Step Eight: Rename the downloaded SP2 file to "SP2.EXE" and place it in the C:\XPSP2 folder.

Step Nine: Extract the Service pack files to the SP2 folder: Click Start/Run, and then type this command in the Run box: C:\XPSP2\SP2.EXE /U /X:C:\XPSP2\SP2

Click OK, and the self-extracting SP2.exe file will unpack its contents into the SP2 folder.

Step Ten: Use XP's built-in "Update" tool to apply the SP2 patches to the original XP setup files. Click Start/Run and type the following command in the Run box:

C:\XPSP2\SP2\I386\UPDATE\UPDATE.EXE /S:C:\XPSP2\ROOT

Windows will open an "Updating Your Windows Share" dialog, and will show you the progress of the patching. When it's done, the SP2 patches will be seamlessly integrated with the original XP setup files.

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Step Nine: The SP2 patch will self-extract to the folder of your choice. See the Step Nine text for specifics on how to get the files ready for integration with the original setup files.				Step Ten: A single command typed on the "Run" line (see Step Ten) merges the SP2 files with those on the original setup CD, making the setup files fully up to date and ready for use.

Making It Bootable
Most original XP setup CDs are bootable; and your new patched setup files will be most useful if they likewise reside on a bootable CD. Then, you can use the prepatched setup CD on any PC--- even one where the hard drive is completely unformatted. (Of course, the PC must be capable of booting from a CD in the first place; we'll assume that's a given.)

Different CD-burning tools have different ways of setting up a bootable CD. I'll walk you through using Roxio's CD Creator, as it's one of the most widely used CD-burning tools. Many of the concepts will apply to other tools, although the menu items and dialog names will be different. (I'll also link to additional step-by-step guides for other CD tools at the end of this article.)

Step 11: In addition to the content files, which you created in steps 1-10 above, you also need the actual boot code. The good folks at TackTech, in addition to offering a wealth of information, also make available, free, CD boot code files. Grab a copy at http://www.tacktech.com/pub/microsoft/bootfiles/bootfiles.zip . It's a standard ZIP file; open the file and copy the compressed file inside, called "boot.ima" to the folder C:\XPSP2\BOOT you previously created.

Step 12: Start your CD burner utility--- in this example, Roxio's CD Creator:

Step 13: Select File/New Project/Bootable Disc. When the dialog opens, set Bootable Disc Type: to No Emulation. Click the ">>Advanced" button, and set the Load Segment: to 0x000 and the Sector Count: to 4. Now click "Browse" where the dialog asks you to "locate the image file that contains the bootable image." Browse/navigate to C:\XPSP2\BOOT. Click on the "boot.ima" file you placed there in Step Eleven, and then click "Open" and "OK."

Step 14: Click to File/Project Properties. This opens one dialog with several tabs, and many choices and sub choices. Basically, you use this dialog to set up the new CD to match the characteristics of your original XP setup CD. For example, if your original XP setup CD is an unpatched, retail, full-install version, its volume label is probably "WXPFPP_EN," so that's what you'd enter in the "Volume Label" portion of the dialog box. You can simply check your original CD with Windows Explorer to see the volume label, or you can figure it out from the comprehensive list at http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=342

Likewise, set the other features in this dialog to match that of the original setup CD:

File System = Joliet
Physical format of CD = Mode 1: CDROM

Click Advanced, and enter the following:

Publisher Name = MICROSOFT_CORPORATION
Prepared By = MICROSOFT_CORPORATION

The remaining default settings are probably OK, but to be sure:

Select "Use original file date."
Select "All Files" under the "File Filter" tab.
Uncheck "Do not add Hidden files" and "Do not add System files."

When you're done, click OK.

Step 15: You're almost ready to burn. You already added the boot image files to the project in Step thirteen; now select and add all the files and folders in the C:\XPSP2\ROOT folder to the burn project, and click "Burn to disc."

Step 16: The final dialog then opens, and offers a few last choices. If they're not already selected, select "Record CD" under "Record Options," and "Disc-at-Once" under "Record Methods." Click OK, and you're done!

Note that the burning software may complain about the "folder depth" being too many levels deep--ignore this warning, as it has no effect on the usability of this CD. More Options and Alternatives
Of course, there are many variations on the process, and these sites cover most of them:

Other ways to produce a prepatched ("slipstreamed") setup CD:
 

• Slipstreaming Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)
  
   
• Universal Windows Slipstreaming and Bootable CD Guide
  
   
• Slipstreaming Windows 2000/XP [SP1,SP1a,SP2]
  
   
• Slipstreaming Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Create Bootable CD
  
   
• Create A Bootable/Slipstreamed Windows XP Installation CD
  
   
• Updating Your Windows XP Install CD: A Slipstream & Bootable CD Guide
  
   
• Google: Create Bootable CD xp sp2

Create a Bootable CD:

• Creating bootable Windows 2000/XP/2003 Disc (Easy CD and DVD Creator 6)
  
   
• Google: Create a Bootable CD xp

What ways have you used to "slipstream" or prepatch a CD? What pitfalls have you encountered that you might share with the rest of us? What sites have given you the best advice on the process? Join in the discussion!

 

---

To discuss this column with other readers, please visit Fred Langa's forum on the Listening Post.

To find out more about Fred Langa, please visit his page on the Listening Post.

[coconutt2000]

Buy a Mac... then never worry about Windows wasting your time again. ;-)

[the_Watchman]

Before you go through this process ask yourself how many times you reinstall windows? That is the only benefit touted as the reason to make up this monster CD. For most of you, it won't be worth the trouble.

I updated my sister's XP system two weeks ago and it took almost 3 hours even though I was connected to high speed cable. This is due to the sloooooow download from Microsoft. I updated my father-in-law's laptop yesterday using a CD. It took between 35 and 45 minutes. Definitely download SP2 and cut a CD! (1) The install is faster and (2) you have the software on your own media in case you can't get it from Microsoft later.

I checked both systems for firewall safety before and after the install of SP2. Both were found to be totally "stealthy" by Gibson Research [www.grc.com]. They were actually better protected than either my DLINK or Netgear router firewalls without further hand tuning!

[FesterUSMC]

i did this like 3-4 weeks ago or whenever Sp2 was first released

[Gerasimov]

One more reason Linux is king...

[Stoat]

"i did this like 3-4 weeks ago or whenever Sp2 was first released"

Thank you for serving our country :-)

Did you use a similar method as what is described in this article?

Was it fairly easy to produce the CD?

Do you feel that the time spent in making the CD was time well-spent?

[tallhappy]

Thanks for the public service.

[Stoat]

"Thanks for the public service" You're quite welcome! I hope that it will be of some help :-)

[FesterUSMC]

slipstreaming a cd is worth the effort.. I really didn't look threw your steps but you can goto this web page and follow these

Windows Help

[Stoat]

Thanks very much for your link! I'll post it here so that people can compare the different methods more easily on the same page and decide what's best for their own situation:

Slipstreaming Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Create Bootable CD

Slipstreaming a Service Pack, is the process to integrate the Service Pack into the installation so that with every new installation the Operating System and Service Pack are installed at the same time.

Slipstreaming is usually done on network shares on corporate systems. But with the advent of CD burners, it does actually make some sense for the home user or small business user to do the same.

Microsoft added the ability to Slipstream a Service Pack to Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It not only has the advantage that when you (re)install your OS, you don't have to apply the Service Pack later, also if you update any Windows component later, you'll be sure that you get the correct installation files if Windows needs any.

 

Slipstream Windows XP Service Pack 2

 

Download the (full) "Network Install" of the Service Pack (English version [266 MB]), and save it to a directory (folder) on your hard drive (in my case D:\XP-SP2). Other languages can be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Web site.

Next copy your Windows XP CD to your hard drive. Just create a folder (I used \XP-CD), and copy all the contents of your Windows XP CD in that folder.

Next, open a Command Prompt (Start > Run > cmd), and go to the folder where you downloaded SP2 (cd \foldername). Type the command: servicepack filename /integrate:drive/path. In my example the command is WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU /integrate:D:\XP-CD.

 

 

If you get the error:

 

This is caused by the fact that your Windows XP CD contains updates that will be automatically installed when you run setup. This type of CD's will usually be from larger OEM suppliers (like Dell, HP, or others).

You cannot use this type of CD to create a slipstreamed SP2 install.

First, the files will be extracted, and next they will be integrated in your Windows XP files:

 

When ready, you should get a confirmation. Windows XP Service Pack 2 has now been Slipstreamed into your original Windows XP files.

 

 

 

Creating a Bootable CD

For this part I used IsoBuster and Nero Burning ROM 6 (make sure you have the latest version, but at least 5.5.9.0).

After you install IsoBuster, you can choose to use only the product's free functionality for what we want to do, IsoBuster will look like the image below (you need to have your original Windows XP CD in the CD-ROM drive).

Start to extract the boot loader from the original Windows XP CD. Using IsoBuster, select the "folder" Bootable CD, and right-click Microsoft Corporation.img. From the menu choose Extract Microsoft Corporation.img, and extract it to the folder on your hard drive where you have your Windows XP files (D:\XP-CD in my case).

 

Next, start Nero Burning ROM, and choose CD-ROM (Boot) in the New Compilation window. On the Boot tab, select Image file under Source of boot image data, and browse to the location of the Microsoft Corporation.img file. Also enable Expert Settings, choosing No Emulation, and changing the Number of loaded sectors to 4 (otherwise it won't boot!)

 

The ISO tab should be configured correctly as shown below:

 

 

If you have an older version of Nero you won't have the option Do Not Add ";1" ISO file version extention under Relax ISO Restrictions. You won't be able to boot your new CD, so update Nero!

You can configure the Label tab to your liking, I would however recommend that you keep the Volume Label the same as on your original Windows XP CD. Here are some (English) Labels:

• Windows XP Professional: WXPCCP_EN
• Windows XP Home: WXHCCP_EN
• Windows XP Professional OEM: WXPOEM_EN
• Windows XP Home OEM: WXHOEM_EN

 

Next press New, and from the File Browser window, select the files and folders from your slipstreamed location (in my case D:\XP-CD). Now drag & drop the selected files in the ISO1 window.

 

Next, burn your new CD.

 

You now have a Bootable, Slipstreamed Windows XP Service Pack 2 CD!
 

Give your comments on this article.
 

[SeeRushToldU_So]

bttt

[dennisw]

You smarter than the average bear.

[FesterUSMC]

HUH? I no professional computer training.. If that is what your talking about.

[dennisw]

I updated my father-in-law's laptop yesterday using a CD. It took between 35 and 45 minutes. Definitely download SP2 and cut a CD! (1) The install is faster and (2) you have the software on your own media in case you can't get it from Microsoft later.
____________________


http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=323166

[dennisw]

HUH? I no professional computer training.......

Me neither, but I did read some Windows 95 books to learn cut and paste and other basics. Credit goes to Microsoft for creating visually intuitive operating systems. Operating systems for dummies.

I don't even have XP service pack one (SP1) on this computer. But I do use Zone Alarm, anti virus and anti adware programs.

[FesterUSMC]

oh, I slipstreamed Sp1 like a LONG time ago when did that come out? like over a year ago? Then i just did SP2 ... It would be in your best interest to get the updates...

[dennisw]

SP1 slowed down my computer. I'll try it again sometime and with SP2...... slipstreamed which I haven't done. For me, the best thing about XP is the cleartype option which makes text on LCD monitors very sharp. If not for that, any OS from Windows 98 on up is OK with me.

[krogers58]

ping

[FesterUSMC]

if you download SP2 you DO NOT need SP1

[BlessedBeGod]

if you download SP2 you DO NOT need SP1

Really? You don't need to install SP1 before SP2? (I ask because I haven't installed SP1 yet.)