How do I make a bootable XP CD out of the i386 folder?

[LeoniAquila]

I'm using an OEM version of Windows XP Home SP2, on which I've installed SP3 (no slipstreaming). Now, I'd like to make my own bootable Windows XP installation CD (since I only have recovery-CDs), out of the folder C:\i386. I've already followed a guide (it's in Swedish so I guess it's not use to post the link, but I'll do it if you suggest so), but it was aimed towards Windows installations without service packs. I tried it but I didn't succeed.

Does anyone know how to do this? Or a proper guide for it? Another concern is that I suspect my i386 folder to have SP3 files in it. From the beginning, it can only have been SP2 (since that's my original system setup), but since I installed SP3 I found a file called sp3.cab in C:\i386. If you think it's easier to base the bootable CD on an SP2 system (which would make my i386 folder clean from SP3 files), I may easily reinstall the recovery CDs and then make the bootable CD from a pure SP2 i386 folder.

I hope I was clear and not confusing in my question and information. Thank you in advance for any advice.

LA

[jaclaz]

Some information can be found here:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16381

http://www.msfn.org/board/Cannot-access-CD...P-i-t91907.html

The \I386 folder should not be affected by installing a later SP, checking the dates of the files should be enough to make sure of that, the sp3.cab is to be removed from the build, of course.

Your mileage may vary OEM's like Dell, HP or Sony have a knack for making non-standard mods that need lots of time to find and fix.

jaclaz

[LeoniAquila]

Some information can be found here:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16381

http://www.msfn.org/board/Cannot-access-CD...P-i-t91907.html

Thanks a lot, I'll check those links!

The \I386 folder should not be affected by installing a later SP, checking the dates of the files should be enough to make sure of that, the sp3.cab is to be removed from the build, of course.

That's what I thought too, my guess was that SP3 only should modify the very C:\Windows folder. Yet there is a file called sp3.cab in i386, from 2008-04-14, whilst almost all other files - including sp2.cab - are from 2004-08-04. BTW I installed XP SP2 from recovery CDs at late as the day before yesterday, and then the first thing I did was to install SP3.

Your mileage may vary OEM's like Dell, HP or Sony have a knack for making non-standard mods that need lots of time to find and fix.

Then we'll see what it means to have an Acer computer...

LA

[JedMeister]

Good luck. I'd be interested to hear how you go. I was under the impression that this was just way to painful track to go down. However, now XP is no longer available, it is perhaps a trick I will have to learn!

[LeoniAquila]

Thanks. Finally I did succeed to make a full XP SP3 ISO, by grabbing all needed files and then make a bootable CD (which I later nLited, making it just 127 MB including SP3 and extra hotfixes until June!).

Furthermore, Windows product activation of the XP OEM version went fine with the serial number under my machine. Though Microsoft only allowed one online activation, which I expended when trying the new ISO. I didn't want to keep the full XP installtion, thus I nLited it, installed again and then I had to phone Microsoft to activate once more. That went fine too.

LA

Edited July 17, 2008 by LeoniAquila