How to Embed SP3
Microsoft updated Windows XP, its venerable operating system, several times during the product's lifetime. The company released Service Pack 3, its last major update in early 2008, even though Windows Vista was released a year earlier. The update normally installed right over the top of an existing Windows XP install, but users who wanted to install a fresh copy of Windows XP had to either install the operating system and then all the necessary updates or buy a new copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 already included. Users who do not want to waste neither the time or expense can embed, or "slipstream," Service Pack 3 into their original Windows XP installation files.
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Instructions
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Download a copy of the Service Pack 3 installation file. Download and install nLite, a free slipstreaming utility, if it is not already installed.
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Place the Windows XP installation CD into the computer's CD/DVD drive.
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Click the "Start" menu and click "My Computer" to open Windows Explorer. Double-click the "C:" drive. Right-click in the window, click "New," and choose "Folder." Name the folder "XP" and press "Enter."
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Open a new Explorer window and double-click the CD/DVD drive containing the installation CD. Press the keyboard shortcut of "Ctrl" and "A" to select all files on the CD, and then drag and drop those files to the XP folder.
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Start nLite. Click "Next" at the bottom of the welcome window.
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Click "Browse" and navigate to the XP folder. Select the folder and click "OK." Information about the Windows XP version will display under the address bar. Click "Next" and click "Next" again to skip the Presets window.
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Click the "Service Pack" and "Bootable ISO" buttons on the Task Selection window. Click "Next."
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Click the "Select" button on the Service Pack window and navigate to where the Service Pack 3 installation file is saved. Click the file to select it and choose "Open." The nLite program will automatically extract the installation files and integrate them with the files in the XP folder. Click "OK" when the "Integrated install has completed successfully" prompt appears and click "Next."
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Click the drop-down menu under "Mode" on the Bootable ISO window and select "Direct Burn." Select the CD burner in the drop-down menu under "Device" and type a CD label in the Label box, if desired.
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Insert a blank CD into the CD burner. Click the "Burn" button and select "Yes" when the "Burn the content to the media?" prompt appears. Click "Next" when the burning process finishes, ad then click "Finish."
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Tips & Warnings
Set Windows Explorer to display hidden and system files before copying files from the Windows XP installation CD.
The nLite program has many options for modifying the slipstreamed Windows XP installation CD, but only use these options if you are familiar with each option. Using the options incorrectly could create a CD that does not work.
