How to Create The Ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD
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Kudos to my friend Rado for writing such a great guide on how to create the ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD. This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating an unattended Windows installation CD with the latest hotfixes, drivers, DirectX, IE7, WMP11, Office 2007 and any other software that you would like to include on the CD. Remove useless components, apply tweaks and system hacks for the highest possible performance and productivity.
Don’t miss the video version of this tutorial where you can actually see the whole process of creating a fully customized, unattended installation CD and the result tested and running in VMware Machine.
Requirements:
- nLite 1.4
- Net Framework 2.0
- WinXP CD
Steps:
1. Copy the entire content of your WinXP CD in some local folder.
2. Install .Net Framework 2.0 and nLite.
3. Choose your preferred language on the first screen:
4. Tell nLite where are your WinXP files. Select “Browse” and navigate to the local folder you created in step 1:
5. Choose what you want to do. You can choose only one operation, all of them, or any combination. For example, you can choose to create an ISO and skip the rest:
6. Service Pack: Slipstream a Service Pack into the installation. Just download SP2 for WinXP and nLite will do the rest. If you integrate SP2 you will not need SP1 because SP2 supersedes it.
7. Hotfixes, Addons and Update Packs: Add hotfixes and/or update packs to your installation. Any addons for nLite that you add here will be installed silently during Windows Setup also.
How to get all hotfixes after SP2:
* Use RyanVM Post SP2 Update Pack.
* Install WinXP. Run Windows Update and write down all the required hotfixes. Download them manually from Microsoft.
* Windows Updates Downloader - let this program download all hotfixes for you.
* Information about the hotfix releases could be found here: MSFN, TheHotfixShare and SoftwarePatch
* Windows Media Player 11: Download WMP11 Integrator and the WMP11 installer. Use WMP11 Integrator to slipstream WMP11 into your WinXP CD before making any changes with nLite. Once WMP11 is slipstreamed you can proceed with nLite.
* Internet Explorer 7.0: Just download IE7 and slipstream the .exe with nLite.
* Office 2007: Work in progress!
* Addons: Download more than 350 addons for nLite from WinAddons. These .cab addons will be installed silently during Windows Setup.
Video Tutorial : Slipstream Windows Media Player 11
Video tutorial: Slipstream Internet Explorer 7 with nLite
Video tutorial: Integrate addons with nLite
8. Drivers: Integrate drivers into the installation. Browse to some .inf files and nLite will do the rest. Thanks to http://driverpacks.net/ you can create an installation CD with drivers for almost any piece of hardware. During setup Windows will only use the drivers required and will ignore completely the others. Unused drivers won’t be copied on your hard drive.
Video tutorial: Integrate drivers with nLite
9. Components: Select the components you want to remove from the installation. Make sure to read the short info before removing components especially those in red. Check the Components Removal Example to get an idea about the most important components you should not remove.
By clicking on Advanced you will be given the opportunity to keep some specific files. For example you can remove “Command Line Tools” but you can preserve ping.exe, ipconfig.exe, etc. which are part of this component by adding them to the Keep Box:
Power users could ignore the Compatibility Wizard:
10. Unattended: Set personal settings in advance so you don’t have to during the installation like Users, CD-Key, Regional settings, etc. Here you can also add Windows themes:
Video tutorial: Unattended installation CD with nLite
Adding themes: you’re using some neat Windows theme and want it on your CD as well? Here is an example how to slipstream Luna Element 4 and set it as a default theme:
Video tutorial: Integrate themes with nLite
11. Options: You can pretty much ignore the General tab and go directly to Patches:
* Maximum unfinished simultaneous connections (TCP/IP patch): Set it to 100 or 1000 for max P2P performance.
* USB Port Polling Frequency (Hz): Increase for smoother USB mouse movement. Not for wireless mice or any other USB device, use with caution! Works on Logitech MX, MS IntelliMouse Explorer 3, Razer Viper and possibly others.
* Unsigned Themes Support (Uxtheme Patch): Set it to enable and you will be able to use a 3rd party themes (from DeviantArt for example).
* SFC (Windows File Protection): Set it to disable to stop the automatic recovery of replaced or deleted system files and folders. Although it might sounds like a useful feature, it’s highly recommended to disable it. The duration of your installation will be reduced drastically.
Video tutorial: Patch Windows with nLite
12. Tweaks: this is pretty much self-explanatory. Apply your favorite registry tweaks and configure Windows Services. Once Windows is installed all your tweaks will be applied, no need of post-install tuning.
It’s possible to configure the services as well.
Here you will find an excellent Windows Services Guide.
13. Bootable ISO: we’re almost ready. Once created just burn on CD the ISO or test it in a virtual machine. You can burn the ISO with nLite or your favorite CD/DVD burner like Nero for example. It’s recommended to use rewritable media (CD-RW or DVD-RW) to avoid media loss in case you’re not happy with your WinXP copy and want to create another one.
Video tutorial: Create a Bootable CD with nLite
Video tutorial: Burn ISO files with Nero
Video tutorial: Test ISO in VMware Machine 5.5 – shareware
Video tutorial: Test ISO in Virtual PC 2004 – freeware
Video tutorial: Test ISO in VirtualBox 1.5 – freeware
I hope you enjoyed the guide, once again, I’d like to thank Rado @ WinAddons for allowing me to post it here and coming up with such neat stuff.
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Comments
Good tutorial but the title is a bit misleading. You only use nLite features so perhaps this should be renamed to “How to use nLite”. I was hoping for some unique hacks or tricks to make this truly “Ultimate”.
Thank you, Just_Me..
I started moderating comments because of spam. I’m going to delete this one!
MoiN
I found interesting the drivers part. Driverpacks is very useful when you want to install, for example Windows Server 2003 in some small servers that dont have floppy support and there is no SAS nor SATA drivers in windows distribution CD.
BTW, Nice blog.
I gone through the entire process. but it didn’t work. when i “start” it in virtual box, when i’m in the blue screen, it asks all these partitioning questions, which i thought its going to be automated. any idea?
nice tutorials…
at last found a way to integrate windows media 11 into xp ..
btw, can you do the wga check patching? this is convenient for people to do online windows update without having for genuine validation check..
Very, very nice - I’m just about to do a clean install of XP - this’ll save me a bunch of time.
Thanks for sharing this.
so, let me get this straight…
there is alot of screenshots, you’ve included their thumbnails, but,… that’s about it. they don’t link anywhere.. or is it just me? o_O
nice tutorial btw =)
[...] Cuenta además con video tutoriales para crear este tipo de instalaciones. How to Create The Ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD [...]
Hi is there also a possibility to add Firefox during the installation or other Software you want to install?
Else nice tutorial, will try that one soon out…
I was unaware of the WUD, which is quite useful. I’ve always done it manually in the past.
Good ISO image management is an incredible time saver in the virtual world.
The cool thing about this is you can also REMOVE and not just add stuff from to Windows XP installation disc. I use Windows VMs on my main machine running Ubuntu, and it’s helpful to be able to remove a lot of the crap that typically comes with Windows.
In fact, I managed to reduce the size of the Windows ISO to a mere ~160 MB. Not only is it small, but it boots extremely fast, around 5 seconds (no joke!) on the virtual machine. Unfortunately you have to be careful, because the way I made my ISO, it will not install on real hardware, only VMs like VMWare and Virtualbox.
I have written a guide (mostly for my boss) on how to get all this set up, and I have also written a software system that makes managing Windows VMs on a Linux desktop fairly easy. So if there are enough people interested I can probably convince my workplace to make a this software and guide available for free on the Internet.
[...] IE7, WMP11, Office 2007 and any other software that you would like to include on the CD.”read more | digg story Share and [...]
@Shogun: “Hi is there also a possibility to add Firefox during the installation or other Software you want to install?”
http://www.winaddons.com/nlite-addons
You’ll find plenty of programs you can add to your nLite Windows CD. Just DL them (no need to extract) and select them during the creation of your CD.
@orestes: “btw, can you do the wga check patching? this is convenient for people to do online windows update without having for genuine validation check..”
I don’t encourage that, but yes, it is possible to do so (won’t say how since it’s not really appropriated for this place).
Good guide. nLite is pretty simple but can be quite powerful when you know what to do, and that’s exactly what this guide helps with. Good work there Moin.
[...] tutorial is on the A new morning website and it not only goes through the software and steps necessary to create your own customized [...]
[...] non propriamente performanti e/o con poca memoria a disposizione. A tal proposito, voglio segnalare questa pagina nella quale è inclusa una guida (in Inglese) che spiega passo dopo passo quale programma utilizzare [...]
Nice article and right on time for my needs, thanks for this.
A suggestion though: change your CSS so that hyperlinks are visible without the need of hovering every single word to find out links 
Thats great! But how do I get the media(with latest SP) for XP home ed.? Everything I have came with those stupid restore disks.
@Jay: “Thats great! But how do I get the media(with latest SP) for XP home ed.? Everything I have came with those stupid restore disks.”
Unfortunately, restore disks won’t help you much with that. If, at least, you have your Windows CD key, then just borrow a “Windows XP Home Edition” CD from a friend or…well get one somehow. On the other hand, if you don’t even know your cd-key, you don’t have many options.
As for the Service Packs (if your CD doesn’t have the most recent one and with SP3 now available, it’s almost always the case), go on Microsoft’s site and you can download it from there as an installer. Then all you need is to add it to your installation using nLite.
Download sp3 and the internet explorer 7 package, make your changes to the setup and afterwards slipstream wmp11 using the app floating around on the net otherwise sp3 will override some wmp settings, so do it last. btw if you can find xp pro corporate’s version you won’t need to activate anything. Go to http://unattended.msfn.org to learn about installation switches and batch installations.
Edit: “On the other hand, if you don’t even know your cd-key, you don’t have many options.”
Forgot to mention you can use programs such as Everest to know what your Windows CD Key is.
[...] How to Create The Ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD | A New Morning (tags: xp windowsxp windows virtualization unattended tutorials tutorial tools ultimate) steve on August 4th, 2008 | Filed under 15 | [...]
[...] Notes: Create Ultimate Windows CD Electronic Tongue Your Own Jetpack Periodic Rings Wood Geek [...]
Please help.
I have gone through the process of creating an Ultimate XP Install CD…but when trying to use it on a new machine or VM i get the following during installation:
“The Product Id you entered is not valid”
I supplied the correct Product Key when creating the CD, promise. Even tried couple others after I get this message but it wont take any of them.
All comments welcome.
Thanking you in advance.
[...] DirectX, IE7, WMP11, Office 2007 and any other software that you would like to include on the CD.read more | digg [...]
How to Create The Ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD | A New Morning…
Kudos to my friend Rado for writing such a great guide on how to create the ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD. This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating an unattended Windows installation CD with the latest hotfixes, drivers, D…
[...] -How to Create The Ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD A great guide on how to create the ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD. This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating an unattended Windows installation CD with the latest hotfixes, drivers, DirectX, IE7, WMP11, Office 2007 and any other software that you would like to include on the CD. [...]
[...] to my friend Rado for writing such a great guide on how to create the ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD. This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating an unattended [...]
has anyone found a way to incorporate Office 2007 into this yet? One dvd for an install would be sweet:).
[...] Also it is completely hands free install so you can swig beer and eat pretzels while you wait. How to Create The Ultimate Windows XP Installation CD/DVD | A New Morning I plan to test this soon. __________________ Meh crappy blahg [...]
i cant download WinXP CD … is not available :(( … pls add link for download
( im romania … my enlish bad … sry )
Hi
I’m trying to make a multiboot cd that installs different editions of windows xp? like an AIO cd that will allow me to install xp pro or home!!!!
any help will be appreciated, thanks!!!!!!!!!!
could you please send any responses or links to christianmusicvr@hotmail.com
Nice Tutorial..
I just want to know how to add Nero, office 2000, winrar and other softwares while making this ISO.
Reply on my email plz. (orchidamss@yahoo.com)
Thankyou.
I have Windows XP Professional SP3 updates till July 2008 ISO File with IE7 and WMP11.
Now I want to update this ISO file with all updates till Jan 2009. Can I delete the previous updates till July 2008 and use new updates file using (RyanVM Update Pack) and
since the ISO file already has IE7, I want to replace it with IE8 and its updates.
Please advice and the 2 steps for modification.
Waiting for your reply.
I have XP Pro MCE. AFter I install sp3 I get 41 critical updates. The update downloader does not show most of them.
Dan I create a disc with sp3, wm11, ie7 and my known tweaks, and then install it to get an accurate list of updates. And then come back and add to what I already have to finish the Ultimate Disc?
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Very nice. I should get around to doing this when I have time. I usually setup Windows just the way I like with drivers, software, etc and then create an image with Clonezilla but this is nice for new machines in my network.