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 reinstall your OS, you'll 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.

For the following tutorial you will need the following:

• A copy of the original Windows XP CD or ISO.
   
• The latest version SP1 (at this moment SP1a).
   
• The boot file which you can download Here.
   
• Nero.

First off start by Creating a folder called XP on your hard drive (I used C: drive in this guide). A minimum of 800MB is required. In the XP folder, create three sub-folder called CD-ROOT, XP-BOOT, and XP-SP1. You should have something like this when your done (see picture 1).

Picture 1

• Copy the entire Windows XP CD (or extract a image "ISO") into folder CD-ROOT.
   
• Copy your Service Pack 1 (SP1) file into C:\XP.
   
• Rename the Service Pack file to XP-SP1.EXE.
   
• Extract the Service Pack from the Run Dialog using the command (see picture 2):
  
  C:\XP\XP-SP1.EXE -U -X:C:\XP\XP-SP1
  
   

  Picture 2

• Apply the Service Pack 1 (SP1) to the Windows XP in CD-ROOT using the following command from the Run Dialog (see picture 3):
  
  C:\XP\XP-SP1\UPDATE\UPDATE.EXE -S:C:\XP\CD-ROOT
   

  Picture 3

  Picture 4

  Picture 5

• Start Nero.
   
• Select File -> New from the menu (see picture 6).
   

  Picture 6

  Allot of time the Nero Wizard starts, if this happens click the "Close Wizard" button (see picture 7).

  Picture 7

• Select CD-ROM (Boot) (see picture 8).
   

  Picture 8

  
  

• Select Image file from Source of boot image data.
   
• Set Kind of emulation: to No Emulation.
   
• Set Load segment of sectors (hex!): to 07C0.
   
• Set Number of loaded sectors: to 4.
   
• Press the Browse button.
  
  Select All Files (*.*) from File of type:
  
  Locate the Boot-Sector file (boot.bin) in the folder C:\XP\XP-BOOT (see picture 9).
  
   

  Picture 9

  
   
• Set File-/Directory length to ISO Level 1 (Max. of 11 = 8 + 3 chars) (see picture 10).
   
• Set Format to Mode 1.
   
• Set Character Set to ISO 9660.
   
• Check all Relax ISO Restrictions.
  
   

  Picture 10

  
   
• Select ISO9660 from the drop down box (see picture 11).
   
• Enter the Volume Label as WINXP_SP1_EN.
   
• Enter the System Identifier as WINXP_SP1_EN.
   
• Enter the Volume Set as WINXP_SP1_EN.
   
• Enter the Publisher as MICROSOFT CORPORATION.
   
• Enter the Data Preparer as MICROSOFT CORPORATION
   
• Enter the Application as WINXP_SP1_EN.
  
   

  Picture 11

• Select Use the date and time from the original file from File Dates (see picture 12).
  
  

  Picture 12

  
   
• Check Write (see picture 13).
   
• Check Finalize CD (No further writing possible!).
   
• Set Write Method to Track-At-Once.
  
   

  Picture 13

  
   
• Locate the folder C:\XP\CD-ROOT (see picture 1).
   
• Select everything in the folder and drag it to the ISO compilation panel.
   
• Click the Write CD Dialog button.
  
   

  Picture 14

• Click the Write button (see picture 15 and 16).
   

  Picture 15

  Picture 16

• Wait for CD compilation to finish (see picture 16).
   

  Picture 17

• Click OK when burning is complete (see picture 17).
   

  Picture 18