reformating hard drive

The process you use to update your original XP CD to an XP w/SP3 CD is
called slipstreaming. A Google search will provcie answers as to how to do
it. Or:

WindowsXP (Home or Pro) went from the original release XP(0) to WindowsXP
w/SP1 [XP(1)] to WindowsXP w/SP2 [XP(2)] and to WindowsXP w/SP3 [XP(3)].

The later procedures I'm going to mention require you to have a WindowsXP
w/SP3 CD so, for those with XP(0), XP(1) or XP(2), this first part covers
how to update your exisiting CD from XP(0)/XP(1)/XP(2) to XP(3). A CD burner
and appropriate software is required.

First thing to do is to download the XP SP3 update file:
WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86.exe from the Microsoft download site.

What you are going to do is 'Slipstream' the SP3 download with your original
XP CD, create an ISO file, and burn a new, bootable XP w/SP3 CD. A Google
search on 'slipstreaming' will provide you with particulars on this function
and what it does. A Google search on 'Autostreamer" will provide you with
detailed instructions on using this program. (I decided not to provide that
information with this e-mail as that would greatly expand the size of the
message.) Using AutoStreamer is the easier method and it will create a new
XP w/SP3 ISO file that is then used to burn the new XP w/SP3 CD. I can send
you a copy of AutoStreamer if you're unable to find/download it from the
web.

When you have burned the new XP w/SP3 CD it will have the same product key
as the original XP(0), XP(1), or XP(3) CD and can be used to do a fresh or
repair install.

As we all know, Microsoft also posts updates/patches/hotfixes on their web
site and we can allow our systems to do an automatic update or we go to the
site and run either Microsoft update or Windows update to download and
install various files/programs. If we must do a fresh or a repair install we
can also find ourselves having to download a multitude of files to update
our systems, again and again sometimes.

One way to make this a bit easier is to go to
http://www.autopatcher.com/forums/ and look for the AutoPatcher Updater for
XP (APUP.ZIP). (The AutoPatcher User Guide Instructions, a PDF file can be
found at http://www.autopatcher.com/downloads/ ) It can usually be found in
Announcements. Download APUP.ZIP, create a folder \AutoPatcher, unzip
APUP.ZIP into this folder, double-click on APUP.EXE and wait till you are
presented with a screen listing all possible downloads. Check the box next
to your selection (some are in foreign languages so read the selection to
verify); Office updates are also listed. When finished push the Next button
and wait a bit. Because of the recent posting by Microsoft of SP3 for
Windows XP AutoPatcher will require you to have already installed this
update to your system.

For the initial download these are large files so I hope you have a high
speed connection. The full download is self-extracting and will install into
\AutoPatcher; which is why you created the folder and are running APUP.EXE
from within it. Be patient, it could take over an hour, when done push the
Finish button. Now the \AutoPatcher folder will be full of files and
sub-folders; double-click on AUTOPATCHER.EXE and wait till it's done doing
its thing; you will then be presented with a screen listing of updates for
your system, peruse the complete list and select those you deem
necessary/appropriate and push Next to start the installation of the
updates. Reboot may be required.

Subsequent downloads using APUP.EXE will be much quicker as only
newer/replacement hotfixes/patches/etc will be selected as required for
downloading to your system.

Now, another thing you can do is to use the XP w/SP3 CD as a source and
integrate many of these same updates/patches/fixes/add-ons and create/burn a
new XP w/SP3 CD that now includes these items within it. This new CD will
have the same product key as the original, is bootable, and can be used to
do a clean or repair install. To do that you will need to download the
RyanVM Integrator version 1.5.3 (http://www.ryanvm.net/forum/) and the
latest RVM update pack for Windows XP SP3. They can be found at:
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/ . If you look around this site you will also
find many other programs or add-ons that have been developed to be
integrated into your new CD.

To slipstream Windows Media Player 11 and all of its hotfixes into the
Integrated CD you're making with the RyanVM Integrator go here:
http://web.clicknet.ro/boooggy/ and download the WMP11 Slipstreamer and
hotfixes. Instruction on use is on the same page and with the Integrator.

If you want to slipstream various Driver Packs (CPU, chipset, audio, video,
mass storage, LAN, etc) into this new CD you're making then go here:
http://www.driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/ and read the information on the
pages and download the DriverPacks you feel are appropriate. Slipstreaming
the DriverPacks into the CD from within the RyanVM Integrator is the last
thing you do before making the ISO file and then burning a new CD. (Tutorial
is at: http://users.pandora.be/jtdoom/basetute/Eng_tut6b.htm )

I have created new CD's for my Pro and Home systems using the RyanVM
Integrator. I did a repair install of the both the Pro and Home systems and
had no difficulties.

I put all this information together because I know how much of a pain it is
to have to reinstall XP from scratch or to do a repair install. Some of you
may be well aware of all these programs and many of you may not have a clue
as to any of this stuff. Either way, it should be useful to some/many of
you.

I hope it's not too difficult to follow.

Jerry

"John" <John.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D807F2C3-016B-4BE5-A416-6E74E58B5970@microsoft.com...
>I have too reformat my hard drive and all i have is the xp pro cd but i
>want
> too update it directly too service pack 3 or 4. Can i do this or not and
> how
> do i do it?
> Thank You in advance.
> --
> John