Integrate / slipstream Windows XP SP3 in Windows setup or installation CD / Media
As we all know Microsoft has released the final service pack of Windows XP x86 to the public. The Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) is now available under Windows update.
One may obtain the service pack via Windows Update or by downloading the stand alone installation EXE via Microsoft web sites also. It is recommended that if you have a single or few PCs, then please use the Windows update as in that case for an up-to-date Windows XP SP2 system the download size would be around 70 MB.
Where as if you have many PCs under your network or administration, then please obtain the network installation or stand alone version to install off-line !!
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package
When many users have bought Windows XP, they have found that Windows XP comes with SP2 pre-integrated under the installation media, so when you install Windows XP from such installation media, you find that you installation already have SP2 under it.
Many users are now searching for answer as how do you integrate the SP3 under this present installation media, here is a guide which may help you to integrate the SP3 under Windows XP installation media.
How do you slipstream / integrate Windows XP SP3 into you Windows installation media ?
The process is pretty simple, may take just 30 mins to complete !! One may just follow these basic steps to complete the action.
What do you need to begin the process (prerequisites) ?
Hardware prerequisites
- Internet connection to obtain the SP3 network installation or standalone version
- A PC
- 4 GB of Free HDD Space
- CD Writer
- Blank CD-R
Software prerequisites
- Windows OS (Win 2000, XP, Vista / Server 2000, 2003, 2008)
- Nero / Ashampoo / Any burner to burn bootable CD
Obtain the Service pack and installation Media
Please download the RTM version of Windows XP SP3 from given link of top of this post.
Copy all data at your HDD
In my case I am copying all my data to HDD drive F in which I have more than 4 GB of free space, which is needed to complete the operation.
Copy all data of Windows installation CD (Windows XP / Windows XP SP1 / Windows XP SP2) to F:\CD folder.
Place the Windows XP SP3 at F:\SP3 folder and rename the default “WINDOWSXP-KB936929-SP3-X86-ENU.exe” to SP3.exe
Extract the SP3
Now please start command promt from Start > Accessories > Command and navigate to F:\SP3, via command, F: and cd sp3. This should land you at the F:\SP3 directory containing the SP3 network installation file. Therefore please run command, sp3.exe -x:f:\sp3\
Now you may see there is a folder named i386 containing many files and folder in side the SP3 directory which you have under your F:\ drive.
Start the integration / slipstream process
The update file is located at f:\sp3\i386\update folder, therefore at that command promt window please run these following sets of commands. To navigate to the update folder (f:\sp3\i386\update), please type command, cd i386 & press enter, and next type cd update & press enter (assuming you are already at F:\SP3 location).
Now please run the command to start the update, update -s:F:\CD
This would start the update process to slipstream of integrate the Windows XP SP3 under your windows installation source !!
After the successful integration, the installation source would now become at around 634MB. You may now Delete the SP3 folder of F: drive and can burn the F:\CD folder as a boot-able Windows XP installation CD.
Rahul said
am May 9 2008 @ 9:52 pm
i never know this thing. useful post, 10/10 from me.
One Question : How to make it bootable ? Nero has such option !!
Regards
Manan said
am May 10 2008 @ 5:23 am
1. I have read that slip-streaming SP3 on a Vista machine gives errors
2. Can the same be achieved by using something like nlite?
Animesh Roy said
am May 10 2008 @ 4:48 pm
Hi, u can do it(slipstreming)and even many more simply by NLITE. Try googling.
Choto Cheeta said
am May 10 2008 @ 5:39 pm
hello Manan,
You may see from this screenshots that, this demo is taken from a system running vista and it didnt give any error at all..
Yes n-lite can archive it, but n-lite is not supported by Microsoft !!!
This post shows the use of /integrate switch of the update package which is meant for this action !!
Animesh Roy said
am May 10 2008 @ 6:15 pm
I didn’t find any bad effect of not being supported by MIcro*** on the slipstremed xp sp3. U should just be careful about deleting system files
How to burn a bootable Windows XP installation CD ROM from service pack slipstream installation source | Choto Cheeta Online said
am May 10 2008 @ 6:56 pm
[...] you have successfully slipstreamed a service pack under Windows XP installation source, the next question which comes to your mind is how do you burn / write those installation files [...]
peeyush said
am May 12 2008 @ 5:19 am
Hi
Nice post
I have a doubt that the link u have posted for SP3 points towards
Windows XP Service Pack 3, Checked Build
which is meant for
“IT professionals and developers downloading to a machine intending to debug or develop software on Windows XP”
as a home user would i have any problems if i use this version of sp3
Choto Cheeta said
am May 12 2008 @ 5:50 am
hey peeyush
thank you for pointing that out, I have edited the link !!
NSpeaks said
am May 12 2008 @ 6:35 pm
A thing I would like to point, SP3 changes the way Windows Activation works. Also gives option of installing Windows XP without CD Key in consistence with WGA requirements. And this may create problems if someone uses pirated XP SP2. So its better we use XP SP2 CD and then install SP3 over it on a new machine instead of using pirated XP SP3 Slipstreamed and trying CD keys over it and failing?
CLMLBX said
am May 22 2008 @ 4:09 am
does sp3 include wmp11 and IE7 updates….what is the order of this three too integrate.
Choto Cheeta said
am May 22 2008 @ 5:35 am
Nope, Windows XP SP3 do not come with IE7 or WMP 11. One may have to install them either from Windows update or manually
While you plan to integrate IE7 / WPM 11, means you are in need to use nLite and with nLite, you do not need to worry about the order.
One just needs to simply let nLit know what patches and products he is in need to integrate
nLite would do the rest for you 
Thank you
hesam (Iran) said
am June 16 2008 @ 4:08 pm
Hey bro this works great but would you please tell me just why the boot doesn’t work with both nlight and your nice method. The sp3 integrated is great but the boot doesn’t work! the nlight site says we should burn it with lows speed but it doesn’t work again! Plz email me as soon as possible. Thanks.
mehdi said
am July 10 2008 @ 5:49 am
Hello dear friend/s!
I have tested the nLite and Iam satisfied with it but I want also to integrate any softwares that i would like to be installed while my windows is being installed like as yahoo,nero,office or any others.
I could successfuly integrate SP3 and my drivers into my windows but the main problem of is integration of other softwares into my windows…!
if you know,which software can help me,please do me a favour and send me email to inform me!
Thank you very much!
Mehdi
bjbadboy said
am August 25 2008 @ 11:07 pm
nice
bjbadboy said
am August 25 2008 @ 11:09 pm
very good
mrintech said
am September 2 2008 @ 7:51 pm
Gotcha
I wrote a similar article too. My article included Vista. Check it out here: http://mrintech.co.cc/2008/09/02/windows-os-service-packs-one-cddvd-possible
BTW Nice and Illustrative Article
Wishes