New system question re Windows XP no/disc

[JiF]KellysHero · Post by **[JiF]KellysHero** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:42 pm

I bought this system for my sister, pretty inexpensive actually, Pentium D830, 512 mb ram, integrated everything, and it comes with Windows XP installed. I have the Windows XP sticker, but it only came with rescue discs. Any way I can get the copy of XP for reinistalls and the likes?

[JiF]ALargeWoodenBadger · Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:11 pm

If you have a legitimate key you can just create a copy of any XP install CD. While you are at it you can slipstream SP2 and all of the patches and drivers into the install disk.

There are several tools available to create the disks. This page explains how to use Autostreamer
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/slipstream.htm or if you prefer you can use Nlite.
http://www.nliteos.com/changelog.html (see guide).

I have used Nlite to create a slipstreamed version of x64 so I could include the Nforce and SATA RAID drivers in the install CD. Saves a lot of time.

[JiF]Timmay! · Post by **[JiF]Timmay!** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:39 pm

You sure the recovery disc doesn't have XP on it?

[JiF]KellysHero · Post by **[JiF]KellysHero** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:54 pm

taking a closer look at the 3 recovery discs, they do say "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2" on them. But why would they spread them across three discs? I was looking to be able to do a clean install of XP if needed in the future.

Plus I have my cousin's computer and he needed a clean install, of course he couldn't find his XP discs either, he even has a keycode too. Ended up putting Win2K on it for now.

[JiF]Timmay! · Post by **[JiF]Timmay!** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:02 pm

It might have been easier to integrate all the OEM-specific installation stuff by splitting XP into several disks.

edit: and Mr. Badga is correct - you don't need the real discs. You just need a valid key...