In reply to a post by Pipexer:

use nLite (google it), to slipstream SP3

http://www.nliteos.com/guide/index.html - looks good - cheers

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

"SP3...slipstreamed in" means a CD with SP3 merged into the original XP release. There are processes for doing this.

Yep, I just found this http://www.nliteos.com/guide/index.html with some help from Pipexer

In reply to a post by 4M2:

...it would be interesting to know if there is a quicker and easier way....

With a couple of extras for nLite you can also slipstream IE8 and a choice of up to all current updates as well as current drivers. It's worth taking a little time the first time that you use nLite as it can also create a completely customised and unattended installationn CD/DVD.

Just creating a sp3 cd/dvd, with all current updates and drivers, would suit me at the moment; but the custom install etc. features I will definitely look into later - cheers

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

XP never liked being imaged though imho. You'd be better customizing a Windows XP installation disk with the drivers and ensuring it is SP3 (or slipstreamed in) and relying on that if it all went tits up.

I have used Clonezilla on numerous XP and Vista computers I have rebuilt and repaired and the image has always restored without any problem.

Likewise, I've lost count of how many times I've used Acronis, Ghost etc with XP and I've never yet seen a problem.

I'll dig out what you need and upload a package for you somewhete if you like.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

I'll dig out what you need and upload a package for you somewhete if you like.

I've downloaded the nLite-1.4.9.1.installer and will have a play around with nLite and my XP sp2 cd later. Will burn to a DVD+R with Nero because that will verify that all data has been correctly written...

If I get stuck, I'll get back to you...

Thanks

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

Likewise, I've lost count of how many times I've used Acronis, Ghost etc with XP and I've never yet seen a problem.

I have measured performance degradation by using install images compared to a native installation in the past. To me its just easier to re-run the XP install and put the latest upto date drivers on than relying on an image (which may be out of date).

No problems - nLite was a breeze, stuck the XP SP3 ISO on a CD with Nero Burning ROM since the total size was a bit less than 600MB