slipstream windows sp2 install vs regular install + update

Bellator · May 30, 2006, 02:55 PM

I am considering making a slipstreamed windows xp pro install disc to include the sp2 upgrade. I am wondering if there is any reason not to do this, or if there are any benefits in installing windows then manually updating to sp2? Thanks.

CDsDontBurn · May 30, 2006, 03:03 PM

there are many copies of winXP sp2 already out there. as long as you have the original license that came w/your copy of windows, you should be able to just get a copy of it from a retailer so long as you provide them proof of your license.

if you want to make the copy yourself, you can search google and come up with the answer that way, or somebody here will help you out. i remember i tried to make the copy myself, but instead ended up with several coasters

.

but the benefit of it, is that you don't have to d/l sp2 and then install it seperately. sp2 would already be installed upon installing windows.

Judas · May 30, 2006, 04:55 PM

Benifits =

Faster installation
More Optimised running Windows
Less possilibity of issues
Less Issues
Smoother Operating windows
All in one heap setup
Any updates in SP2 that are required for some hardware are install and available on disc insert

IMO, You don't have slipstreamed CD, i feel sorry for you

PangingJr · May 31, 2006, 12:44 AM

the update.exe of/in the compressed SP2 file has included the switch /integrate,
so this is your option/choice, if you want to, you can include the SP2 in your Windows installation.

Rasta Monsta · May 31, 2006, 12:52 AM

SP2 slipstream is mandatory for security issues. What was it, an unpatched XP install gets compromised after 20 seconds online? Not even close to enough time to run Win update.

OmegaRED · May 31, 2006, 01:09 AM

I use the slipstreamed SP2's that are released every month and definately recommend it. Not too keen on the ones that "tweak" or remove any files they tend to cause problems.

CDsDontBurn · May 31, 2006, 01:12 AM

speaking of slipstreaming stuff.....is there a way to add all your proggies into a copy of windows already? basically, i want to add MSN and AIM messenger, and several other programs that take forever to install them all.

PangingJr · May 31, 2006, 01:22 AM

you can create an unattended Windows installation if you google you should find more info about it, or create an image of the disk or partition that already have included all the things, drivers, applications, small programs and all your prefered settings and all... then use it to restore your Windows system when needing it.

**MIG-31** · May 31, 2006, 01:29 AM

I am one who has tried to make a slipstreamed xpsp2 disk.Everyting worked fine with the exception of the disk being bootable without the use of 6 floppy disks.which are still lying around somewhere.

The is a Windows Unattended CD Creator 1.0.0 at betanews but i have no idea if this works or is any good.

Tipstaff · May 31, 2006, 01:42 AM

One thing I do not recommend (for a number of reasons) is to slipstream individual security updates. The most obvious reason being that if one of the updates interferes with a piece of software you use (one such update that comes to mind will screw up Sonys SonicStage software, and it's detection of USB devices that the software scans for) then you can't uninstall it, or them if something goes wrong.. and something always goes wrong.

Just a couple things:

SP2 incorporates a lot of little fixes that become very noticable when installing from a slipstreamed disc.

If you are using a RAID SATA setup there is less of a problem installing the driver for the controller.

There are instances where installing SP2 afterwards can seriously screw up a system, making it BSOD almost instantly. One such issue popped up with some older Prescott P4 systems, and laptops.

There were also a couple security issues that became present after installing SP2, and infact a lot of companies refused to install SP2 for that reason. Some issues were related to SP2 crippling security, antivirus, software firewalls, and another issue was related specifically to Wireless support. However if you used a slipstreamed version of the disc some of these issues weren't present.

A very big benifit is better support for larger hard drives right away, and different drive controllers (ie. SATA). If you are using the original XP you would need at least SP1 to see anything larger than a 137 gig hard drive. Even after installing SP1 or SP2 you will still have a 137 gig partition, just that you would also now see some unused space beyond that.

PangingJr · May 31, 2006, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIG-31

The is a Windows Unattended CD Creator 1.0.0 at betanews but i have no idea if this works or is any good.

the softwares and ways of doing things may be difference..., but i believe those two ways that i mentioned above are the famous ways that most of the system admins or server operators uses whenever thay want to include somethings likes drivers, some applications onto the initial Windows installation, and they have been doing this for many years and up until now. however, the system builders may also do this with the help of the Windows PE other than using a disk image.

good thing about this is: we can do about the same things that the mentioned professional people have been doing much more easier these days, since there are now so many useable and available softwares and guidelines...

***temeteus82*** · May 31, 2006, 02:01 AM

nLite is good progam to make custom windows installations cd's. Iäve use it and I realy happy the way it works.

Bellator · May 31, 2006, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by temeteus82

nLite is good progam to make custom windows installations cd's. Iäve use it and I realy happy the way it works.

yeah i used nLite to make my slipstreamed disc, and walah! just reinstalled windows w/ sp2

The only 'tweak' i used from nLite outside of integrating sp2 was implementing the TCP/IP patch so the max unfinished connections is no longer the measly 10.

There was a nother patch for mice, raising port polling frequency from 125hz to 250 or 500, but wasn't sure what effect that would have so i let it be...

Quick general win install question: What is the difference between 'quick' NTFS format and regular (outside of it being faster...)

PangingJr · May 31, 2006, 07:56 AM

Differences between a Quick format and a regular format.

When you choose to run a regular format on a volume (partition), files are removed from the volume that you are formatting and the hard disk is scanned for bad sectors. The scan for bad sectors is responsible for the majority of the time that it takes to format a volume.

If you choose the Quick format option, format removes files from the partition, but does not scan the disk for bad sectors. Only use this option if your hard disk has been previously formatted and you are sure that your hard disk is not damaged.

i've been using many hard drives and do a lot of hard drives's partitioning and formatting, and as i remember the problems with hard drives only happen to me once in the past many years and i knew what was causing it at the time. so personnally, i choose the Quick format option on both during a clean installation of Windows and within the Windows when i want to format any drives/partitions using the Windows tools.

as now you know the different between the two format options, so it's your call.

Judas · May 31, 2006, 10:23 AM

imo, on a new drive, it's usually wise to Always first choose to do a Full Format, Personally, every windows installation on any machine i do, even my own, i do a full format just to "feel safe"..

PangingJr · May 31, 2006, 10:36 AM

even with the new hard drive(s) that have never been previously formatted before... many times i just use the drive just like that or just partition and do a quick format in Windows, or like what i've been doing lately i just add the new drives in a raid array...
i don't recommend you to do the same, and as i said it's your call.

Rasta Monsta · May 31, 2006, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PangingJr

as now you know the different between the two format options, so it's your call.

I have also read that "quick" can fail on RAID arrays. . .and I have actually experienced it with an ICH5R array. . .

PangingJr · May 31, 2006, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasta Monsta

I have also read that "quick" can fail on RAID arrays. . .and I have actually experienced it with an ICH5R array. . .

i use a partition image, not installing Windows using CD.
if the other partition that i partition it within Windows and use the partition for storing data happens to cause any problem to the raid array i promise i'll tell you.

PangingJr · May 31, 2006, 01:04 PM

Rasta Monsta,
actually, i've been using only quick format of Windows since the beginning of Windows XP.
as i always have more than one operating systems on the boot drive, so everytime when i do a clean Windows install i usually partition and format the new (never used) hard drive first, and this by using a third-party partitioning program in mode DOS and also set active to the partition that i want to use its space to install the first OS in the next step, then i boot the OS CD direct and select the active partition when the set up program asks me..., and re-format the selected partition by using the option quick format.
i also do the same steps that are mentioned above when i want to do a clean install of Windows on an old hard drive or on the previously used Windows hrad drive, the only different will be: to delete the existing Windows partitions first and then recreate and format... and reformat this newly created partition using a quick format of the Windows setup program and then continue with the Windows installs...