How to Create Windows XP Service Pack 2 Disks
- 1). Create two folders on your Windows XP desktop by right-clicking the desktop and selecting "New" from the menu. From the subfolder, select "Folder." Repeat. Call the first folder "XP" and the second "XPSP2."
- 2). Insert the Windows XP CD into the computer. When it loads, open the CD to the main level (the navigation bar will say D:\). Select all the files on the CD and copy them to the Windows XP folder. To select all, click the CD window and press CTRL+A at the same time. Then, click one item and drag it to the new folder. This will take all of the files with it.
- 3). Download the service pack. While the CD is copied to its new home, go to Microsoft's support website at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en and download Windows XP Service Pack 2. For this project, you need the full network installation, not the upgrade package. Begin the download to the XPSP2 folder. If the PC does not give the option of where to download the file, simply download the file and move it to the XPSP2 folder later.
- 4). Extract the files from the Windows XP SP2 download. Notice that SP2 was downloaded as an executable (or .exe) file. In order to merge these, the executable file has to be broken down into pieces. To do this, go to the Start menu, choose "Run" and type cmd. This will open a window with a black background, akin to the old DOS style computers. Then, type the following:
cd \ (hit enter)
cd xpsp2 (hit enter)
WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe -x:c:\xpsp2 (hit enter)
The PC will briefly pause and then begin the extraction. The PC will alert the user when finished. - 5). Combine Windows XP with the service pack. Go back to the black window and type the following commands:
cd i386 (hit enter)
cd update (hit enter)
update -s:c:\xp (hit enter)
Again, the computer will pause briefly and begin the process of combing the files. The process could take up to an hour, depending on the processing speed and size of the PC's operating memory. - 6). Create an ISO file with the next software. ISO files are standard files for building a disk image or bootable disk. Rebuilding Windows on a PC requires a bootable CD, which can launch Windows from the CD-ROM drive. The computer looks for an ISO file when booting, because these files possess the proper files to start the computer. To create an ISO file, download Lucersoft's LC ISO Creator at http://www.lucersoft.com/freeware.php. This freeware will prompt the user to create a bootable file. With the Windows XP CD in the disk drive, guide the LC ISO Creator software to select the file called MicrosoftCorporation.img and place it into the XPSP2 folder. This file contains the startup information for the new disk.
- 7). Create a bootable CD. Microsoft Windows cannot create a bootable CD. In order to create a CD, which can be recognized as bootable, you must have a third-party CD burning software. Roxio and Nero are popular software makers with easy to use CD burning utilities. Most computers will ship with basic disk burning software from one of these makers. Use the guided CD wizard contained in the software to set the guidelines for the disc. Remember to copy the XPSP2 folder to the proper drive and designate the .img file as bootable key. Then, when all is set, burn the CD.
Source...