The Best and The Easiest Way to Slipstream Service Pack 3 (SP3) into Windows XP Setup

We all know Microsoft has released the third and last service pack for Windows XP. So here I'm posting a simple and detailed guide for slipstreaming this SP3 into your Windows XP Setup, so that whenever you do a fresh Windows installation, you'll not need to wait for hours to download and install Windows updates or to manually install SP3.

If you are wondering why should I slipstream SP3 into my Windows setup, then following are a few points which will satisfy you:

1. By slipstreaming SP3 into Windows setup, you'll get an up-to-date Windows setup which will install an already updated Windows. So you'll not need to update it over Internet to download 100+ updates.

2. You'll not need to install SP3 manually after installing Windows as it'll already contain it. So it'll save your time.

3. You'll not need to enter Serial key at the installation time because SP3 includes this new feature which allows you to install Windows without entering serial key. You can enter it after the installation completes.

So here we start our slipstreaming tutorial:

Prerequisites:

Windows XP Setup CD or Setup copied in your system
Service Pack 3
nLite
A CD burning software e.g. Nero, a blank CD and CD/DVD Writer

Getting Started:

1. Create a new folder in your system e.g. "Windows XP Setup" and copy Windows setup from CD in this new folder.

2. Now open nLite and it'll show the welcome screen where you can select the language that will be used throughout the setup wizard.

3. Click on "Next" button.

4. Now it'll ask for the folder location where Windows XP setup is stored. Click on "Browse" button and locate the recently created folder. You can also type the folder location in the given textbox.

5. Once you tell the folder location, the wizard will automatically detect the Windows version, language, size and other details. Now click on "Next" button.

6. Now it'll show "Presets" page. We are not covering it in this tutorial as its not required. So just click on "Next" button again.

7. Now the wizard will show you a number of tasks which can be performed on the Windows setup like Service pack integration, drivers integration, removing unwanted components from setup, a few Windows tweaks and creating bootable ISO.

Since this tutorial is for slipstreaming SP3 into Windows Setup, we'll recommend you to select following 2 tasks:

Service Pack
Bootable ISO

8. Now click on "Next" button. The wizard will ask you to tell the SP3 file location.

Click on "Select" button and locate the SP3 EXE file. Once you tell the file location, setup will automatically start slipstreaming it into Windows Setup.

Once it completes the integration, it'll show you a pop-up message:

9. Click on "OK" button and then click on "Next" button.

10. Now the wizard will show "Bootable ISO" page. Where you can change the CD label:

11. Now click on "Make ISO" button and the wizard will start creating bootable ISO image:

12. When it'll complete the ISO image creation, it'll show a message at bottom:

13. Now click on "Next" button and it'll show the final completion message:

14. That's all. Click on "Finish" button.

15. Now you can burn the bootable ISO using Nero or any other CD burning software.

That's the end of this guide. Now you can enjoy your new Windows XP installation.

NOTE: You can also choose other tasks mentioned in Step 7, like Tweaks, Options which will allow you to enter Product key, owner name, organization name, timezone, etc to make the whole setup unattended.

This article was posted in Windows XP.

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63 Comments

VG

^^ No. Just download EXE file, slipstream it in Original Windows XP setup using nLite. Thats it.
howard

Thanks VG I think I got there in the end. I got cofused over using the downloaded version of SP3 rather than just the exe file.
howard

I have just burnt the ISO file to disc. How can I tell if SP3 has been included on the disc - what files will indicate that SP3 is on the disc.
VG

^^ I think you can get it from HTML files included in the root of the CD.
howard

Is there anywhere I can see an "open" vesrion of a working ISO disc showing all the correct files. Many thanks for your help VG
VG

^^ I didnt understand. If you want to check the setup, then you can use Virtual PC.
howard

Sorry for the haasle. I just want to make sure that my disc has all the necessary files. I want to check my version against a disc that works. When I open my disc i can see the XP set file but nothing that has the SP3 set up files
VG

^^ You'll not find any special thing in the setup for SP3. Install it and it'll automatically install SP3, if you have slipstreamed it using this tutorial.
howard

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate your time and effort.
Rich

HI, I have a CD of Sp3 that I ordered from MS. Can I integrate this CD of Sp3 in the same manner as above for Slipstreaming the downloaded version. By saving the Sp3 CD to a file in a similar referenced folder to store the Sp3 files. Or is the CD I ordered an ISO file itself. Am I also correct that Sp3 has all the Sp2 files seeing that I have my CD of XP home Sp1. Any info will be helpful Thank you, Rich