Mike M wrote:

Much that you are reading in the XP NGs about slipstreaming would appear
to be hocus pocus as it perhaps are some of the comments that you are
seeing about SP2. However you are quite correct in that an original RTM
(Release To Manufacturing) CD, (which might be thought of as SP0),
cannot be used to launch the repair console once an SP has been
installed although it can still be used for a repair install, although
it will return you to RTM, so ...

If all else fails, I can of course follow your advice, install first
then slipstream but in effect is that much different from just
running SP2?


It would appear that you didn't follow what I was trying to say which
was that you could:
a) Install XP using RTM or SP1 media,
b) Not bother to activate for reasons that will become obvious at d),
c) Create a slipstreamed XP SP2 CD,
d) Wipe your system and finally,
e) Clean install XP SP2 using the media you created at c).

Which other than for wishing you luck just leaves one question. How old
is the XP media you intend using? I ask as it is quite possible that if
recent that it will already be a slipstreamed SP2 copy. Personally I
find the main justification for installing XP using slipstreamed media
rather than to use RTM and then install the latest SP is the
considerable saving in space.

For example installing using slipstreamed SP2 media rather than
installing using RTM or SP1 media followed by installing SP2, avoids the
creation of the windows\servicepackfiles folder which for SP2 contains
some 474MB of files. For those like myself who like to keep their
system partitions "clean and lean" this is a considerable saving in
space and results in a smaller backup image size which is also quicker
to create. The saving over the space occupied for systems which were
originally RTM and were then upgraded to SP1 and then upgraded to SP2 is
approaching 1GB.

Regards,

Mike:

I purchased XP Home at Comp USA about June or July last year. I believe
that was before SP2 was released. Also, the media carton and packaging
says 2002 Edition. It seems I might have an original CD that may not
even contain SP1 since I don't know the SP1 release date. Your thoughts
on how to do this make sense, even though I did not want to wipe and
reinstall a lot of applications. If I follow, it would seem best to
install my new hardware, upgrade to XP Home, not activate, create the
slipstream disk and then follow up with the clean install. That ought to
keep me busy for quite awhile.

Thanks again for all the help. When I finally get to doing it all, I
will post back and let you know the results.

sced13ri :-)