OP sys question: Is it possible...

I used autostreamer (free) to do the slipstreaming for me;

 

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562

 

There have been problems reported with som Dell XP Pro CDs that have added patches on the CD, not slipstreamed. If you run into that, see

 

http://vbdotnet.home.comcast.net/XP_SP2.htm

 

 

Hi, thanks for your reply. 

 

Yes, I found that article on Friday (5/12), at VBdotnet.home.comcast.net.  The notes about additional files for page2.html didn't apply.  After enabling "show hidden files and directories" for Windows Explorer  there was an $OEM$ folder (not hidden) and no subfolder for \svcpack located in the /I386 folder tree on the Windowxp home ed SP1 re-installation CD. The only differences between this page, and the page I eventually used to slipstream this home ed SP2  CD were in directives to update the DEPLOY.cab and then run a downloaded version of Support.exe from M$ to update(overwrite)  files in the /Support/tools folder.

 

While there was some indication from the Dell Mods reply in the forum thread ( who had made the disc, encountering problem(s) with the XP Pro reinstall (due to a *. SY_  is corrupted message),  his slipstreamed Home ed, and 2003  installs were error free to the same test PC.

Slipstreamed Disk worked slick... my neighbors System is up and running. There were no setup problems, or errors with missing files, or problems working with it post install.  One thing I did note, the setup (using $OEM$ folder routines,) was streamlined - and at no time was I prompted for the PID key on the case. By installing to the NTFS Partition, F12 function remained intact (YAY!)

 

The one I was able to locate post Install in the Windows Registry is not the same.  Therefore It must not be the default CD that came with this computer (resource disks are blue) Reinstallation CD is a Dark Purple.  New Build # shows as 2600.xpsp_sp2_050301 1519. Mystified here - it wasn't a bootlegged version because Microsoft Windows Update allowed me to patch.  (??) Anyways, I Love Dell now. LOL

The key for windows is written onto the Dell OEM CD (and therefore also on your slipstreamed one); hence no need to enter a key. It is accepted by Windows Genuine Advantage validation. If you look in the I386 folder of the CD, Winnt.sif (opens in Notepad) you'll see it's written in there. Winnt.sif is a file one can modify to a greater or lesser extent to automate the install. If you are interested, a good guide is

 

http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/

Thanks for the link.  I can use this for another machine I'll be building in the future to develop and deploy custom drivers to be installed.  

 

I still think its funny that her 25 a/n product key on side case begins with  DG4QW, and the PID in $OEM$ , that I located after install began with RG4HQ. Sounds like if I needed to do an inplace repair I could use either, if I modified the file first before I burned it.