after installing F.EA.R. three games set and make sure all work, I want to save the work in case I messed up the hdd and need to do clean OS and game install.

so how to create XP system image.

I first downloaded bootable Norton ghost emergency boot disk but it does not have ghost tool to back up system image.

I then downloaded Norton ghost 11.5 dos boot cd iso

https://archive.org/download/norton.-ghost.-11.5.-corporate.-dos.-boot.-cd-ver2/Norton.Ghost.11.5.Corporate.DOS.Boot.CD.ORG.iso

the uploader made a mistake by including OSBOOT.img and readme.txt in same iso file, which makes RUFUS reject it by saying it is not bootable.

copy the OSBOOT.img from .iso to a folder, then RUFUS can make a bootable USB based on the .img file

it works.  boot from USB and choose "to image".  It does not erase everything on an external HDD but just adds a .gho file to it.  A .gho file is a disk mirror image created by Norton Ghost.  the image process is not too slow by XP standard.