Burning the Windows XP/SP3 Slipstreamed CD
Roxio Easy Media Creator 9

Setting Up The Easy CD Creator Software

• Load the Easy CD Creator program.

• Select [File] [New Project] [Bootable Disc] from the menu

• Set [Bootable Disc Type] to No Emulation

• Set [Load Segment] to 0x7c0

• Set [Sector Count] to 4 (Failing to set Sector Count to 4 will make the CD unbootable)

Note: If you don't see the [Load Segment] and [Sector Count] options, click the [Advanced] button at the bottom of the window.

• Click the [Browse...] button
   

• Navigate to the XP-BootImage folder and select the Microsoft Corporation.img file then click [Open] which will return you to the main [Choose Type of Bootable Disc] window. Click [OK] to finish.

If you've previously made slipstreamed CD's using Roxio products you may remember there were a number of hoops you had to jump through to get the image files integrated properly so the CD would be bootable. That has been eliminated in v9.0 being used in this tutorial. If you're still using v6.0, go here and you'll see the old procedure.

In Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 you'll see an entry named 'System Files' has been added to the Bootable Disc Project. These files will take care of making the CD bootable without any additional naming procedures that were necessary in some previous versions. The actual names of the files, while not visible at this point, will be visible later on in the process. For now, just move along to the next step.

• Select [File] [Project Settings] from the main Roxio Creator Classic screen top open the Project Settings window that contains the [General], [Advanced], and [Exclude File Types] tabs.

The General Tab

• Set the [Volume Name] field depending on your Windows XP version.

  • If you have Windows XP Professional enter WXPCCP_EN

  • If you have Windows XP Home enter WXHCCP_EN

  • If you have Windows XP Professional OEM enter WXPOEM_EN

  • If you have Windows XP Home OEM enter WXHOEM_EN
     

• Set [File System] to ISO9660

• Uncheck [Validate source files before recording] if it is selected

The Advanced Tab

• Set [Publisher Name:] and [Prepared By] fields to your choice of information. It doesn't make any difference what's entered in these fields.

• Select the radio button next to [Use original file date]

• Select the radio button next to [Any MS-DOS 8.3 character file names]

The Exclude File Types Tab

• Remove any check marks from [Exclude All Hidden Files] and [Exclude All System Files] selections.

• Use the [Select/Clear All] button as required to remove all checkmarks from the Extensions column in the Exclude File Types area.

Click [OK] to exit the Project Settings selection screens.
 

As soon as you click [OK] to exit the Project Settings selection screens the Roxio Creator Classic window shown below will open.

Adding The Files To Be Copied

• Set the [Select Source Files:] drop down selection list to XP or your equivalent folder. Click on the first file in the list, hold down the Shift key and click on the last file in the list to select all the files and folders in the C:\XP folder.

• Click the [Add] Button shown lower right below.

The files you selected will be copied into the lower Project section of the Creator Classic window.

• Click the orange [Record] button in the ribbon right above the list of file names once all the files have been copied into the Project section.

Setting The Record Options

• If you want more than one copy change the [Number of Copies] field but I'd advise against it until you've created and tested the first copy. You can always save this setup after the burning is completed if you want to create additional copies at a later time.

• Click [OK] button.

Burn XP, Burn !

The Burn Disc Progress screen will open and allow visual monitoring of the burning process. A few notes are in order relating to ensuring a successful burn.

• Before you start the burning process close all other programs. Burning a CD can be very processor and memory intensive and there is no sense in taxing the system more than necessary. Even I can avoid FreeCell during a CD burning session and I'm a FreeCell addict.

• If you use a screensaver, disable it before the burning process as an extra precaution. The same applies to your anti virus software if it starts scans or updates automatically.

• How long the burning process takes will vary widely depending on your system and the CD burner speed. It may not appear like anything is happening at times, but be patient and more than likely all will be fine.

• If the burn does fail, especially because of a buffer problem, reduce the speed of the burn and try again.

Congratulations !

When the screen above appears you have successfully burned a Slipstreamed XP/SP3 CD ROM.

Final Note: Earlier in this tutorial I said, "In Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 you'll see an entry named 'System Files' has been added to the Bootable Disc Project. These files will take care of making the CD bootable without any additional naming procedures that were necessary in some previous versions. The actual names of the files, while not visible at this point, will be visible later on in the process. For now, just move along to the next step." Nowhere in the process, not even when you added the files from C:\XP to the Bootable Disc Project did they appear in the list of files. However, once the CD has been burned, if you take a look at it in Windows Explorer as shown below, you can see what happened with the 'System Files' entry during the burn process. The finished CD contains 'bootcat.bin' and 'micros~1.img' as a direct result of the 'System Files' entry.