Slipstream Win XP with nLite

[imported_miahallen]

When I purchased my Thinkpad from IBM, Win XP Home was not included on a CD, only on the HDD with a hidden partition for system recovery. Well, this is really stupi, and I'd like to do a full HD format for spring cleanings sake, but I cannot do it with IBM's setup. So I saw this article of "Slipstreaming" Windows with nLite over at Short Media.

Great tutorial, and it even seems to want to work from the c:/i386 dircetory from my HDD, except that I'm missing a file called win51ic (no extension metioned), it tells me to copy this file off my XP disc into "c://". I have another copy of XP Home upgrade on CD, can I use the win51ic file on it (Istill need to look and see that it's there, but it's not with me right now), and if so where is "c://" anyway? Is that the c:/i386 directory?

Second question, as I already said, I have that Win XP upgrade on CD, and I slipstream using that, and still input the XP CD Key for my Thinkpad? Or would I have to use the one from the upgrade disc?

 

[NightCrawler]

1. Yes copy the file to your C:/
2. Use the newer key, not the Thinkpad key.

 

[agnitrate]

Just as a resource for you, this is the best site for slipstreaming and ANYTHING related to it :
MSFN

Their forums are also very good. Good luck dude!

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: miahallen
Great tutorial, and it even seems to want to work from the c:/i386 dircetory from my HDD, except that I'm missing a file called win51ic (no extension metioned), it tells me to copy this file off my XP disc into "c://". I have another copy of XP Home upgrade on CD, can I use the win51ic file on it (Istill need to look and see that it's there, but it's not with me right now), and if so where is "c://" anyway? Is that the c:/i386 directory?

I'm not sure I follow the way you're laying things out with the directories, but maybe it's just because I haven't followed the same slipstreaming strategy. But the answer is still basically "yes" - you can nab the win51ic file from your other disc. AFAIK, it's just some kind of checksum or identifier and should be the same as long as your dealing with the same version of XP.

Second question, as I already said, I have that Win XP upgrade on CD, and I slipstream using that, and still input the XP CD Key for my Thinkpad? Or would I have to use the one from the upgrade disc?

If I'm following your description correctly, you're making a new XP Home disc from the i386 folder in your current installation (presumably, you're already using your other XP Home Upgrade disc somewhere else). In that case, I'd think you'd want to use the Product Key from your current install, i.e. the Thinkpad. Perhaps it doesn't really matter, but it seems sensible to match the Product Key with the i386 folder.

 

[NightCrawler]

Originally posted by: cleverhandle

Originally posted by: miahallen
Great tutorial, and it even seems to want to work from the c:/i386 dircetory from my HDD, except that I'm missing a file called win51ic (no extension metioned), it tells me to copy this file off my XP disc into "c://". I have another copy of XP Home upgrade on CD, can I use the win51ic file on it (Istill need to look and see that it's there, but it's not with me right now), and if so where is "c://" anyway? Is that the c:/i386 directory?

I'm not sure I follow the way you're laying things out with the directories, but maybe it's just because I haven't followed the same slipstreaming strategy. But the answer is still basically "yes" - you can nab the win51ic file from your other disc. AFAIK, it's just some kind of checksum or identifier and should be the same as long as your dealing with the same version of XP.

Second question, as I already said, I have that Win XP upgrade on CD, and I slipstream using that, and still input the XP CD Key for my Thinkpad? Or would I have to use the one from the upgrade disc?

If I'm following your description correctly, you're making a new XP Home disc from the i386 folder in your current installation (presumably, you're already using your other XP Home Upgrade disc somewhere else). In that case, I'd think you'd want to use the Product Key from your current install, i.e. the Thinkpad. Perhaps it doesn't really matter, but it seems sensible to match the Product Key with the i386 folder.

He should use the Windows XP Home CD for the entire setup and then use the key that came with it. Slipstream service pack 2 if the Home cd is Service pack 1, if it already has sp2 then you can skip this step.

The thinkpad didn't come with a cd from what he was saying so I don't think it applies at all.

PS: The confusion comes becuase by default the nlite app uses c drive to merge all the files together which is annoying. Be nice if it at least used a folder like c:/nlite or allowed you to choose were the output files end up since some of use have crowded c drives and would prefer a different partition.

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: miahallen
Great tutorial, and it even seems to want to work from the c:/i386 dircetory from my HDD...

I took this to mean that he's trying to "recreate" an original installation CD starting from the i386 files that were already installed on the Thinkpad. This is entirely possible, it just requires a little extra work to get around the lack of a few files that should be on a CD but don't end up in i386. But when you do this, the version information is carried in the i386 folder (i.e. a Home OEM i386 folder is different than a Retail Pro is different than a Volume License.) So the correct Product Key to be used with the newly recreated CD should be whatever key was used before for the old installation.

But again, I may not be understanding the situation correctly...

 

[imported_miahallen]

I took this to mean that he's trying to "recreate" an original installation CD starting from the i386 files that were already installed on the Thinkpad. This is entirely possible, it just requires a little extra work to get around the lack of a few files that should be on a CD but don't end up in i386. But when you do this, the version information is carried in the i386 folder (i.e. a Home OEM i386 folder is different than a Retail Pro is different than a Volume License.) So the correct Product Key to be used with the newly recreated CD should be whatever key was used before for the old installation.

You are correct in your interpretation. And, that's what I thought. Just to clarify, on the drive it's XP Home (OEM I suppose), the disc I have is XP Home upgrade.

I tried getting the "win51ic" file off my disc, and nLite seemed to like it just fine. I completed the process, but as mentioned above, since there is no way to select and "output file"...it copied over my original i386 folder. So beware anyone else tring this. Before you begin, copy the entire i386 folder into a new directory, so your original stays intact!

Back to my previous problem with the CD key, and just to make this more confusing, I don't know what my product key is. IBM gave me the laptop with Win XP Home preinstalled on the HD like I said before. The HD got corrupt somehow the first week I had it. They sent me an "image" of the HD on 7CD's for recovery purpose.

I used them, and got back up and running. But, I'm not sure what CD Key they sent on my recovery discs. I've used "Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder" and it gives me key "X" (is this program reliable?), but this is different from key "Y" printed on the my MS license sticker on the back of my Thinkpad, so I have two key's.

I'm guessing that if the Jelly Bean program is reliable, the key "X" that it returned will be the only one that works with this slipstreaming process. But I think I'll do two slipstreams, one with each key. It'd be really nice if they both worked since they'd both be licensed copies (thanks IBM)!

 

[NightCrawler]

Originally posted by: miahallen

I took this to mean that he's trying to "recreate" an original installation CD starting from the i386 files that were already installed on the Thinkpad. This is entirely possible, it just requires a little extra work to get around the lack of a few files that should be on a CD but don't end up in i386. But when you do this, the version information is carried in the i386 folder (i.e. a Home OEM i386 folder is different than a Retail Pro is different than a Volume License.) So the correct Product Key to be used with the newly recreated CD should be whatever key was used before for the old installation.

You are correct in your interpretation. And, that's what I thought. Just to clarify, on the drive it's XP Home (OEM I suppose), the disc I have is XP Home upgrade.

I tried getting the "win51ic" file off my disc, and nLite seemed to like it just fine. I completed the process, but as mentioned above, since there is no way to select and "output file"...it copied over my original i386 folder. So beware anyone else tring this. Before you begin, copy the entire i386 folder into a new directory, so your original stays intact!

Back to my previous problem with the CD key, and just to make this more confusing, I don't know what my product key is. IBM gave me the laptop with Win XP Home preinstalled on the HD like I said before. The HD got corrupt somehow the first week I had it. They sent me an "image" of the HD on 7CD's for recovery purpose.

I used them, and got back up and running. But, I'm not sure what CD Key they sent on my recovery discs. I've used "Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder" and it gives me key "X" (is this program reliable?), but this is different from key "Y" printed on the my MS license sticker on the back of my Thinkpad, so I have two key's.

I'm guessing that if the Jelly Bean program is reliable, the key "X" that it returned will be the only one that works with this slipstreaming process. But I think I'll do two slipstreams, one with each key. It'd be really nice if they both worked since they'd both be licensed copies (thanks IBM)!

OEM's use one master key for installing the Operating system on run of machines. You can change the key to the one on the MS license sticker on the back of the computer. I believe that the Jelly Bean app does that as well.

Agian to simplify the whole thing I would just use the files on the windows xp home upgrade cd, they have all the same files. It just might require you to offer up proof that you own windows before. If you have a Windows 98 cd around you will need it.

At least you can then do a clean install of Windows Xp home edition.

 

[imported_miahallen]

Agian to simplify the whole thing I would just use the files on the windows xp home upgrade cd, they have all the same files. It just might require you to offer up proof that you own windows before. If you have a Windows 98 cd around you will need it.

That copy is already installed in my other machine, so I want to avoid having to use the key for it again. From what I understand, the key for a full version is in a different series and won't work on an upgrade version? Am I right? Or could I do what you're saying, using the key that came with my Thinkpad?

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: miahallen
I used them, and got back up and running. But, I'm not sure what CD Key they sent on my recovery discs. I've used "Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder" and it gives me key "X" (is this program reliable?), but this is different from key "Y" printed on the my MS license sticker on the back of my Thinkpad, so I have two key's.

Use the Jelly Bean key, though probably both will work.

I'm guessing that if the Jelly Bean program is reliable, the key "X" that it returned will be the only one that works with this slipstreaming process.

I don't really understand what the key has to do with slipstreaming anyway. Slipstreaming just puts the SP onto the disc. You still have to enter the Product Key when you install. Maybe it's an nlite thing to set up an unattended install or something.

But I think I'll do two slipstreams, one with each key. It'd be really nice if they both worked since they'd both be licensed copies (thanks IBM)!

No, they wouldn't. Certainly they wouldn't be in the ethical/spirit-of-the-law sense. And I don't think they would be in the technical sense either, i.e. there's more to an activation than just a unique Product Key. I may be wrong about the latter, but you know I'm right about the former.

 

[NightCrawler]

Originally posted by: miahallen

Agian to simplify the whole thing I would just use the files on the windows xp home upgrade cd, they have all the same files. It just might require you to offer up proof that you own windows before. If you have a Windows 98 cd around you will need it.

That copy is already installed in my other machine, so I want to avoid having to use the key for it again. From what I understand, the key for a full version is in a different series and won't work on an upgrade version? Am I right? Or could I do what you're saying, using the key that came with my Thinkpad?

There are three keys: OEM, RETAIL, VLK.

Your copy of Windows XP Home Upgrade edition is either OEM or Retail. Did it come in a box or did you buy it from newegg and they only sent you a cd, maybe take a picture if you don't know ?


You can use the files from the cd and use the cd key to install it but since that key is being used on another machine you will need to change the key to the one on the sticker so you can activate it. You have 30 days to activate it so there is plenty of time.

The IBM thinkpad has Windows XP Home Edition Full and uses an OEM key.

 

[tiap]

miahallen
You have several options with a Thinkpad from IBM
You can get restore cd's from IBM for $45.00
You can download from there website a program called Resue and Recovery which will clone your drive and/or also to cds.
You can make a workable xp cd from your i386 folder on a Thinkpad which has ALL the necessary files. Go here and search for the instructions.
Unless you really, really need the extra space from the ibm service partition, I would seriously consider leaving it. I have used it many times and it is a really slick, painless way to factory fresh your system without activation issues. If space is an issue I just last week got a travelstar 80 gig 5400rpm drive for 130.00. Big speed improvement over the 4500

 

[NightCrawler]

Found this: http://www.4saad.com/WhatsNew/Fresh_XP_Install/index.htm

It's instructions for creating a bootable cd from the thinkpad i386 files.

 

[imported_miahallen]

Hey thanks for your help everyone. The slipstreaming proccess was a huge sucess with nLite, and I'd highly recommend the program for anyone with an embedded Windows installation.

Unless you really, really need the extra space from the ibm service partition, I would seriously consider leaving it. I have used it many times and it is a really slick, painless way to factory fresh your system without activation issues.

I had no activation issues after doing the slipstream. Like I said before, my HD has already corrupted itself once. The power of this tool for me, lies in it's ability to capture the copy of Windows I paid for, and prevents it from complete loss in case of HD failure.

But I think I'll do two slipstreams, one with each key. It'd be really nice if they both worked since they'd both be licensed copies (thanks IBM)!

No, they wouldn't. Certainly they wouldn't be in the ethical/spirit-of-the-law sense. And I don't think they would be in the technical sense either, i.e. there's more to an activation than just a unique Product Key. I may be wrong about the latter, but you know I'm right about the former.

First this did work. Maybe you are right about this being ethically wrong...but it's definitely not illegal. Both licenses are paid for, and IBM provided me with both! This isn't a crack, or a patch, I didn't steal them, do you suggest I throw out a perfectly good license? Nobody else is going to use it!

 

[NightCrawler]

Originally posted by: miahallen
Hey thanks for your help everyone. The slipstreaming proccess was a huge sucess with nLite, and I'd highly recommend the program for anyone with an embedded Windows installation.

Unless you really, really need the extra space from the ibm service partition, I would seriously consider leaving it. I have used it many times and it is a really slick, painless way to factory fresh your system without activation issues.

I had no activation issues after doing the slipstream. Like I said before, my HD has already corrupted itself once. The power of this tool for me, lies in it's ability to capture the copy of Windows I paid for, and prevents it from complete loss in case of HD failure.

But I think I'll do two slipstreams, one with each key. It'd be really nice if they both worked since they'd both be licensed copies (thanks IBM)!

No, they wouldn't. Certainly they wouldn't be in the ethical/spirit-of-the-law sense. And I don't think they would be in the technical sense either, i.e. there's more to an activation than just a unique Product Key. I may be wrong about the latter, but you know I'm right about the former.

First this did work. Maybe you are right about this being ethically wrong...but it's definitely not illegal. Both licenses are paid for, and IBM provided me with both! This isn't a crack, or a patch, I didn't steal them, do you suggest I throw out a perfectly good license? Nobody else is going to use it!

Well one is a master key and one is your personel key but I really don't care what you do with the keys myself because Microsoft is pretty greedy when it comes to it's license.

Dell only pays $35 a copy while us poor folks are suppose to shell out $145. Plus were suppose shell out $145 per machine if we build machines no sweet deals for mom and pop.