SP2 Slipstream vs. Install Later

[WildHorse]

Are results different if Win XP Service Pack 2 is installed separately, compared to makiing a cd integrating SP2 into Win XP & doing a clean install?

Is the slipstreaming of SP2 just for convenience?

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: scott
Are results different if Win XP Service Pack 2 is installed separately, compared to makiing a cd integrating SP2 into Win XP & doing a clean install?

Is the slipstreaming of SP2 just for convenience?

The resulting OS is identical in both situations. However there are some advantages to a slipstreamed install:

1. You won't have ServicePackFiles or a $NTServicePackUninstall$ folder taking up space.
2. You can't install recovery console from non-sp2 media once sp2 is installed.

It will be a long time until sp3. Go ahead and slipstream now and you'll be set for quite some time.

 

[WildHorse]

Smilin:
Thank you. I've gotten 2 good helps from you today. Appreciate your comments!

 

[Mutilator]

Slipstreaming eliminates the 50/50 possibility of the SP2 upgrade screwing things up. 😉

 

[SleepWalkerX]

quick question, you can use the recov console on an sp1 system with an sp2 disk right?

 

[Apathetic]

Slipstreaming is there for convenience. It is SO much easier now than it was in the NT 4.0 days.

Dave

 

[Sureshot324]

You can't uninstall SP2 if you slipstream it.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: SleepWalkerX
quick question, you can use the recov console on an sp1 system with an sp2 disk right?

Yes. Just can't put an older RC on a newer system.

The reason you can't use RC from an earlier version is when you run winnt32.exe (with the /cmdcons switch or not) it detects itself as an earlier version than what you are already running and won't let you execute anything.

If you bump into this, the workaround is to copy your i386 files somewhere, slipstream them, and run winnt32 /cmdcons from there.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Sureshot324
You can't uninstall SP2 if you slipstream it.

Uh.

nevermind.