Backup CD for Win XP

[Julie]

I have a (easy) question for you guys.
I want to backup my Win XP Pro Cd just in case I lose the original.
Problem is, I can't fit everything into my blank CD.
So what are the files that I can do without?
I want my backup CD to be still bootable, of course.
Even better if I can include SP1.
Any help and advice would be very appreciated.

[mikezel]

I believe that nLite will allow you to remove components of the Windows installation and burn it as an .iso.

I don't know too much about this program, so you should probably look into it a bit more, and/or await advice from other members.

Hope that helps
Mike

[Designer]

What size CD are you burning to, I think the XP CD requires around 800MB opposed to the 700ish of normal CD-R's but you can readily buy larger CD-R's if your drive/burning software will work with them.

[Julie]

Thanks, Mikezel I'll go check it out.
Designer, I can't find any blank CD that big!
Do you think if I just put i386 into a bootable Cd, that'll be good enough?

[Designer]

well, from what I can tell i386 folder contains the installation files but I may be wrong. I seem to remember having an xp CD that wouldnt boot so i just ran it from dos from the i386 folder.

Yes that should work Julie, i've jst realised what I typed in my last post you won't be able to get over 700MB disc's coz I don't think they make any, for some reason I got mixed up with 70 & 80 minute disks (80 minute are 700MB) oh well it was 3AM when I posted.

But I do know someone who has a not stricly legit copy of XP (NOT ME!) and i'll find out what's actually copied to the disc, I think it works for a full installation OK, so i'll find out and post back a bit later

[speeddude2000]

thats werid i was able 2 copy my xp pro for a backup...i used nero exact copy. but it was an dell version that came with a laptop/

[Designer]

OK, i've just recieved the E-mail from my friend regarding making an XP CD backup copy. From what I can make of it i'm told you need to copy the following folders to the root directory of the CD:

I386
SUPPORT
VALUEADD
DOCS

And copy the following files to the root directory:

Autorun.inf
Win51
Win51IP

Setup (autorun.exe)

That won't be bootable but i'm told you just boot into dos using a win98/me boot disk and go into the I386 folder and type in "winnt32" and it'll copy the contents of the I386 folder to the hard drive and start windows installation from the hard drive. The guy I got this info off is pretty reliable so it should work.

Just for the record, I would not knowingly participate in making illegal copies of software, but as you said you just want a backup i'll help.

[Confused]

I used Nero Express and copy entire CD function. Copied the whole CD without any problems. I used the copy to reload my PC last December.
Chas

[erucader]

Originally posted by Designer That won't be bootable but i'm told you just boot into dos using a win98/me boot disk and go into the I386 folder and type in "winnt32" and it'll copy the contents of the I386 folder to the hard drive and start windows installation from the hard drive.

First of all you have to run winnt because the 32 version needs windows

Now I have been trying this following the process described here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm but it won't work. Ideally I would boot from the XP cd (supposedly they are all bootable) but mine simply won't. I will hit F8, select the CD drive but it will just skip it and try to boot from HDD.
Now my hard drive has data I am trying to save from a previous install and is also formatted NTFS. Would this make a difference? What else can I try?

[Strider]

I found a neat website that gives you instructions on how to make a bootable (and runable version of Windows XP) and here's the web address : http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/

Of course this might not be want your looking for, but it's a good way to solve many problems when your computer will not boot from the hard drive at all.

[RayH]

Julie If you want to combine WXP and SP1, do a search for "XP Slipstreaming." People swear by it. But I've never been successful at it.

[mikezel]

Originally posted by RayH Julie If you want to combine WXP and SP1, do a search for "XP Slipstreaming." People swear by it. But I've never been successful at it.

The program I linked to above (second post of the thread), also has slipstreaming capabilities.

Once again, I have not actually used the program, so I can't offer any personal feedback.

Mike

[Julie]

It so good of you guys to help.Thanks.

Chas and Speeddude, I tried to copy my whole CD using Nero
but I got a message saying I needed a bigger blank CD. I think maybe you've a different version of XP?

Mikezel, Yes I downloaded nLite and it will do slipstreaming but I have to get Framework to make it work, so I'll do that.
Meanwhile I'll also do a search like Ray said.

Designer, that's what I'll do if I can't copy the whole CD.

[Confused]

Originally posted by Julie Chas and Speeddude, I tried to copy my whole CD using Nero but I got a message saying I needed a bigger blank CD. I think maybe you've a different version of XP?

If your copy of XP is on 1 CD, then the copy should fit on one CD. Nero Express is just doing a CD to CD copy.

My copy of XP is on one CD as is the copy I made of it.
Chas

[speeddude2000]

put the original in ur cdrom tray
right click, see exactly how big it is.
in nero, there is an "overburn" option. what thismeans is that you will be able to burn over the edges of the cd. it can cause data corruption if u use a bad brand, but works good sometimes. go do a google on it.

[speeddude2000]

BTW...if u do overburn and it doesnt work with the cds you have right now, you may need to get a higher quality CD. are u using CD-Rs or CDRWs?

[Confused]

I did not have to a overburn. A CD holds about 700M. So do the blanks.
Chas

[speeddude2000]

yeah neither did i. make sure u check how big the original is and post it here.

[Julie]

I think the problem was because I tried to burn xp into a CDRW (650 mb) instead of a CDR (700 mb). Otherwise it would have worked.
Thanks.