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Need Help imaging a windows xp hard drive

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First post, by Thatdelluser1902

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Hello, so ill try to be as specific as possible with my post. so what i am wanting to do, have a preinstalled copy of windows xp 64bit sp2 preinstalled on vm software, then with in that vm have modern patches installed, all updates ever released, generic drivers etc. as im going to be using this as a iso image for deploying basic test bench systems. so heres what im wanting to do.

So you know how a windows xp oem iso is the following directory? --> AMD 64, I386, Support, Autorun.ini, Installation.htm, Read1ST.htm, RELNOTES.htm, SETUP.exe, WIN51, WIN51AP, WIN51AP.SP2.

So with that directory being typed out, how do i get my captured "Preinstalled copy" of windows xp to look like that? and contain the same folders that the AMD64 & I386 folders have along with the other items? i want to be able to make this iso a bootable iso image on any cd or dvd i burn it on. primarily at first will be tested in virtual machine software first to make sure its stable. im also planning on installing one core api on it for my testing purposes, with that preinstalled in the main hdd image, along with java, firefox, and Supermium. along with power iso, and vmware. id really appreciate the help i can get for this project. i plan on making a video on my youtube channle on how to sysprep windows xp and capture a pre installed environment with preinstalled software and drivers with the manipulation of nlite. again i thank you for your help.

Reply 1 of 7, by bakemono

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You are mixing up installation media with installed OS. If you install Windows in a VM, you'll have a disk image of an installed OS. If you rip a Windows XP CD, you'll have an image of installation media. The latter has "I386" directory, etc.

GBAJAM 2024 submission on itch: https://90soft90.itch.io/wreckage

Reply 2 of 7, by wierd_w

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The latter can have drivers and support pack files 'slipstreamed' in, if created with something like nLite.

https://www.nliteos.com/download.html

(Useful for putting XP on machines that need AHCI drivers, that lack a floppy drive for the "press F6" prompt, or building SP3 and pals on from the start.)

Be mindful that disc image deployments need to be for 'similar' hardware to avoid frustrating headaches. ['Inaccessible boot device' stopscreen from incorrect/missing ahci drivers, et al]

Cloned images will also need 'aftercare' if used on a network, as unique hostnames will have to be given after the fact, among other things.

Reply 3 of 7, by Thatdelluser1902

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bakemono wrote on 2026-02-02, 15:59:

You are mixing up installation media with installed OS. If you install Windows in a VM, you'll have a disk image of an installed OS. If you rip a Windows XP CD, you'll have an image of installation media. The latter has "I386" directory, etc.

no im not getting it mixed up, so you know how with windows vista you can capture your preinstalled image with using giamgex using a winpe environment and then put that install.wim back into a original microsoft original iso like you see with windows 10, windows 7, 8 and 11. thats what im talking about.

Reply 4 of 7, by Thatdelluser1902

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wierd_w wrote on 2026-02-02, 16:05:
The latter can have drivers and support pack files 'slipstreamed' in, if created with something like nLite. […]
Show full quote

The latter can have drivers and support pack files 'slipstreamed' in, if created with something like nLite.

https://www.nliteos.com/download.html

(Useful for putting XP on machines that need AHCI drivers, that lack a floppy drive for the "press F6" prompt, or building SP3 and pals on from the start.)

Be mindful that disc image deployments need to be for 'similar' hardware to avoid frustrating headaches. ['Inaccessible boot device' stopscreen from incorrect/missing ahci drivers, et al]

Cloned images will also need 'aftercare' if used on a network, as unique hostnames will have to be given after the fact, among other things.

im wanting to make a clone of a iso image, so you know how in vista you can get a install.wim from using a win pe environment. and then take lets say a standard windows 10 iso image and drop the install.wim back into there and then use it to install it on any pc you want with generic drivers. wanting to do the same thing with windows xp.

Reply 5 of 7, by Thatdelluser1902

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Thatdelluser1902 wrote on 2026-02-02, 21:16:
wierd_w wrote on 2026-02-02, 16:05:
The latter can have drivers and support pack files 'slipstreamed' in, if created with something like nLite. […]
Show full quote

The latter can have drivers and support pack files 'slipstreamed' in, if created with something like nLite.

https://www.nliteos.com/download.html

(Useful for putting XP on machines that need AHCI drivers, that lack a floppy drive for the "press F6" prompt, or building SP3 and pals on from the start.)

Be mindful that disc image deployments need to be for 'similar' hardware to avoid frustrating headaches. ['Inaccessible boot device' stopscreen from incorrect/missing ahci drivers, et al]

Cloned images will also need 'aftercare' if used on a network, as unique hostnames will have to be given after the fact, among other things.

im wanting to make a clone of a iso image, so you know how in vista you can get a install.wim from using a win pe environment. and then take lets say a standard windows 10 iso image and drop the install.wim back into there and then use it to install it on any pc you want with generic drivers. wanting to do the same thing with windows xp.

and also making the iso look like i have in my orignal post look like the default oem iso image.

Reply 7 of 7, by Thatdelluser1902

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DosFreak wrote on 2026-02-02, 21:56:

For that you'll need to look into XP2ESD on the My Digital Life forum

do you have a link to what your referring to? also do you know where i can find a generic sound driver for chipsets from the year 2014 to 2020? and from 2001 to 2012? as well a Ethernet driver and possibly a usb 3.0 generic universal chipset driver for xp 64bit?

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