Question - - - concurrently I'm trying the original process you recommended. My first extraction of disc 1 using WinRAR resulted in all the files extracting to the target folder. However, the target folder contains sub-folders with names disk1, disk2, disk3 & SP2QFE as well as the numerous files in the root. These sub-folders names bear no resemblance to the original sub-folders on the MCE Disk 1. Just want to make sure this is normal. And the follow-up question, if I successfully use the first recommended process to create the single disk will I be able to use my original product key?
i don't know about your key as i said before, because i don't know what key you have and i couldn't tell you even if i did have the key to look at. no oem key is going to work because you are not using it to install on an oem machine. only a retail key will work because i'm giving you a retail version iso. and no, your extraction doesnt sound normal at all. where did you get your iso? if it didn't come from here don't trust it... this is how disc one should look in the root:
Your capture is the same as file names & structure on my original disk 1. When I extracted using WinRAR I simply highlighted the entire list of files & folders and selected the Extract button. Was I supposed to find an iso file and extract it only? I've done quick scan & don't see one on disk 1.
i have no idea what you are doing... but no, the folders you listed above are not the same as what i posted in that pic. there is no disk1 disk2 disk3 sp2qfe folders supposed to be in the root of the iso. and no you don't look for an iso to extract from within an iso. you just right click your iso and choose extract from the winrar context menu. no sense even bothering with the iso files you already have unless you just want to as i'm uploading an already combined iso file that does not have to be messed with and that does not have anything added to it or taken away from it. it's exactly what you would get from msdn except that it's on one iso and not two roughly 30 minutes more and you can start downloading part 4. after you get it downloaded just double click part one and choose ok and let it extract and then burn your iso.
Ok, I understand now. I need to create the iso first for each disk with another application before extracting the iso with WinRAR.
no. i was under the impression that you already had disc 1 and disc 2 iso files. if you didn't, then you had no reason to combine the two, which is the whole reason you posted in this thread--to combine disc 1 and disc 2 into one iso file. i think you are terribly confused. did the iso i posted work properly for you then?
Greetings again and thanks for following up. To clarify: 1. The goal was not a single iso per se. The goal is to have a single bootable MCE disc. This is because when installing the Windows OS in Mac Bootcamp you cannot have two discs. In the case of the two factory original MCE discs that I have (actually there is an third useless disc), as you know, the install of disc 1 ends temporarily with the pop-up asking for disc 2. However there is no way to eject the cd/dvd drive at that point (no mechanical eject on the newer drives and the keyboard eject button is not functional during Bootcamp install). Browsing is possible but only within the empty partition or the inserted cd/dvd. This is the reason for the need and it was conveyed in our dicussion stream. 2. No, I never said I had iso files for each of the two discs. I only have the 2 MCE factory discs and wanted to know how to combine them for the reason outlined above. 3. So I started interpreting what was conveyed as best I could. I didn't know I had to have the two individual iso files before proceeding with the appreciated information you provided. My last post last night was a stating of my realization that I first needed the two iso files in order to extract them using WinRAR. The rason I got the distorted extraction was that I simply extracted the original disks. When this didn't look correct (compared to the original disc) I posted the question about whether or not the extracted folder names looked correct. 4. So now I know I need to first create the iso files (probably using freeware or something you might recommend to me). I now know how to extract the iso files using WinRAR. I understand how to combine the files into a single folder. I've downloaded & installed nLite but haven't tried using it yet. My undertanding is that nLite will pack the contents in a format similar to the original disks including the autorun and, create an iso file. Please confirm. 5. Given that scenario where I have factory non-pirated MCE disks with a valid product key will that key still work once the conversion to one disc is made. I assume that the key validation is in some hidden file and that it will remain through the conversion. If no then I understand that I need to reference the forum link that you suggested. 6. Re your generous willingness to upload the 4 part iso file (thank you), no, it got to be too late last night. I understand that I need to double-click the first file (with all four in the same folder) and WInRAR will extract all four to a single target folder. Within those files will be an iso file. Are the remaining files basically the combined disks 1 & 2 that can be compacted using nLite to become a bootable install? FYI, Mac bootcamp does not accommodate iso installs, I need a bootable cd. I have not had a chance yet to reference the link on the forum regarding the need, lack thereof or creation of a product key. All in all this has been and continues to be a rewarding learning experience for me. And I understand that you have no idea of the level of experience that newbies posting for the first time have. This I'm sure makes it difficult for you to know what to convey and not. Due to this, from the newbie perspective sometimes it feels like "pulling teeth" getting a complete set of information because there is an assumption the posting newbie knows more than he might. Regardless, like I said, it is a valuable exercise and much appreciated. Regards, Sherich
1, 2, 3: i see. i guess i misunderstood that you actually had the discs themselves 4: no, you do not have to make iso files of your discs to extract them. all you have to do is put them in your pc and open to the root of the disc and select all and copy them to another folder. then do the same for the second disc. then all you have to do is make an iso from the new folder with the contents of both discs in it. and yes nlite will create a proper iso that is bootable 5: my copy is not pirated per se because i am not giving you a key for it, just the iso--which is perfectly legal because you can use it for 30 days without entering a key. whatever you have with a key, unless you actually went to a store and purchased it and it came with a retail key you will not be able to activate it and it be genuine (or you got it from someone else who actually purchased it from a store with a retail key). if you have some oem discs for some manufacturer then your key will not activate it and be genuine because you are not installing it on an oem machine that has slp bios activation. oem discs with a coa key from the side of pc will never work for you. it just will not happen. so unless your version is retail purchased then no your key will never work. also, yes if you have retail version and the key then just by making the discs into one will not keep it from working. it will work just the same as if they were still in two discs. 6: all i uploaded is one file split into four parts--en_XP_MCE_2005.iso that is the only file within those rar files. all you do is burn it to a dvd and install it--that's it, nothing else. i uploaded to save you the trouble of combining whatever discs you already have. it is retail version. it will require a retail key or antiwpa to activate and genuine or it can be oem activated by modding the iso which will do you no good because you are not installing it on an XP OEM machine. i hope all that helps and makes sense need anything else just ask peace.
fAILED UPDATE: see below for the solution to this. SOLVED So I followed the instructions dumping both iso's and mergin the Cpnts folder to root. When I load it installs but when it reboots its asking for a windows xp disc. Tried everything. Cancel the installation finishes but no trace of MCE.. any Ideas what is wrong? trying to make a Multiboot with Drivers, Sp3 and Hotfixes.. But this is just merging the 2 iso's to make 1 mCe 2005 Dvd btw I used NLite to reburn with only change being sp3 to start
Mounted With PowerIso So I mounted Disc 1 with Power Iso. Ran The Script (easier then it looked) Then Checked the virtual image on drive E to disc 2 when it asked and it appers it works. adding my touches now 1.) Multi-brand Oem Sets 2.) Service Pack3, Updates & hotfixes 3.) Tweak (Including TCP Patch) 4.) DRV Packs So far I have found that in my cause (adding drivers ect) must be done in this order otherwise EPIC Fail. I will post results including A finished ISO. WinXP Is useless without the driver packs, SataDrivers Ect... UPDATE:Order was wrong I corrected it. Seems the driverPacks Break the changes done with WinLite. So ORDER MATTERS. Also good idea (no its mandatory) to make an iso each step so if something goes wrong you can go back without starting over!! Hope all the dvds and time spent will be worth it. Imagine A univerasal OEM Dvd for Xp that will select the oem bios based on slic, have all the latest drivers, Service packs, and updates and actually be genuine with no crack. That's what I am trying to accomplish, and wouldn't be possible without connections from people like you.
Got It! So it was the Sp3. MS says no. I say YES! here is what you do if you get the ehiEPG missing dialog. Extract the sp3.exe you downloaded to use for the Slipstreaming process. inside you'll see a folder called root. Inside root there is a cmponents folder, and within that there is a mediacntr folder. Take the 82 files from there and put them in your folder directory of your cd in the mediacntr folder. Leave the Mediacentre.cab, plus.cab, and sonic cab Will share ISO.. its BAD A$$ Up 2 days and its working BEFORE: pc wouldn't find any drives. Tried on IBM and it loaded with IDE connected but wouldn't detect driver including NIC which gets pc online AFTER: Autoloaded Sata Drivers, Loaded setup just fine, Found OEM Bios and added proper files to activate, Plus in ALL drivers & updates without needing the internet
Please send me a link through PM, I will be forever grateful! been looking for an iso all day. Fixing my friends old computer and I have no discs and no iso's. - B
I never tried that. I updated the topic. I figured it out. I wanted a lot of changes to happen. NLite fails to correctly Slipstream sp3 to MCE2005. According to the net it only effects MCE2005 no home or premium. So moving the 82 files has correct the issue of it asking for disc 2 after Sp3 Integration 1st I wanted it to auto activate automatically based on bios 2nd I wanted all the updates and service packs 3rd I wanted ALL The latest drivers.. Including PNP and TxtMode Lastly I wanted things like all icons to be on desktop, TCP Patch ECT.. Got it working will upload ISO later tonight Along with video of the hard work it took )))
Been lurking and reading what you have been doing Simbalage22. Its pretty awesome. So to my understanding its going to be like a Universal OEM disk? That will activate itself as long as your computer holds a slic in the bios. If that's true, I'm looking forward to you uploading this ISO. But let me ask how big is the ISO? And Where are you thinking of uploading?.
its going to be a dvd. Roughly around 3.7gb Will be a torrent and I will seed as long as possible. Day 3 still working on it. yes correct I will have all the updates before the pc ever needs internet. Hence good because what good is windows XP if it gets hit before you have a chance to do all the updates. The delay and lots of waisted dvds is because not all the updates are Slipstreamable, so I had to find a way around it. So far so good. you are correct it will work on over 100 different oem pcs providing the bios has the slic. After I get MCE2005, Home and Pro will follow and then I will do A killer Win7 Disc As well. My wife thinks I am crazy for wasting as many dvds on this project but like I told her once done this will be the Best Windows Xp MCE Disc on the planet. How MS should Have released it in the first place. I am tired of plugging stuff in and XP not knowing what is it, And waisting valuable bandwith everytime I install (Which is Quite A lot) for Updates Patience and it will be worth the wait