Slipstreaming a Recovery DVD

Post by **obsidian** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:38 am

I haven't bought a prebuilt system in quite a number of years, but I managed to pick up a new Compaq SR1650NX for $350 (Athlon 64 3500+, 1GB, 250GB). It comes with Windows XP Media Center. I just finished creating the recovery discs for it. Anyway, I'm wondering if there is any way to slipstream the recovery discs to remove all the extra bloatware on it. There's more crap on this computer than OS.

I have never owned recovery discs before, so I'm not sure if the process just involves using nlite, or whatever.

Post by **Underpants?** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 5:09 am

did it come with an oem windows disc? If not, and without another licensed full version of xp media center, then no. If so, yes.

Post by **obsidian** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:47 pm

The recovery media came on a partition on the hard drive. There is a utility to back this onto DVD yourself. Don't know why they don't just give them to you, not that DVD's are expensive or anything.

Anyway, the recovery DVD created includes Media Center, drivers and all other software that came with the PC. It is a full licensed copy with key and all. I'm just not sure how to "un-slipstream".

Post by **lars63** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:36 pm

No idea how to slipstream but if you want the disks from Compaq its about 30 bucks that includes one day service.

I picked up a H/P Athlon 64+3500, 1 GB, 250GB and sent off for the disks about two months ago that is what they charged me. You got a better price than I did mine was 479. You made a good buy

Post by **Underpants?** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:12 pm

burning it to dvd is one thing, slip-streaming or you're possibly looking more into stream-lining the install is another. Should be a way to get access to the files, but if there's any conditions in the automated install packager (ie. ghost or whatever) on the entire software contents being present, who knows how it will work out.

Post by **Tormentius** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 5:27 pm

You're probably not going to be able to un-slipstream since you'd need proper file version replacements for thousands of files. You could try using another OEM CD and using your key to perform the install and see if that works but make sure you back up or ghost it first. The most important thing during the reinstall is to make sure you don't delete the recovery partition! If the reinstall fails and you don't have that partition you won't be able to recover.

Post by **zolborg** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:36 pm

Yes, I've done this many, many times for people. If you can get your hands on a XP Pro Media center disk, do the install and provide the key that is on your machine.....as Tormentius said.

It will work and you will have an install without all the BS from Compaq.

Aside from being a Compaq, it has decent specs and will run XP and games [depending on your video card] very nicely.

Post by **FragaGeddon** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:11 am

That's a pretty good price there.

Post by **obsidian** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:31 pm

Thanks Torm... after a day and a half of hacking around, I managed to get a pretty sweet slipstream working.

I backed up the recovery partition to a couple of recovery DVD's so I deleted the partition.

Now I'm going to try and install Ubuntu on another partition.

Post by **Tormentius** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:49 am

You're welcome.

Post by **Scourge** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:18 am

zolborg wrote:Yes, I've done this many, many times for people. If you can get your hands on a XP Pro Media center disk, do the install and provide the key that is on your machine.....as Tormentius said.

It will work and you will have an install without all the BS from Compaq.

Aside from being a Compaq, it has decent specs and will run XP and games [depending on your video card] very nicely.

Just did that with and old key from an emachine that died a while back. Works like a charm.

Post by **zolborg** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:43 pm

There's a big surprise. An e-machine died. Roll out the presses.

Post by **Scourge** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:09 pm

zolborg wrote:There's a big surprise. An e-machine died. Roll out the presses.

It lasted a few years before it did.

edit: actually it became outdated before it died. Slapped in a new mb and back up and running.