How-to: Windows XP Upgrade with Boot Camp!

[timb]

Here are complete instructions on how to insert a copy of Windows 98 into a Windows XP CD, fully under Mac OS X!

This is 100% legal as long as you own the both the copy of Windows XP Upgrade *and* a copy of Windows 9x. We're not changing the disc type from Upgrade to Full, as that would be illegal. Instead, this method combines a Windows XP Upgrade and Windows 9x CD onto one disc, so that the XP installer, sees that you have a legal previous version of Windows, without the need to eject the CD.

http://timb.us/xpupbootcamp.txt

-timb

 

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Now the question is... did it work?

I managed to cobble all this stuff together under Windows, and I did a quick test install under Parallel (which is also awesome if you haven't tried it yet).

Everything went fine with the Parallel install - and it did register as SP2.

I'm considering going for the BootCamp route now.. but am a little worried that some file somewhere is going to be missing.

 

[timb]

It seems to work. I haven't tested it with Boot Camp yet (just a local PC), but I see no reason it won't.

 

[balamw]

Note: This is not "slipstreaming" and is exactly what I proposed yesterday in this closed thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/191774/ and what was also confirmed in the links in that closed thread.

Slipstreaming is what microsoft calls applying hotfixes or service packs or OEM drivers onto the install files of a single version of Windows, so that when you install from the slipstreamed install files you get all those files included upon install. This is recommended by Microsoft, to keep installers up to date.

What is proposed here involves putting the install trees for two versions of Windows onto one media to avoid having to eject the media during the install, which may or not be legal, and is certainly not recommended by Microsoft.

B

 

[timb]

What balamw says is correct. I meant to say "slip a copy of Windows...", instead I typed "slipsteam", I've changed the wording to "insert" to make it clearer.

Balamw did also purpose it, however I had come up with the idea before ever posting here as well. Great minds think alike. If you follow the link to balamw's thread, you can see where some of the information came from. What I've done is post it all into one location, and edit things slightly to work under Mac OS X.

As for the legality, I spoke with a Microsoft technician today, he said there shouldn't be an issue as long as you own both products, and do not give the copy out you make. He did say however it was in no way officially supported.

All you're doing is ripping your Windows XP and Windows 9x discs and burning them on one CD.

It's really no different than ripping a Windows XP disc and slipstreaming SP2 onto it, then re-burning it.

-timb

 

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Trip report:

BootCamp Assistant doesn't care for the CD.

However...

If you simply select "Restart OS X" and then hold down the Option key, all is well. You'll really need to babysit the install though as everytime it reboots (twice I believe) it will boot into OS X if you don't hold down the option key and select the Windows partition.

Installing the Macintosh Drivers disk now! Just hope OS X restarts alright....

 

[balamw]

Please note that I wasn't trying to claim any sort of credit for it, and others have come up with variants of the same solution as was posted in the other thread, and similar methods have been widely discussed in the past.

I was told of one such method while I was participating in the Windows ME beta program, where only three files needed to be placed on the drive for Windows 98 Upgrade to install on a previously blank disc. A real time saver when you are trying to install Windows over and over and over, and all you have is upgrade CDs going back to the ancient copy of Windows 3.1 you once had... I bounced that off my friendly neighborhood IT guy at work yesterday and he also remembered that and dug up the info.

A very important distinction here is that EULA for the retail Upgrade CD for Windows XP explicitly allows for the transfer of said license to other compatible machines, unlike for example a Dell OEM CD. Which is why I would consider using my XP Home CD instead of the XP Pro disc that came with my Dell and is NOT (legally) transferable.

To complete the installation, you still need a valid Windows XP CD and corresponding CD Key, as well as a copy of a previous OS install CD. So this and the previous threads are not condoning piracy, they are merely trying to find ways around a hadware limitation of the Macs Apple is actively helping us install Windows on. (They lack a hardware eject button).

It's really no different than ripping a Windows XP disc and slipstreaming SP2 onto it, then re-burning it.

Anyhow, IMHO this is slightly different than slipstreaming SP2, since that is just updating your install CABs, this is more like adding dome other files to your install base, like adding OEM storage drivers, or the combo Win98SE/Office 97 CD I used to carry with me back in the day... It is also similar to copying the CABS to a directory on the hard drive as many OEMS do.
B

 

[timb]

That's very true.

Just as a reminder to the mods (and everyone else), we're not supporting people using pirated copies of Windows, or OEM copies of Windows. This method is designed for people who have a legal, retail copy of Windows XP Home or Pro, and a legal, retail copy of Windows 9x.

-timb

 

[bousozoku]

That's why the thread is still available and that my sticky thread has been modified to acknowledge such a procedure as legal, providing properly licensed materials.

 

[timb]

Thanks for understanding, bousozoku!

 

[balamw]

Finally got around to the install late last night.

I tried copying the WIN9X and DRIVERS folders from my Windows ME install CD to an external firewire disk and a USB thumbdrive instead of to the custom install CD. No luck, the presence of these devices seemed to make the install hang at "Starting Windows" after all the drivers were loaded. (I was also trying to replicate the results reported in the external drive thread with no success.)

Ultimately I put the XP Home SP2 Upgrade CD, The Windows ME install folders, and the contents of the Macintosh Drivers CD onto a DVD+R blank, I burned it using Nero 6 on my Dell using Paul Thurrot's slipstreaming guide. The install into a 10 GB partition on the internal drive went without a hitch.

B

 

[uelef]

http://timb.us/xpupbootcamp.txt

On my Intel CoreDuo iMac - using my Quad to burn the DVD - it unfortunately didn't work. Starting the Windows setup on the iMac nothing happens - only the cursor blinks...

 

[balamw]

On my Intel CoreDuo iMac - using my Quad to burn the DVD - it unfortunately didn't work. Starting the Windows setup on the iMac nothing happens - only the cursor blinks...

Did you try booting a regular PC with the disc?

B

 

[Zandian]

SP1 to SP2

Anyone know if you have a full version of xp pro sp1 and the sp2 upgrade disk if you can install normally, or is there a thread that shows how to do this when you have 2 disks?

THanks,
Z

 

[zakatov]

Umm, an external cd/dvd drive with windows 98 works just as well.

 

[deepy]

the link?

Could someone put the text file (http://timb.us/xpupbootcamp.txt) up somewhere else- either i cant access it or it no longer exists. cheers!

 

[balamw]

Seems like his entire site is down. You might want to try and send timb an e-mail as the file doesn't seem to exist in Google or archive.org's cache. I might have a copy at home...

B

 

[deepy]

i've sent an email but no reply yet. if you do have a copy of the file it'd be much appreciated! cheers.

 

[yellow]

Anyone know if you have a full version of xp pro sp1 and the sp2 upgrade disk if you can install normally, or is there a thread that shows how to do this when you have 2 disks?

THanks,
Z

You have to slipstream the XPSP1 CD to XPSP2.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

 

[deepy]

You have to slipstream the XPSP1 CD to XPSP2.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

will this slipstreamed CD work with boot camp? will it recognise it? i've heard people have trouble installing pirate XP copies because the CD isnt recognised so surely when u make a slipstreamed CD and reburn it it'll be just like a pirate CD? or is there something special u do to make it recogniseable?

 

[yellow]

It works fine. Not only on BootCamp, but on a Dell, and on VMware.

The SlipStreaming files comes directly from Microsoft.

I have no idea about pirated copies of Windows, as I have a legal version that I slipstreamed.

 

[deepy]

thats good. i have a legal copy of XP Home but am a bit tempted to get a bit dodgy with a pirated xp pro CD. thinking of getting a macbook soon - never used mac os before and dont want to blow a load of money on a macbook incase i dont like it - would rather have the backup of installing XP. but being a student, cant particularly afford many things so if i can get away with a pirated XP pro CD then i'll do that (for now..until i can afford the real thing) mind u, if that doesnt work i'll just have to buy XP pro.

 

[balamw]

I can't find a copy of timb's file.

Here's a brief synopsis of the method I used to create the disc (on a PC).

1) Copy all of the files from the XP Upgrade disc to a folder e.g. C:\XPCD
2) If necessary follow the directiond to slipstream SP2 to C:\XPCD\I386
3) Copy the \WIN9X and \DRIVERS folders from your Win98 or ME CD to C:\XPCD
4) Copy all of the contents of the Macintosh Drivers disc to the a new folder under C:\XPCD (e.g. C:\XPCD\Mac)
5) Follow the directions in the slipstreaming guide to burn bootable XP media along with the additional folders we added you may have to use a DVD blank to be sure to have all the files you need.

will this slipstreamed CD work with boot camp? will it recognise it?

Boot Camp will not recognize a slipstreamed XP upgrade disc as valid media to install from, but as long as you have followed the directions to create bootable media from the slipstreamed folder (e.g. the winsupersite path liked above), you can just leave the CD in the drive and reboot your Mac, hold down th eoption key, and select the CD as the boot media and go from there...

B

 

[deepy]

cheers balamw! ur a star. i reckon i cud do it without the file...cant be hard lol. now just gotta do one final thing - buy a macbook! lol

thanks.

 

[AWerner32]

Burning the Disk

is there a mac based porgram or way on a mac to burn a windows bootable dvd with all of these things on it, can you do it with toast?