XP setup files from cd onto hard disk?

tvout · 16-10-2006, 21:55

Hi all,
Hoping someone could advise on this one quickly...
I've got a laptop with loads of unused disk space and would like to copy the main set up files from the Windows XP CD to the hard disk so that when installing new hardware or doing system file checker etc. I could refer it to a location on the hard drive instead of needing the CD again...(unless doing a complete reinstall)
Am I right in just thinking I'd copy the I386 folder from the CD into the Windows directory?
I know manufacturers and major stores create like hidden partitions etc. with system files on when they sell PCs so that new hardware can be installed without needing the CD...

Please can someone advise?

Cheers

greencreeper · 16-10-2006, 23:57

Should be able to copy it, I think, if it's not there already

tvout · 17-10-2006, 20:57

Cheers,
by it do I take it you mean the I386 folder then in its entirity? There isn't an I386 folder in the Windows directory at the moment.
Weird I got an e-mail saying I had a contradicting post on here as well but it appears to have gone...

greencreeper · 17-10-2006, 21:04

Yeah - it's normally in the root of the C: drive

tvout · 17-10-2006, 22:47

nice one, thanks. I think I'll need to amend one or two things in the registry, such as the default location for drivers etc and sfc...?

greencreeper · 17-10-2006, 23:03

Er, no. The drivers are within system32, which is where they should be. The i386 files are there to reinstall from (if on a separate partition), or add additional components to Windows. So, for example, at work, our Windows 2000/2003 servers' i386 is in a folder called "support". When I install the DNS server on a server, it asks for the Windows CD - I just point it at the i386 folder and it's happy. I think you can set the location somewhere in the registry, but I'm not sure on that - it's no great hassle just to point it at the folder when it asks.