Slipstreaming RAID and SATA controller drivers to your Windows XP, 2003 installation media
It still amazes me how many critical IT related tasks still require a floppy disk. I came upon one of these situations when trying to install Windows 2003 Server R2 on an extra Dell Workstation I had. Of course, it wanted the drivers on A:, which didn’t exist. Of course, you could always install a disk drive… Below are instructions how to address this issue without using a disk drive. The term is slipstreaming because it injects the files just as if it was part of the original installation media.
- Download nLite (http://www.nliteos.com/). You could also download the Vista version called vLite (http://www.vlite.net).
- Install the application
- Select your original Windows XP, 2003 installation media location.
- Select a target location to copy the installation files
- Select the tasks you would like to perform (ie. install drivers, install service packs, remove components, etc…)
- Choose to create an ISO image from your previous selections or Direct Burn to create a new CD image.
- Install the OS using your CD, but this time, you don’t have to press F6 to try to load drivers.