Downloaded from https://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/tool-xp2esd-create-modern-windows-xp-installer-v1-6-2.82935/


1) Prerequisites

    Windows 7 or newer host (From v1.6.1 works under XP / 2003 with VirtualBox 4.2.20)
    Installed .NET 2.0, 3.5, 4.0
    Installed VirtualBox
    Disabled Windows Defender or any other antivirus

2) Preparation

    Download and extract XP2ESD, for example C:\XP2ESD
        Be sure you have enough free space on this partition, recommended is at least 50GB free space
    Download Windows XP SP3 MSDN ISOs (repository) or Windows Server 2003 MSDN ISOs (repository) or Windows XP Professional SP2 64bit (repository)
    Download UpdatePacks
        For Windows XP use recreated OnePiece XP UpdatePacks v1.1.0, optionaly you can use recreated Embedded OnePiece UpdatePacks v1.0.2. NOTE: Embedded pack changing original system requirements)
        For Windows Server 2003 use recreated OnePiece 2003 UpdatePacks v1.0.2 (will be added in future as they needs more touch)
        For Windows XP Professional SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP2 64bit use repacked 5eraph's post-SP2 Update Pack v2019-08
    Download Windows 7 SP1 32bit / 64bit ISO (repository or repository)
    Download Windows 10 2004 32bit / 64bit ISO (repository) (You can use Windows 8.0 / 8.1 / 10 [1507 (10240) 1607 (14393) 1809 (17763) 2004 (19041) ])
        Windows 10 ISO language must match Windows 7 ISO language
    Optionally download latest DriverPacks and place them into driverpacks folder, C:\XP2ESD\plugins\driverpacks
        Recommended DriverPacks usable with any Windows version from 2000 and newer can be downloaded here, these packs are actively updated
        Classic but not updated DriverPacks can be used too, download them from repository or download latest nightlies from forum
        You can also use both of them
    Place downloaded ISOs into repository folder, C:\XP2ESD\repository
        For Windows XP Media Center and Tablet PC SP3 base ISO use these steps
        For Windows Server 2003 with CD1 and CD2 you need to extract CD2 and CD1 over it and build ISO again
    Place UpdatePacks into updates folder, C:\XP2ESD\plugins\updates
    Place your favourites addons into addons folder, C:\XP2ESD\plugins\updates\addons
        Place forced x86 / x64 addons into related subfolders, main folder is for dual-architecture addons
    Optionally place applications installers, registry tweaks or scripts into setup folder, C:\XP2ESD\plugins\setup
        This folder is here for your own *.CER, *.PS1, *.BAT, *.CMD, *.REG , EXE and MSI files, during setup process is setup folder dynamically scanned, so you can add / remove files perfectly on the fly directly on your USB setup media
        To define silent switch create simple TXT file with same name as application installer. So for WinRAR.exe is needed WinRAR.txt with /S inside as only single line
        MSI packages are installed automatically with /quiet /norestart switch. If you want to use your own switches do it in same way as you do for EXE installers
        *.CER, *.PS1, *.BAT, *.CMD, *.REG are silently launched and applied. In scripts don't forget to exit them or you will stuck on RunOnceEx setup phase
        You can also download Silent Software Pack Example

    Optionally place your unattended Microsoft Office 2007 or Office 2010 into office folder, C:\XP2ESD\plugins\office
    Optionally place Fonts, Themes or Wallpapers into related folders in C:\XP2ESD\plugins
    Configure options in Config.ini
        Needed attributes to check are WINBASEISO + WINENGINEISO or WINXISO
        Don't forget to set ASSIGNLETTER attribute to free letter, default is X
        There are more configurable attributes which you can play with. Every attribute is commented inside config file. Before you start to play with other options, it's recommended to build it as is :)

    Now you have prepared your building environment and simply run as Administrator XP2ESD_Builder.cmd, if you are going to build in under XP/2003 try to run XP2ESD_Builder_XP.cmd
        Now you need to wait a while, converting single ISO into WIM takes around 20 minutes on my machine
        After XP2ESD finish all needed steps you will find modern installer ISO in XP2ESD root, C:\XP2ESD
    Create bootable USB using Rufus or burn ISO to DVD
        Don't forget to install ISO into Virtual machine to be sure it works as expected before burning

How is possible to convert Windows XP SP3 or Windows Server 2003 SP2 into modern installer?

There many steps which were done until we get working solution. I will try to explain it in bigger detail.
1) nLite is used to prepare original text mode setup

    Integrate UpdatePack + addons
    Patch UXTHEME + SFC
    Build bootable ISO

2) Auto-Sysprep feature is used to prepare image

    System is silently installed into VirtualBox
    During setup is activated Administrator account and system is booted up, then modified MyFactory is used to prepare image for capturing. In this phase are uninstalled and injected universal drivers into system. NOTE: On Windows XP Home is Administrator account blocked by Microsoft design. Don't worry XP2ESD rename this unusable account to AdministratorN and create new fully working one
    Now is extracted VHD and performed some custom steps before capturing, like log files removal etc. You can inspect AutoSysprep.cmd for more details
    When is Auto-Sysprep finished, you should see install.wim in XP2ESD root with captured system, C:\XP2ESD

3) Windows 7 PE (Preinstallation Environment) with Windows 10 setup engine is modified to fit our needs

    Normally it's not possible to install Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 using new GUI based Windows setup
        You need to have EULA files in correct folders inside install.wim / install.esd
        Now you are able to use Setup engine, but it crash with 0xC0000005 error due missing files. So setup.exe needs to be patched to terminate directly without showing this error
    Auto-Sysprep prepare everything automatically so no worries
    Whole modern setup is driven by setup.cmd (Windows XP / 2003 Setup Laucher), this script perform every needed step to prepare Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 bootable
    Whole setup design is patched to looks like XP
    MassStorage DriverPacks, Generic NVMe and USB3.x drivers for Windows 7 are integrated to provide deploying from USB3.x to NVMe drive. There is included big drivers collection for all Windows versions




How works whole deploying using XP2ESD?
1) Boot into installer, select image to install, accept EULA, format HDD, deploy image, reboot NOTE: Be sure to install on first partition on selected HDD. Don't worry about System Reserved partition, it's removed automatically before reboot. (From XP2ESD 1.6 is used POWIS launcher which gives you more configurable options on the fly. And also ability to deploy Vista - 11 images from same USB)
2) Now is performed first system boot using Longhorn NTLDR to install correct HAL and kernel files. Then you should see classic Windows installation screen. It only looks like standard setup, but in reality it's MyFactory custom drivers handling solution for integrated drivers. Original NTLDR is restored before reboot. Then is launched Snappy Driver Installer and your additional compatible drivers are installed from DriverPacks. Then is system rebooted again
3) Now is system booted into RunOnceEx setup phase, your applications, tweaks or scripts are installed under Administrator account. Then is system rebooted (you should see desktop for a second before reboot as it's needed to successfull)
4) This is final boot as you boot into OOBE, unless you disabled OOBE in config.ini or in POWIS Launcher, then you boot directly into desktop logged as Administrator