How to create a Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 bootable installation disc.
This guide will walk you through the slipstreaming process for creating a bootable Microsoft Windows Server 2003 installation disc that includes Service Pack 2, and should work for any version of Windows Server 2003.
This how-to requires the following:
You can use these instructions on any computer running any version of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, or Windows Vista. The directory names used here are not obligatory.
First, create the following directory:
c:\win2003
Next, insert your Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM into your PC and copy the contents to to c:\win2003. If you choose a different location, make sure you substitute the correct location in later steps.
Next, launch ISO Buster. ISO Buster is a product for data recovery from optical media such as CDs and DVDs. It can be used for rescuing data off bad discs, or extracting elements off a disc that are normally not user accessible, such as boot data. It is found at ISOBuster.com
In the left pane of ISO Buster, select Bootable CD from under CD\Session 1\Track 01. In the right pane, right click the item named Microsoft Corporation.img and select "Extract Microsoft Corporation.img". Save the file to your c:\ drive. Note: If your Windows 2003 Server CD is an OEM CD from Dell, HP or other company, the boot image may have a slightly different name (ex: BootImage.img)
Put your CD-ROM away, we are done with it.
Move the WindowsServer2003-KB914961-SP2-x86-ENU.exe Service Pack 2 file to your C: drive. Then, from your start menu, select "Run" and type:
c:\WindowsServer2003-KB914961-SP2-x86-ENU.exe /x
If your Service Pack 2 file is in a different location, substitute the correct path to this file.
You will be prompted for a directory to extract to. Type:
c:\win2k3_sp2
Windows will extract the contents of Service Pack 2 to a directory so you can apply them to the files you copied off your CD-ROM. This process will take a few minutes and will vary depending on the speed of your computer.
When extraction is complete, go to your start menu, select "Run" and type:
c:\win2k3_sp2\i386\update\update.exe -s:c:\win2003
The slipstreaming process will begin. Your Windows Server 2003 installation files are being updated with the new components of Service Pack 2. This process can take a few minutes and will vary depending on the speed of your computer. When integration has been finished, you will receive a "Integrated install has been completed successfully" message.
When the slipstreaming process is complete, launch Nero Burning ROM. Create a new Bootable CD-ROM compilation.
Here there are some important settings you must make, or your CD will not boot. Under "Source of boot image data", check Image file. Click the "Browse" button and select the Microsoft Corporation.img file you extracted with ISO Buster.
Next, check "Enable expert settings". Select No Emulation from the "Kind of Emulation" option. Then change the "Number of loaded sectors" to 4. Once you have done this, click the "New" button.
Select the contents of your c:\win2003\ folder and add them to the new CD compilation.
From the "Recorder" menu, select "Choose Recorder". Select Image Recorder. This will allow us to save an ISO image of the disc before burning it. If you do not wish to have an ISO file of your updated disc, you can skip this step.
From the "Recorder" menu, select Burn Compilation. In the burn settings window, ensure both Write and Finalize CD are selected. Next select Disc-at-once from the "Write Method" option. Once you have done this, click the burn option.
If you selected the "Image Recorder", you will be prompted to save a disc image. Select ISO Image Files (*.iso) from the "Save as type:" prompt. Save the file as c:\win2k3_sp2.iso. Nero will create your disc image. This process will take a few minutes.
You have now created a bootable CD-ROM image! Use Nero to burn the ISO disc image to make your actual CD-ROM. Store the slipstreamed ISO somewhere safe in case you need to burn a new copy. Now you can use this disc to install a fresh copy of Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2.