If you need to reinstall Windows XP and only have the original disk you are in for a long process to get the operating system installed and up to date. There have been hundreds, if not thousands of security patches and updates released for Windows XP since its release in 2001. So, you could install XP with the original disk, then install the latest service pack and updates, but you may run into problems such as the fact that the original XP doesn’t recognize all of your large hard disk. The best way to reduce installation time and avoid potential problems is to "slipstream" the service pack files into the original version of XP. What you end up with is an installation media with all the service pack files already included.

I came across an excellent tutorial on how to slipstream a service pack into the Windows installation files and create a bootable CD. The tutorial was made back when Windows XP Service Pack 2 was the latest and greatest. Currently Service Pack 3 is the latest service pack for Windows XP, but the instructions in the tutorial are still valid. Just replace any reference to Service Pack 2 with Service Pack 3 (or which is the latest when you read this) and it should work without issue.

Read Paul Thurrot’s guide to slipstreaming service packs.

Download Service Pack 3 for Windows XP.