Including Service Packs in an XP back-up disk

If you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or even Service Pack 3, what happens if you have to perform a system recovery using your original XP CD? It's not easy. The old CD doesn't have all the patches and updates you've downloaded over the years. It could take hours or even days to redownload and reinstall all that extra stuff, during which time your PC is more vulnerable to viruses and outside attacks. (A lot of those patches tackle security issues.)You do have options, though. For example, you can download the Microsoft Service Packs as standalone installers. Another solution is slipstreaming.
Slipstreaming is the process of combining your existing Windows XP CD and the latest Service Pack into a new CD. When you're done, you'll be able to install the whole OS. It is easier to accomplish than you might think, provided you've got your original CD and the standalone Service Pack. For how-to details, check out Lincoln Spector's "Slipstreaming Service Pack 2 on an Old Windows XP CD". Can you do likewise with Vista? Digital Inspiration has instructions on slipstreaming Vista with SP1 (you'll need a DVD for that), and it will probably also work with SP2.