Windows XP Reinstallation Media commonly lacked the storage controller drivers resulting in installation failure with an error 0x000007B.
For the Dell Business Models that supported Windows XP you can create installation media which slipstreams these drivers using NLite giving a seamless Windows Installation. This slipstreaming also alleviates other common issues such as the audio not working properly when the drivers were installed in the incorrect order.
Table of contents
Video
Original Installation Media
You will need to start with a Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD/DVD. This should have shipped with your system, or you can purchase the CD/DVD from eBay.
This guide should also work with a Microsoft Retail Full CD/DVD and Retail Product Key however this is not recommended as Dell OEM SLP won't be applied and phone activation will have to be carried out.
This guide should also work with a Microsoft Volume License CD/DVD and Product Key which should perform automatic offline Product Activation.
Downloads
You will need the following:
On the Drivers and Downloads page. Select your legacy model, select Windows XP as its Operating System and select the System Management category. Download the Windows XP CAB Driver Pack.
Install NLite
To install NLite on Windows 10 or 11, we must first enable Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5. To do this right click the Start Button and select Apps and Features:
Then to the left hand side, select programs and features:
To the left hand side select Turn Windows features on or off:
Check .NET Framework 3.5 then select OK:
Check Let Windows Update download the files for you:
Select Close:
Now go ahead and install NLite. Select Next:
Accept the License Agreement and then select next:
Select Next:
Select Next:
Select Next:
Select Finish:
Create Folders
Insert your XP CD/DVD and open it within Windows Explorer. Copy its contents:
Create a folder called winxp on your desktop and paste the contents to it:
Install 7zip and then right click the Dell CAB file and select Extract to…
Disregard the Warnings and select Close:
Select your Windows XP Install within NLite
Launch NLite and select next:
Input the location of your Windows XP install and select next:
Information about your Product Name, Language, Service Pack and Version will display. Select Next to continue:
Ignore any presets and select Next:
Task Selection
We will select all tasks.
As OEM SLP is applied on Dell Installation Media we will get details about previous unattended settings. Select OK:
Select Next:
Service Pack
If you have the Dell Windows XP Media Center OEM Edition you should skip this step as slipstreaming the Service Pack breaks the setup of Media Center.
If you have Dell Windows XP Home OEM Edition or Dell Windows XP Pro OEM Edition you should slipstream Service Pack 3 if it is not already included. Service Pack 3 requires Service Pack 2. Slipstream Service Pack 2 and then Service Pack 3. Do not slipstream the unofficial Service Pack 4 as it breaks Dell OEM SLP. You will be presented with the following screen during installation which rejects all Product Keys I tested.
If you want to slipstream a service pack select, select. Otherwise press next.
Select the Service Pack and then select open:
It will begin to slipstream:
Select OK:
Select Next:
Hotfixes, Add-Ons and Update Packs
In this screen you should be able to incorporate Internet Explorer 8 and Windows Media Player 11. Do not do this on the Media Center Edition as it will break the installation of Media Center.
Windows Media Player 11
For IE11 you need to copy the wmp11slips1.4i.exe to the NLite folder otherwise you will get this message when you try to run the slipstream.
Launch the WMP11 slipstreamer and select Next:
Select Next:
Change the folder to the NLite folder and select Next:
Select Yes:
Select Next:
Select Next:
Select Install:
Uncheck Run and select Finish:
The WMP11 Slipstreamer should be present in this folder.
You can now insert the enu11-windowsxp-x86-enu.exe into this folder.
Internet Explorer 8
Internet Explorer 8 was downloadable as an .exe from Microsoft.
I am not sure if this works directly with the .exe or if it requires a cab file (I cannot find any details about the .cab file however I downloaded one many years ago). You should be able to insert this here.
Driver Slipstream
Select Insert:
Then Multiple Driver Folder:
Select your extracted Dell CAB folder and then select OK:
Select All and then OK:
Select [Ctrl] + [a] to select all and then select OK:
Select Next:
Components
You will be warned that removing components can break basic usage. Check all boxes to ensure you can't do this.
In my case I will leave all as is:
Unattended Setup
By default on a Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD/DVD OEM System Locked Preinstallation (OEM SLP) will automatically be applied. In the general tab OEM Preinstall will be enabled and the Dell Windows XP Pro OEM SLP Key will show. Do not change this key as you will otherwise have activation issues on your Dell hardware. This activation method will look for a SLIC Version of 1.0 embedded in the ACPI Tables of the Dell BIOS and will activate automatically offline on an eligible system.
I will Disable Automatic Updates:
You can set the Owner and Network ID. I will leave these blank in case used for other users.
You can also lock the Regional settings. I will lock all settings to English (UK).
When done I will press Next.
Options
I will leave these as default:
Tweaks
There are a large number of settings to tweak. I will change the settings in the Start Menu and Taskbar:
To display items as links on the Start Menu:
To have 30 items and a Reduced popup delay:
I will also disable the Windows Tour popup:
Select Next:
Processing
Select Yes to Process.
You should see a progress bar. If you are slipstreaming IE11 you should see:
Then you should be informed the process is complete:
Creating a Bootable ISO
Create the volume label and then you can optionally add fiels to the winxp folder which will be incorporated on your ISO for example you may want the Unofficial Service Pack 4 on the Dell ISO so you can immediately install it after Windows XP is installed. It does not break product activation this way. Select Make ISO.
Select Save:
You will be informed that you now have your updated ISO. Select Next:
Then Finish:
Burning to a DVD
You can then natively burn this to a DVD in Windows 10 by right clicking it and selecting Burn Disc Image (or alternatively use ImgBurn if running Windows XP).
While it is possible to make a Bootable USB using Rufus, it is not advised. The Windows XP setup doesn't work well with USB. It tends to set the USB as C:\ and then as the computer restarts the drives (hard drive) and (USB flash drive) are switched. You will have to manually specify the location of 20-30 files until the setup accesses all the files it needs.
Windows XP Installation
Installation instructions for Windows XP are available:
