For the Eee to function properly, the Windows installation files used must contain at least Service Pack 2, but Service Pack 3 is strongly preferred. There are many reasons to integrate SP3, but no good reasons not to. Using nLite we can easily slipstream Service Pack 3 into the installation files.

This tutorial will show how to slipstream SP3 into any previous service pack level installation CD, and create a bootable CD image. This can be used in place of your existing CD. You can further customize the installation with nLite if you wish, but I recommend creating a plain-vanilla SP3 installation CD. If you have to start your nLite project from scratch, you don't have to re-slipstream SP3.

• Save time updating. Hundreds of updates have been released since SP2. This will allow you to install direct to SP3, saving a lot of time spent updating. The slipstreaming process takes a couple of minutes, and in my experience installing SP3 on top of SP2 takes almost as long as installing the operating system
• Save disk space. The installed footprint of a SP3 system is virtually identical to a SP2 system. When you install updates or service packs on top of your existing installation, Windows saves a copy of the old files, and a record of applied updates. You can delete these afterward, but why bother with the hassle. As well I do not know how Windows handles updating on a system that has been stripped using nLite. An update may service a component that you removed, and put in effect it back in, growing your installation size. By slipstreaming you won't have to compromise security, just to save disk space.
• Save SSD writes. By not having to apply as many updates, there are fewer writes to the SSD, which is important for users with an SSD that are concerned about wearing out their SSD
• Better built in hardware support

Different service pack levels come with built in support for key components that are either not available to previous versions, or required a hotfix.

The following is a list of hardware different Eees may have, and the minimum service pack level required for support.

• Reading SDHC cards above 4 GB. (SP3) Hotfix from Microsoft for SP2
• Allow CPU to enter C3 idle state (requires registry tweak to enable) (SP3)
• Hard drive support over 137GB (SP1 or newer)
• USB 2.0 support (SP1 or newer)
• Improved USB 2.0 support (SP2 or newer)

1. nLite from: http://www.nliteos.com/
2. A copy of Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers
3. A Windows XP installation CD. This can be either Home, or Pro, OEM, or retail, and it can be at any previous service pack level (SP0, SP1, SP2). Custom Restore CDs will not work, and I'm not sure about other versions of Windows XP (Media center, tablet).

• Install nLite
• Copy the entire contents of your Windows XP CD to your hard drive.
• Start nLite
• When prompted locate the copy of Windows XP on your hard drive. Click next. I will read version of your CD. As you can see here I have an original copy of Windows XP Professional from 2001 with no service pack! Click next

• When asked about presets, just click next.
• Select service pack and Bootable ISO. I'm not selecting any of the other options because I only want to make a plain-vanilla XP-SP3 CD.

• Click Next
• nLite will ask you to select the service pack file to slipstream. Locate the WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe file you downloaded above.

• nLite will now process the service pack.

• Once it is complete, we will see that the version nLite reports has been upgraded to SP3

• Click next
• It will now ask for burning options. Select “Make ISO” to save a CD image on your hard drive.

• Once it has finish you can exit nLite.

You now have service pack 3 integrated into your Windows XP install files. If you are installing Windows on your Eee using an external CD drive, burn this CD off, and use as you would any CD.

nLite also has SP3 integrated into the copy of Install files you copied onto your hard drive. If you have start nLite again it will report as being a SP3 version. If you wish you may then further customize your files.

I recommend first creating a plain vanilla SP3 image so that if you foul up your nLite configuration, you do not need to copy files off the CD and reintegrate SP3. Instead you can copy them off of the CD that has SP3 already integrated, or you can mount the ISO file using something like Daemon tools (which is much faster) rio b and you sfr