Slipstream (computing)

When slipstreaming is defined as the incorporation of one or more service packs, hotfixes or patches to the installation media of a software product (usually a Microsoft Windows or Office medium ). Thus, the direct installation of a recent version of the software is enabled without having to manually install afterwards the said service packs, bug fixes or other updates.

Implementation

First, the old setup files are copied from the media to the hard drive to record the improvements. After updating and adjustment of various parameters in the Windows setup files, for example, the txtsetup.sif, all files, compiled, including the improvements into a new directory, which you can then burn to CD and thus create a new installation media.

Programs that perform this procedure automatically and relatively easy to use, are for example nLite ( for XP), vLite ( for Vista), rt7Lite ( for Windows 7 ), xp - Iso-Builder, Office SP slip streamers for Office 2003 & 2007 or WUCD (Windows Unattended CD Creator).

Some programs provide the Slipstream functionality with already. Here one can get the desired result with certain command line parameters ( switches). In addition to the Windows setup since Windows 2000, this are for example MSI packages that can be updated using the MSP update packages, such as Microsoft Office programs. For other programs, you have to use various utilities to achieve the same thing.