How to Specify Source Path to XP Installation Files

Do you ever get tired of having to insert the Windows CD if you need to modify your system? This Windows XP registry tweak allows you to do away with the CD insertion. You will need the CD at first to copy the \i386 folder to your hard drive. This doesn’t have to be saved on your C:\ drive. You can save it in another location. Just be sure to remember where you saved it.

Are you done copying? Have you backed up your registry? If you are done with both these tasks, here are the instructions to specify the source path to XP installation files.

  1. Click Start and go to Run. Enter regedit. This will bring up your registry editor.
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. This folder may be found on the upper left hand of your registry editor. Expand it by clicking on the cross.
  3. Now go to the Software folder. Expand it. Look for Microsoft.
  4. Expand the Microsoft folder. This should take you to Windows. Expand it.
  5. Look for CurrentVersionn. Expand it and go to Setup.
  6. Look at the right hand side of your registry editor. You should be able to find SourcePath. If you find it, go to step seven. If you can’t find it, create it using the instructions below.
    • Right click on the right hand side of the registry editor.
    • Select New and then select String Value.
    • Rename it SourcePath. You can right click on the new string value and select Rename too.
  7. Double click on SourcePath. A new box will pop up.
  8. In value data, type in the location of the \i386 folder. If you saved it in D:\I386, then type D:\ in the Value Data field. It has to be a valid entry for this tweak to work.
  9. Exit the registry and reboot.

You can put away that CD for now but don’t lose it.