Most of us have been prompted for the Windows XP installation disk when installing various software and or Windows components. If you installed XP from your CD then whenever it needs a source file (such as when you add an un-installed feature) it will ask you for the CD. You can make life easier by having Windows XP locate the files automatcically without prompting for the installation disc. All you have to do is copy the I386 source folder to your HD and change the source path. Follow the next steps:

First you must copy the source files necessary to the hard drive.

1. Insert your Windows XP installation disc.
2. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the I386 folder on the installation CD
3. Right click the I386 folder and left click on copy.
4. Then left click on the Windows folder located on the system root directory.

[ normally it’s located, C:\Windows ]

5. On the menu bar at the top select edit then paste

**Note** wait till finished writing the files before continuing.

Now to edit the source path in the system registry.

1. Click the Start button and the click Run.
2. In the Run window, in the Open box, type REGEDIT and click OK button
3. In the Registry Editor window, in the left pane, double-click HKEY_Local_Machine.
4. Under HKEY_Local_Machine, double-click Software.
5. Under Software, double-click Microsoft.
6. Under Microsoft, double-click Windows.
7. Under Windows, double-click Current Version.
8. Under Current Version, double-click Setup.

**NOTE** If the SourcePath value already exists, right-click on SourcePath value, click modify, and skip to step 12

9. In the Registry Editor window, on the toolbar, click Edit, select New, and click String Value.
10. Rename New Value 1 to SourcePath.
11. In the Right pane, double-click SourcePath.
12. In the Edit String window, in the Value Data field, type C:\Windows.
13. Click the OK button
14. Now in the window pane to the left Double click Windows NT.
15. Double click Current Version.

**NOTE** If the SourcePath value already exists, right-click on SourePath value, click modify, and skip to step 20

16. In a blank portion of the right pane, right click.
17. Highlight New.
18. Left click String Value.
19. Rename New Value 1 to SourcePath
20. Double click SourcePath <>.
21. In the Value Data field, type C:\Windows\i386
22. Click OK then close Registry Editor.
23. Restart the computer.

That should do it. After completing the steps described above Windows XP shuld be able to locate any files that are originally appart of the installation media natively without asking for the installation disc again.