- Windows XP Directory Structures
- Key Windows XP Executables
- The Windows XP Distribution CD
- Living with Service Packs and Hotfixes
- For More Information
The Windows XP Distribution CD
The Windows XP distribution CD contains more than just the files for installing Windows XP. There are extra tools, release notes, and value-added software from third-party vendors and Microsoft.
The root folder of the distribution CD hosts four subfolders. Only one of these folders is a platform-specific version of the setup file.
The \Docs subfolder contains documents that should be read before starting your Windows XP setup. There is a Read1st.txt file, a release notes document, and a document describing the setup procedure.
The \i386 subfolder contains all the files (mostly in compressed format) that make up the Windows XP operating system. This is the folder the Setup program uses to install the OS.
The \Support subfolder contains a \Tools subfolder with many troubleshooting and support tools for Windows XP (such as the Process Resource Monitor and the Quick Fix Application for resolving application compatibility problems with Windows XP).
The \Valueadd subfolder contains some sample third-party tools and utilities for Windows XP as well as extra documents, fonts, utilities, and applications from Microsoft.