a) I can't get KB885835 to slipstream by hand using the /integrate switch. It keeps complaining about an invalid version of Windows, yet I know I have the right version of the hotfix for my version of Windows (SP2). Has anybody else had this trouble?

b) When I slipstream all the updates by hand using /integrate, on first boot to the windows desktop after a fresh install, I get a message saying something to the effect of "Windows has just finished installing something or other and needs to reboot". When I use any of the slipstream utilities (XPCreate, RyanVM, etc), I don't get this message. Why is this?

I'm a bit of a n00b when it comes to slipstreaming.

1 yes somebody got into that problem. and was posted and u have to use the search. or even better use nlite.