Slipstream versus RTM, which to burn, and how

[CLASYS]

I apologize if this is a newbie question, but I have noticed some differences between say taking XP PRO OEM and slipstreaming with SP2 /integrate, and just using VRMPOEM as the basis for adding hotfixes ultimately to make an .ISO and burning it. Along the way I have a few questions as well.

First of all, I have noticed that there are driver differences between the released VRMPOEM and the WXP OEM slipstreamed with SP2 /integrate. The differences I noticed revolve around first the total absence of drivers for some VIA USB 2.0 hardware that are "advanced" to instead a defective driver for the same hardware. Clearly, something was done not covered by the 266MB downloaded SP2 as opposed to the RTM XP with SP2 imbedded, etc. [i can elaborate on this VIA problem if anyone wants, including how to solve it which involves a VIA-supplied fix only recently available! Arguably, we were better off with NO driver than a flawed driver, etc.]

Additionally, the released VRMPOEM gets you subtle differences in the files as compared to slipstreaming the integration of SP2 over the original OEM disk. This has to do with the EXACT file/folder names, and is arguably cosmetic, but none-the-less different.

When the original XP OEM disk came out, all file and folder names passed ISO 9660 level 1 and also MS-DOS MSCDEX limitations, so there never was a problem making any form of descendent file set, etc.

However, when you apply the SP2 integration, you get violations of this sensible standard in many areas. For example, many directory names are actually [partially] lower case, and in at least one place cannot be expressed in 8.3 ["networking"].

The VRMPOEM release CD is NOT quite the same, essentially being the same as the slipstream SP2 method version as long as all names are FORCED to uppercase. [Thus, "networking" becomes "NETWORKING" but still cannot be 8.3.]

So, given all of this, clearly telling Nero or whatever to use MS-DOS compatible isn't the right way to burn a CD [hotfixes aside], since that directory will just be wrong. [Will truncate, not use the ABCDEF~1.EXT form as usual.]

Some have used Joliet, but that also preserves the lower-casedness which makes it non-authentic.

What to use and how to tell Nero to do it?

Does something [some Neros have this] called ISO 9660;1999 solve this? Or is there some other way to force it without renaming the affected areas [several dozen places in a standard I386 directory are affected].

I believe all of the 8.3 violations are none-the-less 16 or shorter and want to be all forced upper-case. If this is done, then an ISO level 1 *could* handle it. But what is the easiest way to get the case forced without doing it manually?

Over and above all of this of course, the looming question: For the purposes of a base image for adding hotfixes for unattended installation usage, is there any reason to use WXP OEM slipstreamed or VRMPOEM instead given both are available?

Thanks for sorting this out, any assistance appreciated for a beginner!

cjl