backing up a fresh updated xp install

I've looked all over the forum but can't find any answer to this question....
I got a dell pc with win xp home, I gor the os disk, it's not a rescue disk, just a regular os disk.
The other day I reformatted my pc, then I had to go thru' the process of updating everything, took bloody ages.....:cry.
My question to all you awesome geeks out there is....Is it possible to reinstall windows, update everything then make a complete backed-up, bootable cd( I guess make my own rescue disk), so that I don't have to go thru' the process of spending ages at microsofts update site?

Any help you can give me on this would be soooo appreciated.

Btw, this is by far and large the best help resource for tech issues I've found, keep up the awesome work.
Thx a bunch

 

You could also make an Unatended OS install CD with most all MS updates slipstreamed into the CD, you can also slipstream drivers and many other utilities
If you get too many this can also be slipstreamed to DVD


I've done this using nLite

nLite Guide

Other Great info RyanVM's

MS downloads you can save them to PC,CD where ever you Like...


An Unatended, Slipstreamed OS install CD is the Cats AIS:major