  We use a combination of deep Chandra X-ray observations and radio continuum
imaging to investigate the origin and current state of the intra-group medium
in the spiral-rich compact group HCG 16. We confirm the presence of a faint
($L_{X,{\rm bolo}}$=1.87$^{+1.03}_{-0.66}$$\times$10$^{41}$ erg/s), low
temperature (0.30$^{+0.07}_{-0.05}$ keV) intra-group medium (IGM) extending
throughout the ACIS-S3 field of view, with a ridge linking the four original
group members and extending to the southeast, as suggested by previous Rosat
and XMM-Newton observations. This ridge contains
6.6$^{+3.9}_{-3.3}$$\times$10$^9$ solar masses of hot gas and is at least
partly coincident with a large-scale HI tidal filament, indicating that the IGM
in the inner part of the group is highly multi-phase. We present evidence that
the group is not yet virialised, and show that gas has probably been
transported from the starburst winds of NGC 838 and NGC 839 into the
surrounding IGM. Considering the possible origin of the IGM, we argue that
material ejected by galactic winds may have played a significant role,
contributing 20-40% of the observed hot gas in the system.
