Acer One - Install XP?

thewools

Has anyone booted Windows XP and drivers onto a netbook via a USB Flash drive?

Been asked to look into changing a friends ACER Aspire One to XP from the Linux O/S which it currently runs.

Difficult?

I have installed Windows before but always used a CD Drive - but there is no CD Drive on the Acer One - is there much difference?

TerrorFirmer

Nope, it's extremely easy. Just Google some tutorials on it, there's loads out there - and be sure to have a look at Nlite, with which you can strip down the installation to a minimum/just plain cut out the useless stuff.

thewools

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

Nope, it's extremely easy. Just Google some tutorials on it, there's loads out there - and be sure to have a look at Nlite, with which you can strip down the installation to a minimum/just plain cut out the useless stuff.

Cheers, will have a look online for some step by step guides...

Nlite is interesting but not sure if I require to use it - I dont norm mess around with the Windows package.

Would Windows 7 Beta be more suitable to a netbook than XP? Do you require an initial Windows package to upgrade to the Beta version as the Acer currently runs Linpus Lite?

h8red

You don't need an existing windows installation to use Windows 7 Beta. Can't comment on it's suitability for a netbook but I can tell you it's damn good compared to Vista.

thewools

h8red wrote: »

You don't need an existing windows installation to use Windows 7 Beta. Can't comment on it's suitability for a netbook but I can tell you it's damn good compared to Vista.

Thanks,

However what happens when the Beta expires on August 1st though?

h8red

That's the catch I suppose. I presume you'll have to buy the full version. I also presume you couldn't "upgrade" to the full version from the Beta. You'd probably be better off wiping the whole thing and doing a fresh install anyway.

mack81

What colour is it??

Black_Knight

Check out this Aspire One Forum, it helped me alot after I had some troubles.

I used an external CD drive to install mine, similar idea to the USB stick I guess.

Make sure you use an XP Service Pack 3 CD. Get an nlite'd one if possible. I used XP SP2 before and it didnt recognise the processor in the AAO (acer aspire one).

After you've installed XP SP3, put on your chipset drivers, VGA drivers, Lan and Wireless lan drivers in that order. Restarting when prompted. Connect to your wireless network and reboot. Ive had lots of problems with the wireless drivers, where after a reboot my "network connections" is empty and I cant connect to anything.

I eventually had to try a different copy of XP SP3 to get it working.


Also, after installing you'll probably get an error about your battery. You'll need to download and copy batt.dll to your system32 folder.

After thats all done, your more or less set.

**Tips**
-An extra 1gb of ram would go a long way too! Follow a guide on youtube to see how its done (its by no means an easy accessable area). PS. Make sure the ribbon cable from your SSD to motherboard is in propperly when your putting it back together, mine wasnt and it gave me BSODs.
-Install portable apps to an SD card if you have one put it in the "extra storage" slot. The SSD is a bit slow so the less time your accessing that the better.
-When installing the card reader drivers, copy them from your USB to the desktop, they wont install from the USB.

damul

its harder to do on black laptops

Black_Knight

damul wrote: »

its harder to do on black laptops

Good thing the AAO is a netbook! :cool:

thewools

Black_Knight wrote: »

Check out this Aspire One Forum, it helped me alot after I had some troubles.

I used an external CD drive to install mine, similar idea to the USB stick I guess.

Make sure you use an XP Service Pack 3 CD. Get an nlite'd one if possible. I used XP SP2 before and it didnt recognise the processor in the AAO (acer aspire one).

After you've installed XP SP3, put on your chipset drivers, VGA drivers, Lan and Wireless lan drivers in that order. Restarting when prompted. Connect to your wireless network and reboot. Ive had lots of problems with the wireless drivers, where after a reboot my "network connections" is empty and I cant connect to anything.

I eventually had to try a different copy of XP SP3 to get it working.


Also, after installing you'll probably get an error about your battery. You'll need to download and copy batt.dll to your system32 folder.

After thats all done, your more or less set.

**Tips**
-An extra 1gb of ram would go a long way too! Follow a guide on youtube to see how its done (its by no means an easy accessable area). PS. Make sure the ribbon cable from your SSD to motherboard is in propperly when your putting it back together, mine wasnt and it gave me BSODs.
-Install portable apps to an SD card if you have one put it in the "extra storage" slot. The SSD is a bit slow so the less time your accessing that the better.
-When installing the card reader drivers, copy them from your USB to the desktop, they wont install from the USB.

Sounds tougher than I thought... :eek:

Will see can I find an XP disc firstly...

briantwin

Yeah i've installed XP onto an Aspire One before. Its not actually that difficult. The easiest way was to use and external Cd-Rom drive.
Off a pen drive is not too dificult either.

A bit of advice would be to install MicroXP its a very cut down version. Takes 15minutes in total to install and it runs very very well on the acer seeing as you cant upgrade the memory on them from 512mb to 1gb. The drivers are easily available. If you send me a PM i'll email you the links.

Breezzzzze

A word of warning about installing windows onthe aa1.

If your aspire one is a SSD version, windows will crawl along. I put a compactflash into mine as a ss replacement and now it is fast - boots in c. 10-15 sec.

Black_Knight

briantwin wrote: »

.......seeing as you cant upgrade the memory on them from 512mb to 1gb....

Yeah you can. in the SSD version im pretty sure theres 512 built into it, and an expansion slot to add another 1gb.

Black_Knight

thewools wrote: »

Sounds tougher than I thought... :eek:

Will see can I find an XP disc firstly...

To be honest, it was probably something to do with the nlite'd version of XP I was using. Though I wouldnt advise putting a full version of XP on it.

Breezzzzze

Oh yeah I forgot. The memory on an Acer Aspire One can be increased by adding a 512MB or 1GB SDRAM. It's not like an EeePC where the memory is hardwired.

The install process is a bit tricky though - there is no "access hatch" on the back of the case, so the unit has basically to be disassembled and the motherboard taken out to install the new memory. Its not particularly difficult - just a bit nerve racking to do.

There's also a spare USB header on the motherboard. I have soldered on another USB socket to mine, and I can access this by opening the slot at the back of the case. (At the moment I have a fast usb stick on the new port.)

Great machine for messing about with. And so quiet. One of the best buys I've made.

thewools

Well I dont find it that good from playing around with it currently - perhaps Im not good with Linux O/S's.

Prefer my Samsung NC10 anyday..

This Acer one has the 120GB hard disc... So it doesnt have the SDD like the other models.

Black_Knight

You could throw on full XP if you wanted so (space isnt an issue), but id still recommend getting a lite version. It will just be much faster overall.

All drivers are the same anyways and available on the acer website.

thewools

briantwin wrote: »

Yeah i've installed XP onto an Aspire One before. Its not actually that difficult. The easiest way was to use and external Cd-Rom drive.
Off a pen drive is not too dificult either.

A bit of advice would be to install MicroXP its a very cut down version. Takes 15minutes in total to install and it runs very very well on the acer seeing as you cant upgrade the memory on them from 512mb to 1gb. The drivers are easily available. If you send me a PM i'll email you the links.

Ye I seen that all the drivers are on the Acer site so thanks for the offer anyways!!