Acer X1200 & Windows XP Install Problem

[pmshah]

pmshah i have already followed your steps to make the windows install cd with the added sataide driver, which worked nice thank you, i have formatted and installed xp thanks to that trick, im just have problems with these above drivers i have mentioned.

One possibility is to set your graphic card driver to the plain vanilla xga and then going to the M$ site for updates. Another possibility is to simply add drivers WITHOUT any other associated utility.

I have burnt my hands with a number of so called brand name products. nVidia chipset is one of them. I have had a lot of problems with their USB AND ethernet hardware. The other is the USB on Asus mobos. Onboard USB invariably fails. I simpy disable it in bios and add a via card for US$ 7/=. I may lose booting capability but can sve the motherboard. Since then I have standardised on AMD 780 chipset. Unfortunately you don't have that option.

What you might try is get the hardware ID for the items in question and do a Google search. You might just get lucky.

 

[Obidiah]

booting XP into Acer X3200

Hi

I have been following this thread whilst trying to install XP into a Acer X3200. After several frustrating attempts and still getting the BSOD I have finally found the answer.

Apart from either integrating the sata drivers into an XP Cd or using an external floppy and the F6 method you MUST do the following:

Go to the Acer site and download the AcerAppFix (also listed as Acer Preload Security Patch for Windows XP) from the utilities section - link below

://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/utilities.html

This must be installed via the existing Vista Operating system before you make any attempt to install XP.

After this XP will install as normal - but, as above, do not forget the sataraid drivers - they must go in one way or the other. If you need the drivers then let me know.

 

[hopon]

I've just bought a 3200 assuming that downgrading to XP would be straightforward and that any missing drivers etc would be on Acer's site. That'll teach me!!

If you have got the Sata drivers Obadiah it will save me hunt and then hoping I've got the correct ones. Did you slipstream them in to the XP cd or will windows pick them up from usb stick?

 

[Obidiah]

Hi hopon

(nearly rhymes that!)

I integrated the drivers into a cd and also made a floppy and installed via an external floppy drive, both worked well AFTER I had installed the patch I mentioned in the last post. I haven't tried from a usb as Windows installation does not recognise it,asking only for drivers on a floppy. I will put the drivers and the patch up onto either Badongo or Rapidshare and post the link here. I will do this a little later today. I integrated of the all Nvidia graphics drivers into the CD but just inserting the Sataraid drivers will do fine.

Bear in mind that both the audio and graphics drivers drivers are different from those for Vista. I shall post them also.

 

[kimsland]

Here's the free Server I recommend: http://savefile.com/upload.php
No Register/Login required

 

[hopon]

That will be great, thanks.

 

[Obidiah]

Hi Hopon

Below is the link to all the files you will need to install XP on your X3200. Its a RAR file (75mb) so just unpack it and use the various contents. There are a couple of notes in amongst it.

 

[hopon]

Why's Obidiah banned??

I've got slightly further along on my Acer 3200. I've used nlite and put the sata drivers in and the XP setup now see's the 3 partitions (recovery, OS and Data as Acer set them up). Set it to install in the OS directory and format the drive first. Now it goes so far along then come up with "
The signature for Windows XP Professional setup is invalid. The error code is
800b100

No signature in the subject


***

Fatal error

Setup failed to install the product catalogs. This is a fatal error. The setup log files
should contain more information."

Any ideas?

 

[kimsland]

Obidiah

Can you please re-post the driver link
You are now re-attached to this thread

 

[Obidiah]

Hi again all

Who did I upset in order to get banned? Just trying to help out here!

I have no idea what is going on but to add to it all the files I posted at badongo are no longer there!!

I shall do it all again tomorrow.

Hi hopon

Regarding your failed install I suspect it is just a bad disc burn. Do the whole thing again using a fresh copy from your original XP CD. Be very careful when modding the files and use a different burner. This error has most likely come from a burner error unless you have been changing the i1386 files

 

[hopon]

I don't think it's the burn as after it reboots following the failure I tried using a different disk when setup restarted as by that point the sata drievrs were already in and it got to the same point. From google it seems a fairly common thing to fail at 39 minutes left but without much of a clear resolution. Some have mentioned pulling memory so tried that and no difference.

 

[Obidiah]

Hi Hopon

I have had this problem in the past and the error code, like most, is fairly 'generic' in that it only points you in the general direction of the fault. Here are some of the possible causes:

Hard drive. This behavior can occur if Setup does not delete all of the files in the WinDir\System32\Catroot2 folder during removal of the earlier version of Windows. WinDir is the Windows installation folder. (or previous attempts at an install). Fully format the hard drive before starting setup - preferably as a slave on another machine. If this is not possible then I suggest one of two : reinstall Vista and then install the Utility from Acer that I mentioned earlier, then the XP cd with just the Nvidia drivers installed on it. The other way is to try going through the usual setup procedure but at the choice of partitions stage delete the one you wish to use and remake it prior to format and install

Driver conflict: Again this fault can occur if you are trying to install an incorrect driver loaded onto the CD or indeed if you are not installing a required driver with the setup. This also can happen when you install hotfix updates into the CD. With your setup I suggest you load into the CD the correct NVIDIA drivers for the chipset and xp.

Go to the link below and download all the drivers listed for XP, the whole forum is about x3200 and x1200 and is very interesting - full credit to Aramis tech for the hard work.

****ww.aramistech.com/reviews/acer-x1200-mini-pc-450/

Load the full Nvidia graphics drivers into the CD and try again after formatting the disc fully (if you want just the sataraid drivers then look in the package for folder IDE/XP/SATARATD and extract) - but In advise the full package to get all the chipset drivers in in one go.

One of the other (most obvious) causes is the CD unit you are using to install xp - just because its new doesn't mean its good!

Hope this is is some use - if think of any more then I will post. If you use the Aramis link above for the drivers and the Acer link for the patch

ww ://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/utilities.html

I have no need to post the drivers again

 

[kimsland]

I have no need to post the drivers again

Thanks for not just pasting the link in again

Anyway, instead of using the free server that you used (which is notoriously p0rn related) Best to use a free server like http://savefile.com/upload.php in future (if you ever decide to upload drivers or anything again )

 

[hopon]

Still no luck.

I've reburned the iso using the drive in the acer to rule out compatability between burners - I suppose there is the chance the drive in the Acer is ropey but it seems unlikely - this similar failure is too often bought up in google!!

I've also used a different HD and wiped all the partitions to rule out it being connected to the recovery partition.

Tried an iso with just the sata raid drivers and another with all of the nvidia ones as well, also this was on dvdr instead of cdr.

You mentioned installing the AcerAppFix in Vista first. Did you then just boot from the xp cd and let it install over the Vista partition as opposed to formating the drive?

Long shot I know but have you still got the iso you used? Any chance of uploading it somewhere? Even better a working ghost/trueimage image of the drive assuming you did one after the install?

 

[Obidiah]

Hi hopon

OK ; When I did the install on the last one I left Vista installed, inserted the 'fix' from Acer and then installed xp over the top - I cannot remember if I formatted the drive or not -I suspect not otherwise there would have been no point in applying any 'fix' I suppose - and then formatting the drive to remove it!!. Not knowing what the 'fix' does leaves an open ended question.

I actually did that install twice on the same machine - the reason being the first time I installed on the Data drive (D) and not C but when I tried to rearrange the drive letters found I could not reassign C - obvious really as it is classed as the boot drive by windows. Anyhow I then reinstalled over the top of Vista with no problem.

When I did the install on the last one I left Vista installed, inserted the 'fix' from Acer and then installed xp over the top - I cannot remember if I formatted the drive or not -I suspect not otherwise there would have been no in applying any 'fix' I suppose. Not knowing what the 'fix' does leaves an open ended question.

So I suggest you take this route to copy my install:

Reinstall Vista and apply the patch, then install either to the Data drive or over Vista. I suggest the data drive first to see how it goes.

I do have the iso to hand and will post it if needed, but just try it this way first and let me know.

By the way kimsland, I did originally try to load to savefile but could not get the little verification thingy to read anything that I could copy into the box - so could not go any further!! I'll give it another go - it's probably my security preventing the javascript working

cheers

 

[hopon]

Restored vista, applied the patch then set it to install over the vista C partition - not formatting, but deleting the existing data (or did you install in to a different directory?).

Same result Piece of crap, need to spend ages restoring Vista again now from the DVD's to try to a different directory......

 

[Obidiah]

Hi hopon

Well, we keep trying!

As I said, I had success both ways so next time put the patch on C dive within Vista, format D drive and install xp on D ------ see what happens

Just as an alternative suggestion: I have been running beta copies of Win 7 and so far it has looked good to me. On version 7068 now (32 bit) and its valid until march next year. It is as fast, if not faster than XP with plenty of usable features - very Vista like but much, much better than Vista ever could be. I'm sure its going to be a winner. I now prefer using it to XP, although XP is still very handy for some things Win 7 has problems with.

You can download it through this forum via rapidshare - its got to be worth a try what with all the grief you are getting. I'm sure it would install Ok - maybe a floppy for the sata drivers but they may already be installed.


cheers

 

[hopon]

Though about trying Win 7 but I want to use it in my office though so the time limit could be a factor. I could go up to vista business on here I suppose so at least it will connect to my domain. Otherwise it looks like it will be going back to Comet. Shame as the spec for the money is very good.

Would look nice next to the telly as a media player otherwise..... hmmmm

If you can up the iso you've had success with though, just as a last chance I would really appreciate it.

 

[hopkins001]

Ok im gonna need some help here too... I tried downgrading like all of you... got a bluescreen right away while loading windows install... figured out that i need drivers... got the sata_ide pack posted above... burned a moddified iso... worked for the setup... it let me format and pick partitions... coppied files.... rebooted... Installing windows... setup goes on... i set the admin pass... FINAL REBOOT... im all excited... and then BOOM

BSOD again...

what did i do wrong.... something is not right... maybe its cuz windows tries to load some other driver that i should remove first... i dont know... everything seems right... im using Win xp pro sp2 MSDN edition... fully legit copy from school with no sp2 on it.

 

[Obidiah]

Hi to Hopkins001

Read my post on page 2 and make sure you do as follows FIRST!

Go to the Acer site and download the AcerAppFix (also listed as Acer Preload Security Patch for Windows XP) from the utilities section - link below

://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/utilities.html

This must be installed via the existing Vista Operating system before you make any attempt to install XP.

 

[hopkins001]

Thanks for your reply... really appreciated... i solved my problem last night after burning a 3rd iso... I re-added the drivers... i used the sata driver from the package mentioned above and i extracted the whole realtek package in there too.
I think that's what solved it. I couldn't apply the patch since the vista system was long gone from the partition... i wiped the whole thing down before i even got to setup xp... i know that was dumb but u know,.. like mitnik once said... there is no patch for stupidity... rofl....

Anyways thanks for your help... after 3h of trying i got it fully working with all the drivers and updates...

What worked for me is a clean xp copy with drivers added:

- sata_ide pack from above rs link
- along with WDM_R231 from realtek hd

wouldnt work without that realtek... gave me another bsod after a final reboot into the system...

THX again