Well it had Vista Home 64bit edition and i have Xp Pro 32 and 64bit editions. And im trying to find the Drivers. Let me explain what i did and see if im lost. I downloaded the drivers as i dont have a orginal CD Acer is sendinfg some recovery ones tho. it was an .EXE from nvidia and am i suppose to run the exe or use winRAR on the EXE to get the SataIDE Driver? or Can you send me the Driver that you have on the cd as this is killing me by not. When i get home im going to try and winRar the .EXE and see what i get i have made a crap load of failed CDs by not.

Well forget about everything. Here is a RS download link which contains the sata_ide drivers for 32 bit winxp. It is the original one furnished by Acer. Since I do not have 5 posts yet I am not allowed to post a link so I am going to break it up. You have to add the necessary prefix and remove the spaces.

rapidshare.com /files /165352230 /sata_ide.zip

Simply unzip the file. Start nLite and select add drivers. Point to this folder. If you get multiple drivers select only the 32 bit & remove the 64 bit. nLite should give you a message as adding these drivers in boot mode. You need them in this mode as even the DVD drive is a sata version which would otherwise not be detected after the first restart of windows.

Let it create the iso and burn it using any decent software like ImageBurn. I also suggest that you get hold of some CD-RWs. Save you hell of lot of heart burn.

This process worked flawlessly for me.

I done everything in this forum, i was able to install xp pro, but the file at aramistech.com/reviews/acer-x1200-mini-pc-450 for xp drivers never worked when i excute the program 'nForce_5.10_WinXP2K_WHQL_english.exe' its runs for a few secs to the end of the progress bar then just quits so i tried another chip set from nvidia '15.24_nforce_winxp32_international_whql.exe' which made alot of drivers appear, got all the drivers from that set except video controller and network controller,it even installed the 8200 display driver, but on reboot xp loads but screen goes dark after the xp progress bar ending at boot time, so i went back in on safemode and checked to see which drivers were messed up and it was the two i mentioned video controller and network controller, tried to reinstall but same problem. Also my AX1200 model is AX1200-E1731A has 3 gigs of memory and 640 gig HD, now this model I can't find anywhere, not google not no where.....plz help

Neither the size of the hdd nor the amount of ram makes any difference.

Follow my earlier instructions and your installation will run smoothly. If the need be lay your hands on a Realtech chipset (rtl5110) USB to ethernet dongle. This is supported by XP native drivers. You will then be able to access internet and get the correct drivers for the rest of your system.

BTW if you have registered copy of Xp you can go to M$ site and let windows it self update the drivers. It does an excellent job of it.

I can connect to the internet fine that works for some weird reason even tho it says in yellow question mark network controller, but my built in wifi isn't found nor working, ive tried the updates online no go, and my updates are working its a good copy if xp pro, so i guess its just my video thats real big concern, i can go in and see windows when i run safe more or vga mode, so to recap i have two drivers missing i think says in yellow question marks network controller and video controller (VGA)

Also dunno if i added the problem but i update my bois to NWR01A3.exe from the acer site,and i noticed in the bois video pci and onboard its now 256 megs on both which i can't change, and im sure it used to be 128 megs, thats another thing what should i have set in the bios pci or onboard ?

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.

Ok now I just noticed now,when i booted in xp VGA Mode, I goto my display settings advanced settings i see Geforce 8200 512 megs, but when i try to adjust the resolution it goes black sceen with a blinking white cursor at the top left coner of sceen..

Ok so i have a display driver and my ethernet driver i know this cause im online with my r45 cable hooked up to router, Im guess this yellow question mark next to my network controller is for the wirelless card they have attatched in the back, and im guessing the other yellow question mark beside the video controller is for another video card i have, think thiers 2 right ? if i have 8500 nvidia already which one shoud i be looking for same with this wireless card in the back im not sure what that is eirther

Seems this system is alot newer then the ones dicussed here has a whole other videocard and wireless card

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

That will be great, thanks.

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.

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?

Obidiah

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

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

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.

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

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 )

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?

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