Can not install XP (I think I've tried everything)

[PT789]

Hi,

Background

1. Just bought ACER Aspire M5711 (desktop), in Thailand it comes with Linux (to save cost?)
2. Decided to install XP... what a nightmare Blue Screen of Death when tried the first time to install XP
3. Did a lot of research on the net...

Solutions?

Solution 1: Tried the 'nLite' to create a new XP boot disc with the new SATA drivers.
Result 1: It installed XP fine, however when it boots it got stuck in a ever re-starting loop after the initial Windows XP logo... - MAJOR FAILED

Solution 2: USB FDD, copied the SATA drivers to a FDD, use with the normal unaltered XP installation disc, I was told to press F6 then select the additional drivers manually.
Result 2: While installing XP, and after pressing F6, the installation process could not find the USB FDD (I had checked the compatibility for the USB FDD it was on the list, so it should have been ok). - FAILED

Solution 3: Change the BIOS, found that it was possible to disable the 'Raid' in the BIOS to IDE... this should resolve the issue (not perfect, may have stability issue, I was willing to live with that)
Result 3: Acer Aspire M5711 BIOS was locked for disabling the 'raid' option - FAILED

Solution 4: To go Vista 32
Results 4: After turning on with the boot disc, the installation kept asking for CD/DVD driver... can not go beyond this point - FAILED (getting tired now)

If anyone can shed some light on this it would be more than greatly appreciated... I am willing to try almost anything...

Thanking you all in advance.

PT789

[SmirnOFF]

Hey...!
Buy a genuine Windows XP if you wan't no trouble...! See if your Laptop supports Windows Vista or XP Some new laptops don't support XP and supports Vista only. You can install XP but you won't finde sound driver and even if you find one, that won't work...! k...! Go to bios and select the option IDE not raid. If you find an option check whether on board sata is enabled. Now again try to boot from CD and fresh install XP/Vista whichever you wan't to...! All the best...!

[PT789]

Hi SmirnOFF,

Many thanks for the feed back, already tried the BIOS option, there was no option to choose IDE.

Will try your suggestion with the real Vista, I think XP is a deadend.

Many thanks.

[Sniperz]

Since your laptop is new, you can take it to the shop/dealer from where you bought it and complain him about these issues. You should have given it for check at the time when you was getting recurring restarts on XP. A new laptop should not cause such problem with an OS like XP which is worldwide acceptable smooth OS. Now since you have played with BIOS, the dealer may not entertain much. Still, scold him why OSs like Vista and XP are not loading.

[racer]

Or you should have asked for help here at the same time when you was getting restart issues on XP installation. It would have been easier to identify the problem and possibly solve the issues.

Anyways, what I want to know is, did you uninstall Linux before installing XP or were you trying to dual boot XP with Linux?

[PT789]

Hi Racer,

I am afraid I did not uninstall Linux, however I did manage to re-format/partition the drive before trying to install XP (please kindly see solution 1 in the original post). So in a way I did get rid of Linux before the installation.

Please accept my most sincere thanks for your attention.

I am now looking to Vista (as this is a desktop it should be ok) if only I can get pass the 'requesting for CD/DVD driver'.

[yurz]

How do you uninstall Linux by btw ? And how did you actually format/repartition your m5711 ? I cannot even go beyond starting windows during the Win xp installation progress. I'm facing exactly the same problem as you PT789. Can the raid be disable ?

[PT789]

Hi Yurz,

Eventually I gave up on XP, and bought and installed Vista (OEM version), by the way I had a terrible time installing Vista too (not Vista's fault).

I didn't really uninstall Linux, but wiped the whole Hard Disk clean when installing Vista (during the installation (blue screen), I had decided to re-partition the Hard Disk, thus getting rid of Linux).

Even during the installation of Vista, it wouldn't install because it needed 'raid drivers', here is the summary of what I did.

1. I had to buy a 'Floppy disk USB drive'
2. Downloaded the chipset driver, expand it, then copy the needed driver to a floppy disk
3. Insert the floopy disk (with the drivers) into the floppy disk USB, then connect it to the computer
4. Turn on the PC, put the Vista disc into the DVD drive, then hard reset, to restart the PC
5. Once the PC restarts, I chose to run and install the Vista dvd
6. Here is the pain, once Vista starts to install, it will ask for the missing drivers, so I had to manually choose the drivers that was on the floppy disk
7. After all that Vista installed beautifully

I also had another problem, after installing Vista, and all of the drivers, one component still didn't work (no driver in the CD that came with the PC), that component was 'WiFi'... I had to hunt for the WiFi driver through (http://www2.acer.co.th/acerthai2/ind...d=29820&gid=13) however, this site is in Thai so I am not sure if you'll understand it, I am sure there is a similar page in your country.

After all that the PC works perfectly (knock on wood), I must have wasted a gazzilion hours trying to install XP, then another couple more hours installing Vista on this hardware, usually I would put a PC together myself, but this is for a small office so I had decided to buy from a trusted vendor... what a nightmare.


Good luck

Cheers

PT789

[yurz]

Hi PT789
Sori it took me this long to reply. Managed to finally installed XP on the machine. Yup it was a nightmare but the link that you gave did helped me a lot. The trick seemed to be the chipset and sata drivers. Nevertheless all seems to rosy now. Thanks a lot for your guidance.

Cheers