The Acer Guy

Just a little something I picked up on my travels for all of you thinking about going the XP route but have an Aspire 2920.

Remember this is not something I recommend as your warranty basically takes a leap off the Golden Gate Bridge but as there are so many of you who ask, I really can’t ignore it.

Hope it helps.

Downgrading Acer Aspire 2920/2920Z to Windows XP SP2

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Sooner or later someone was going to put it this way. Didn’t think I would find it so comical. Or disturbing….

Coding Sanity has an article up about how he, well, upgraded to XP.

I hope this doesn’t go beyond 15 Diggs…

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This has been a long time coming. One of the most frequent questions I receive (and poor old Simone has to answer to) is “How do I put Windows XP on my PC?”

I’ve sent draft versions of these instructions to people who say the magic words in the right order and at the right moment but as Simone and I are seriously democratic kinda guys we decided to polish it up a little and publish it here.

I would like to make the usual disclaimer. I haven’t checked this with the legal department but please remember that this was done in the spare time of a guy who really does know what he’s doing. It is, therefore, authoritative but by no means official. I need to make this clear as you could be violating your warranty rights by doing this.

OK. Still interested? Right…

To install Windows XP on AS5920 / AS5920G you have a range of different choices:

First – using an FDD reader
You need an external USB FDD reader. The important thing is that this reader must be recognized by the BIOS of your computer, because it has to work as soon as the machine boots and Windows Setup starts.

Second – Integrating all necessary drivers into a Windows XP CD, this means burning a CD with added files.

Third – change the BIOS parameter “SATA mode” from AHCI to IDE (you need the BIOS v3708).
How? Turn on the notebook and press F2, move to “main” page, you can see the SATA mode parameter below in the page … change it with F5/F6 keys

Why do I have to do that?
What’s the difference?
Do I really have to do that?

Well, if you’ve got the time read on, otherwise, scroll down a few paragraphs.

AHCI is the main functionality mode for Intel HDD controller; it’s the enhanced mode that manages the latest SATA drives, but Windows XP cannot recognize this working mode because it’s too “old”. Vista Setup can work without problems, but who cares? You want WinXP!!

That’s why you need additional drivers - to inform WinXP about this new working mode of controller. Change mode from “AHCI” to “IDE” and the controller emulates the default IDE controller, so also Windows XP can recognize the controller without the new drivers but with its own.

What’s the best way? The new AHCI should be the right one, but I haven’t seen many differences during normal use… but that’s just my personal opinion. And if you don’t have an USB floppy driver, it’s probably also the quickest way to setup Windows…. Besides, it’s much better than buying one just to install Windows XP, no? 

I’m assuming you have the driver for the AHCI controller; it’s from f6flpy32 package v7.5.0.1017 or newer version, which you can download from the Intel support website.

If you want to go the IDE way, you don’t need this step, simply plug the CD and run.

When you have downloaded the zipped package, extract it . . . you will find another exe file (f6flpy32.exe), it’s a winimage file that lets you to create the floppy you will use later to install Windows XP.

(What? a floppy? in 2007 I really need a floppy?? – well, you have the second choice too)

I have added a picture for beginners and for all of you who don’t remember what it is…….

this is a floppy !

You need one of these for AHCI mode installation.

Now you need the FDD reader, plug it into a USB port, insert the floppy into the reader and run the “f6flpy32.exe” file.
When the program completes all steps, you will find some files inside the floppy:

Directory of A:\

09/14/2007 05:06 PM &ltDIR&gt .
09/14/2007 05:06 PM &ltDIR&gt ..
04/11/2007 01:36 AM 11,352 iaahci.cat
04/06/2007 03:29 PM 8,116 iaahci.inf
04/11/2007 01:41 AM 11,156 iastor.cat
04/06/2007 03:31 PM 7,678 iastor.inf
03/21/2007 12:58 PM 304,920 iastor.sys
04/11/2007 03:26 PM 11,321 license.txt
03/21/2007 12:09 PM 45,465 readme.txt
03/21/2007 11:59 AM 4,243 txtsetup.oem
8 File(s) 404,251 bytes

Now you should restart the notebook, press F2 and enter into CMOS BIOS setup
Move to MAIN screen and push F12 to change the boot sequence.

Insert your Windows CD into the optical drive (DVD burner unit) and restart the notebook again, saving all the changes.

When the Acer splash screen appears, you should see below a message like “press F2 ….. “ and newest message shown “press F12 to change the boot sequence”; OK!! Just do it, press F12 and choose to boot from optical DVD drive.

Press F6 immediately after Windows boots from the CD (you can read a message below on your screen, it’s shown as soon as Windows starts, on a blue background screen), press the F6 key more than once just to be sure the boot sequence can recognize the command but when you have done it, don’t expect a message from the system like “ok, I have understood what you want!” or “You’re installing manually, you’re a real PRO!” or “thanks for choosing our Company!”. Windows will continue as if nothing is happening, so don’t panic if you don’t see signs of life 

After about 10 seconds the message will change to “press F2 for …. blah blah blah”, this is the right moment to stop pressing the F6 key and wait while Windows setup runs.

Windows will now show you a new screen asking you to choose additional drivers from another source, press “S” key, Windows will read the floppy and will prompt a list of controllers, select the controller with name: Intel(R) 82801GBM SATA AHCI Controller (it should be the third on the list).

That’s all; Windows will load the correct driver from FDD and will continue the installation.
After this you will see the same screen as before, but his time the AHCI controller is listed; in this way you could add another driver if needed, but you don’t .

NOW press ENTER and go ahead partitioning HDD and installing Windows XP.

It’s not easy I know and AHCI technology requires some “special steps”, but if you really want XP Microsoft has made sure you have to jump through some rather spectacular hoops to do it.

The second option does not require a FDD reader, (easier!) but you need to burn a Windows XP bootable CD after adding the necessary files into the default Microsoft Windows CD content (not so easy!).

How do I do that? Just copy, paste and burn a new CD?
Mmmmh it seems easy, but it’s not the right way …

There are many guides in Internet that explain how to do this, and they are very detailed, don’t ask me to copy one of them here. If you want to use this option I strongly suggest you use “nlite” software and their guides to do all steps easily
The web site is easy to navigate trough, and there are guides in a lot of languages, really a great job!

And don’t forget the last option! You can install with IDE compatibility mode without any driver…
Some of you might be daunted by all this (I know Michael is!). Some of you might think I’ve only covered the main steps but that was the point of this post. There are plenty of other sites online with more in-depth guidelines (search for “how to install Windows XP”), but from a practical point of view, these are all the important steps you need to know.

I hope this guide will be easy enough for most of you … probably my concept of “easy stuff” is different from yours but I hope this helps…

One final note. I strongly suggest you check to see if the USB FDD reader is recognized by your AS5920 BIOS, just because I can use my Acer USB FDD reader, I cannot guarantee it’ll read yours even if I’ve never had any issues with USB floppy drives that failed with notebooks. . . .

How to check the FDD Bios recognition?
Simple:
1- Plug the FDD in a USB port
2- Start the notebook and press F2
3- Move to BOOT option screen
If you can see the USB FDD reader in the bootable device option list, you can use it to install Windows

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Here’s an interesting fact: Nearly half of the visitors to The Acer Guy are using Windows Vista.

I am assuming these Vista visits have a lot to do with the surge in interest over the Orbicam problems under this same operating system. And, as these Orbicams “stopped working”, I’m assuming all these people upgraded from XP.

Well, if you are in the 48.28% of visitors, can you let me know how the upgrade went? Were you brave enough to do it on your own or did you use Acer’s Express Upgrade?

Just for fun, here’s the OS split:

Windows Vista - 48.28 %
Windows XP - 47.52 %
Windows 2000 - 1.72 %
Mac OS - 0.95 %
Unknown - 0.57 %
Windows 2003 - 0.57 %
Windows 98 - 0.19 %
Windows CE - 0.19 %

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Notebook Review has an interesting article that my aggregator picked up this morning.

According to the article, Acer is about to “ditch” the Windows XP operating system.

70% of Acer’s notebook shipments in Taiwan are now using the Windows Vista operating system according to Acer’s president of marketing for Taiwan, Calvin Chang. Chang also said that Acer will no longer be shipping notebooks with Windows XP after Q3.

Is the time coming for all us XP die-hards to call it a day?

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More Vista worries here.

I have noticed a HUGE demand for “Acer OrbiCam driver” in my swicki. We’re talking a LOT of people: 759 searches (number 1 spot) compared to 130 for the second-placed “customer support” request.

I have found this link to DriverZone.com for the Acer OrbiCam driver. According to this page, the supported systems are:

Operating Systems: Win 98, Win 98SE, Win ME, Win 2K, Win XP, Win Server 2K3, Win Vista

Hope this helps if you’re in trouble.

UPDATE 1 (request): For all of you reading this article I need to know if the solution at DriverZone.com actually works. Can you leave a reply and let me know?

UPDATE 2 (request): Same thing applies to the Device Manager solution.

UPDATE 3: Scroll down for what might be a solution you didn’t know you had… (thanks Richard) or save yourself the time and click here.

UPDATE 4: I have closed comments to this post as the argument has moved on. Please read this post for a solution. Thanks.

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Got a mail from Bill yesterday asking help on a Vista upgrade problem.

Bill’s problem was that during the upgrade from Windows Xp to Vista, he “lost” GridVista and was no longer able to re-install it as his version of GridVista was no longer compatible.

Now I am not a software engineer, nor am I related to customer support but Bill’s misadventure got me thinking how bad/good the Vista upgrade process has been for other Acer users (and any other manufacturers for that matter).

Did it go smoothly? Did you run the Windows Vista Advisor before you installed and were the results accurate? Most of all, what, if anything, did you lose or gain in the process?

Again, this is not intended as a support page (you should check the Service and Support link at the bottom of your local Acer site to see which products have driver upgrades available), more as a testing ground to see if it was good for you too?

BTW, I’m still on XP.

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Got this post in my “TheAcerGuy” section. Apologies to Kim for taking it down which is why I’m re-posting it here, along with my response.

I don’t normally keep track of what’s available as the global market’s too darned hot for my liking. I prefer to leave that to shopping search engines or newsgator.

Hi Mike,
Like you, I have become an Acer fan. I tested the Aspire AS5610-4537, a 15″ notebook. A great machine, superb “Sony-like” display (HP, Gateway and Toshiba don’t get even close to this quality), superb sound quality, and I love the fact that they put a $/euro keys for users, nearby the arrow keys, instead of leaving the spaces empty like in many notebooks. What a waste…
Oh yeah, the SignalUp rocks!!
I have 2 questions and I think you might be able to help me on these:
1) I’d like to get a 14″ Acer Aspire 5590 notebook. The closest thing easily available on the US market is the 5580-7697.
But I want the 5590.
2) Is there any Acer 14″ in the market with a Core2Duo proc higher than the Intel T5200, i.e., with a clock faster than 1.6Ghz?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Kim

In answer to your questions, Kim, I have forwarded your question over to the US guys as they’re in a far better position than me to say what’s available and where.

In the meantime, I’ve had a look round a few US sites and can’t find a way of getting the 5590 to you. In addition to the logistical problems of buying outside your home market (keyboard setup like you mentioned in addition to battery voltages or just mains socket differences), there’s also the pain of warranty. I know this is unfounded and I’ll probably get kicked for saying this but I always like to buy things I might need serviced locally (think of the cost of importing and then servicing a low-production British sports car like the Marcos you just ordered from the factory).

Tiger Direct currently has a pretty good deal on a “refurbished 5570” while Amazon.com has a good selection of 14.1” Aspires on this link (no they aren’t affiliates).

I guess you saw the 5580 at Directron.com for $929.00. That’s the only place I found it.

It all boils down to how much you’re prepared to spend for a short-term performance benefit. At $599.99 for an Aspire 5570 you really can’t go far wrong, particularly if you compare that to the $1,859.97 for the stunning Ferrari 1000 from the same shop.

Having said that, if you’re going to want to run Vista with all the bells and whistles, a couple of hundred bucks more will make a dramatic difference to your Windows® Experience Index!

For your second question, as far as I’m aware the answer is no. If you’re after a speed rise, then you’re gonna have to wait a couple more months at least.

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During my usual rounds of what’s out there concerning Acer, I came across this forum post where you can upgrade the Empowering Technology from version 1.0 to version 2.0. The guy who posted it did it successfully on his Aspire 5672.

There’s even a video showing you how it looks (you might want to open it on the YouTube page and expand it to full screen as the quality isn’t that good).

If any of you decide this is worth it (the upgrade links all point to Acer Support Site), let me know how you get on.

While I’m on the subject of upgrading, has anyone actually upgraded to Windows Vista on their Acer yet? If there’s anyone out there that has I’d love to know how you got on and how easy/difficult it was.

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There are times when being an innocent bystander is a magical thing.

I got word of Edelman’s latest through Scoble and I personally think he’s right about the ethics.

Still, hearing positive comments like Scott Beale’s about the Acer Ferrari 1000 and Ferrari 5000s “given” to some of the world’s leading bloggers by Microsoft in collaboration with AMD to promote Vista really made me chuckle.

Brilliant move I say. But then I would, wouldn’t I?

Update 1: For the record, Acer’s PR team here in EMEA new nothing of this. I wish we had - I’d never have passed an opportunity like this to push the Ferraris.

Update 2: I think MS has a soft spot for Acer when it comes to big launches. When Bill Gates launched Windows XP Tablet edition back in 2002, he used an Acer C100 to do it.

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