Can't Install XP-Pro

Hello,

I just got an Acer Aspire One AOD150-1577, and an Samsung SE-S084B/RSBN External Slim USB DVD-Writer. I've tried to upgrade to an XP Pro disc that I have, and I've had nothing but trouble:

1) In BIOS, after boot, I'll get the prompt "press a key to boot from CD" and when I do, the machine just freezes.

2) In Windows XP (Home), when I attempt to upgrade/install from Autoplay, a black DOS box quickly pops up and disappears. Nothing else happens.

Has anyone experienced this? I'm trying to figure out how to best install XP-Pro.

Thank you!
Michael

 

You just seem to have a bad XP CD. Get another copy. There should be no problems installing. Do you have any particular reason for upgrade from XP home to Pro? There's essentially no difference to both other than some advanced networking that 99.99% of us won't ever use. Just asking, as Pro will only use up more RAM. It will not improve on anything over XP Home.

 

Hmmm.. I've been burning my ISOs from MSDN (I have a licensed subscription), and I've tried two. Both end up in the same result. The CDs themselves register just fine. I can browse and install them on VMs. So it does appear the problem is with the Acer install image.

As for the reason: I run a domain in my home and I want to connect to it.

 

Try upgrading the BIOS. Windows setup is pretty standard in the early stages of install. I can't see any problem why it won't install. Many have installed all sorts of XP versions(including Pro) and have succeeded. Try to borrow a different USB DVD drive, but that's also a remote possibility.

 

I have been trying to do the same thing with a AOD250-1924 and have had very similar issues when trying to upgrade to XP Pro.

1) If I try to boot from a USB CD drive and install XP Pro I get partially through the setup process and then I get a Blue Screen of Death and the install fails, but I am still able to boot into XP Home.

2) If I put the XP Pro disc in while booted in XP Home and tell it to install, it copies files to the hard drive to boot from then tries to boot from it but them gives me an error saying that the data in that boot was corrupted.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

Seems I ran into this quite some time ago on my AA1. I think got around it by going into the bios at the first re-boot and changing the boot priority back to HDD first. Then re-boot again but leave the usb cd connected so windows can finish the install.

 

Which method of installation are you referring to? Booting from the XP disc in the USB CD Drive or booting from the setup files on the HDD that the setup disc installed from inside XP Home?

Thanks!

 

I was installing from a external cd drive connected to the usb port. I had gone into the bios and set usb cd as first boot device, hdd second device and so on. You start the install by booting into the windows disk, it runs for several minutes coping files over to the hdd, then reaches the first re-boot point. It is here that I change the boot priority back to hdd first. The install will run off the hdd now but still need to have the cd in the external drive to finish the install. This extra step will get you past the hang up after you see the "boot from cd/boot normally" choice.

 

Man I feel like a chowderhead! I got my ISO's mixed up. It does appear that the problem was with the ISO. Totally my bad. Now... to upgrade!

 

I never got to the first re-boot point when trying this method. However we are in the process of trying to load XP via a USB flash drive as explained in the HOW TO. Hopefully it works!

 

Alright... now something is terribly wrong. I upgraded in XP Home, and now when my Aspire One reboots, it goes to an dos prompt: "A disk read error occurred Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart." Unfortunately it appears all my keys are locked; I can't even reboot. Hm!

 

The adventure continues. Looks like I just had to boot from CD and select the 'Continue upgrade' option. Man, talk about walking a tightwire!

 

Sounds like you are going to get there now.

Chow

Jim

 

That is the same error I was getting.

I was not able to select 'Continue upgrade' option like you could. It would just do a normal install and get a BSOD in the middle and stop. What service pack is on the XP CD you are using? Is it the same or newer than what is running on the netbook? My CD only has SP2 and the netbook was running SP3 so it didn't want to 'downgrade'.

 

Yes... I thought for sure that I would not get the option to continue the upgrade, only start from scratch altogether. The ISO image I'm using is XPProSP3, and my Aspire is XPHomeSP3. It looks like it will actually upgrade... I've been at this for about a week now, so this is a welcomed sight.

 

I have been in the same boat, but I have now successfully installed XP Pro using a SP2 iso image with drivers preloaded into the iso and booting from a U3 USB flash drive. It worked like a champ! I am now in the process of making sure all the drivers loaded correctly, I am SO GLAD this worked!

 

Michael,

What website did you go to get the SP2 ISO Image with drivers preloaded? I have the Aspire One D250 and I can not get the external CD Rom to boot for Windows XP Pro. My Aspire One got the Windows Home Edition but I wanted to upgrade to Windows XP Pro and can't seem to do by using an external CD Rom. I even went into the boot sequence and put the USB CDROM on the top of the list to boot but it always boot on the HDD.

Can you please explain to all the NON technical people out there on how to install a fresh OS by using a USB Flash drive?

Thanks in advance!!!!!