Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP/Win7

THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED (AT LEAST) WEEKLY UNTIL I GET SOME VERSION OF WINDOWS LOADED
(Or until I smash my One into a million beautiful tiny little blue pieces in a fit of rage)

Hi Everyone.

About a year ago I stumbled across this thread:

http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=59&hilit=ssd+mods

I bought my A110, used the Linpus linux for a while, decided it sucked, and tore it apart about 4 days later. That was back in November 2008. At this time almost 12 months later I still don't have this project complete, I've spent about $350CAD on parts, and still cannot get XP or Windows 7 Home Basic to install. I have read about 300 various forum pages of information, not to mention technical sites and other resources, and gathered a lot of good information. So I decided I would post everything I have learned so far, and hopefully someone who has this working can show me where I've gone wrong, and maybe I can help someone else who is still struggling.

Important things (Where I went wrong, wasted lots of money, and how to avoid the same issues)

The ZIF to CF adapter

The black ones don't work. Period. Don't waste your time. Cheapest place I have found a working one is Deal Extreme. It also includes the cable you need:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11814

Here are pictures of the two black types, and the good green one:

The most common "bad" one. Note the that the pins on the CF socket are clean, the empty R4 connection, and the flip lock ZIF connector


The modified version of the above one that still does not work. Note the soldered pins near the top of the CF socket, the jumpered R4 connection, and the push in ZIF connector


This is the good one, it looks similar to the first black one, but actually works.



The ZIF Cable type

You must use a Flip ZIF cable. Here are pictures of the various types:

The standard cable (Two of the same cable, side by side, top and bottom view)


The flip cable (Two of the same cable, side by side, top and bottom view)


The Compact Flash Card type

You must use a card that can be set to fixed mode. This is not a common feature anymore unfortunately. It usually means the card is using SLC memory, which brings up the cost as well.

This Lexar card does not work:


This Transcend one does:


The Ferrite Filter

Must be removed and installed on the new flip cable. See image just above this one.

Confirming the Flash Drive Shows in the BIOS

If this screen does not show all the details of the drive, something is incorrectly hooked up:

Boot Order:


The BIOS Version

Every successful XP or Win7 install I have seen has been on the original 3110 shipping BIOS. I upgraded mine during troubleshooting the defective adapter mentioned above, to the latest 3310 Bios many months ago. I am not sure if this is the root of all my heartache, but I've just about run out of ideas.

These versions of BIOS are available for download currently:

3114
3304
3305
3308
3309
3310

Where I am stuck

I have tried to install XP Pro SP2. I get through text mode setup, but then get a NTOSKRNL.EXE error. See below:




I have also tried to install XP Pro SP3. I get through text mode setup, but then get a HAL.DLL error. Pictures coming

I have also tried Windows 7 Home Basic. I got through the graphical modem setup, but on reboot came to a text mode screen where the text was all square boxes and not readable.

I tried a second time, and now it will not read the disk, indicating to check the logs, without saying where those logs might be.

Things I have tried to do to resolve:
Edit Boot.ini (Confirmed that it only boots from Disk 0 Partition 1)
Confirmed Files copied correctly from another PC (Byte by byte comparison of NTOSKRNL.EXE, file is "perfect")
Tried burning new CD from original Microsoft XP VL ISO, both SP2 and SP3
Tried NTFS and FAT32
Tried pre-formatting the CF Disk with FAT32 File system.
Tried multiple CD Drives
Tried using USB flash drive with both SP2 and SP3.
Tried multiple Flash drives
Tried Windows 7 Home Basic twice, first time it "installed" fine from graphics mode, then rebooted into a text mode screen, but the font was unreadable.
The second time I tried it, it refuses to install on the disk.

Things I have not tried yet:
Reverting BIOS to older version
Integrating the Intel drivers into the XP CD (It does not need F6 drivers, the disk is recognized right away)
Try different IDE to USB adaptor (This one has worked for other PC's to load XP tho...)
Look at HAL

Things that work!
Ubuntu 9.04 Netbook Remix loads and runs fine

Things that I want to implement on the XP install (If/When I get it working)
Cache boost I read about somewhere and now cannot find the link for
Found link:
http://windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/excerpt/CarPCHacks_Chap1/index.html
Disabling Page File
FlashFire (Speed boost tech for SSD)
http://flashfire.org/xe/

Possible Hardware Hacks above and beyond CF
http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=13518&start=0

Handy Software Tools used during hacking

Older versions of the Acer Aspire One BIOS files:
ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/netbook/aspire_one_110/bios/

UNetbootin allows you to create bootable Live USB drives for a variety of Linux distributions from Windows or Linux, and is handy for making FreeDOS bootable USB drives for Flashing the BIOS:
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

DAEMON Tools Lite - Allows you to mount ISO's as a virtual DVD or CD Drive
http://www.daemon-tools.cc/eng/downloads

WinToFlash starts a wizard that will help pull over the contents of a windows installation CD or DVD and prep the USB drive to become a bootable replacement for the optical drive. It can also do this with your LiveCD. Great for making XP, Vista or Win7 bootable USB keys, and much cleaner than some of the 12 step processes I have seen:
http://wintoflash.com/home/en/




Any help/suggestions/ideas/additional information would be appreciated.
This first post on this thread will be updated with new information and pictures as I go

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

Updates above. Biggest thing to report as the hardware all works fine with Ubuntu 9.04 Netbook Remix. I don't like like the interface, but I'm going to be learning some Linux until I can get the XP situation straightened out. Best idea I've heard so far is to check the HAL that windows is trying to load, as the CF "disk" is definitely working, but XP is failing to load NTOSKRNL.EXE, which suggests a driver issue reading the disk, possibly relating to the HAL and the Atom platform. I'm also trying to find out what chipset it uses online, I suppose I should look at the motherboard before I reassemble the whole thing instead of playing with Google. I'll get some more pictures too. My ultimate goal is to have a complete walk through of the procedure, from dis-assembly to cutting the circuit board on the CF adapter, and where to get parts for everything.

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

Well I had a big long post for you typed up, and at the very end my dial up DC'ed. Lol. So ill sum what I said up quick. Instead of focusing on XP, which is going to be going by the wayside within the next year, focus on Windows 7, which not only is a better OS in every way, shape and form, but it will outperform XP and of course outperform Vista. What I would do, if I were in your shoes, is go to Microsofts site and download the free Windows 7 RC, 32 bit build. Put the install files on a flash drive and install the bootloader to the flash drive by following a guide online. You would have to do this on a Windows OS, not Linux, because to install the bootloader, you have to be running Windows. So you would have to either use a second computer running Windows in your house or borrow a friends to get Windows 7 on a flash drive.

Then, if it installs and runs great on your One, you're in the clear. Then on the 22nd this month when the real thing comes out, you can either buy it or wait for a torrent, whichever you are wanting to do, as the RC expires June of next year. I know that this would be running away from your problems, but after being a former Linux "tryer" , I would try anything to get away from it.

Richard

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

I will be trying Windows 7 this week hopefully, I have a friend who has it ready to go, I just need to make it over there to visit.

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

And even if Windows 7 works, I will not be giving up on the quest for XP. I don't like unanswered questions, they keep me up at night.

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

Haha, sounds good. Be sure to post when you get your hands on Windows 7. If I get some free time I may look into some of the errors you have been getting in your XP installs, we shall see. Good luck!

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

Windows 7 install did not go well. Graphics mode install went fine. Rebooted into a text mode screen, but all I saw were boxes (High ASCII square shape) where the text should be. Hit enter a few times, some screens shifted but I have no idea what was happening. Going to reburn the DVD and try again. Will try USB key boot too. I did all of this at work on Friday afternoon, and I didn't have proper tools really.

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

Windows 7 install will not install on the disk now, gives an error and says to check the logs, no idea where these logs are stored however, and didn't have a chance to look. Tried XP SP3 from a different USB key using a different method. HAL.DLL will not load on that one. These were all quick attempts between other stuff going on. Hoping to set aside a whole night to play with this some more.

Found another reference to Windows 7 working on the same config (A110, 1.5GB, CF 8gb Upgrade), but with BIOS 3110 instead of 3310. Definitely going to look into downgrading the BIOS on this unit, I hope its possible.




Frustrating is not quite an adequate word at this point.

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

Older versions of the BIOS do not appear to be available from the North American site, the but the Euro FTP site has a few:

ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/netbook/aspire_one_110/bios/

Not sure if I want to try these as they do not match what I recall being the version numbers for the NA ones, and I really don't want to brick this thing. Going to see if I can find anyone who has the 3110 original BIOS, or may contact Acer Directly.

 

Re: Upgrading A110 with ZIF to CF adapter, 8GB 300X CF, XP Pro

BIOS's I've been able to find:

3114
3304
3305
3308
3309
3310

I am downgrading to 3114 and trying XP SP3 again from USB key now.

 

Many many many updates to main post above. Currently I am installing XP SP3 from USB again, but with the 3114 BIOS. I need a faster USB key, as this one takes forever to install from. CD is actually quicker in this case, but that's what I get for $8 for a 2GB key from The Source....

 

Sigh. Time for a beer. Then I'll try Win 7 again with the 3114 BIOS.

Code:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing
or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

 

Did some more troubleshooting on XP.

Got nowhere, as behavior changed.

Was reading some stuff about checking boot.ini, and other things.

Tried a bootcfg /rebuild, got an error which escapes me at the moment.

Ran fixboot which should just rewrite the MBR, and when I went to do a directory listing, all the files that were previously on the flash drive were no longer there. This called for another beer.

Tried to install XP again, got an error that the disk could not be formatted. It was "already" FAT32, but would not take a quick format. Had to delete partition and create new one. I'm trying NTFS again just because its been a while.

At this point I'm starting to suspect my "good" CF to ZIF adaptor is buggy. Maybe its time to buy number six, and retire five to the junk pile? Or maybe my Transcend 300X CF card is bad? It shouldn't be bogus, its a special order through a distributer that I generally trust to get what I ask for. Although maybe I will check the serial number with them directly. Everything points to hardware. Tomorrow I also should try that Ubuntu distro again and see if it still works or not. Anyways, I've run out of beer (and ideas), so I am going to bed. Probably another 30 or 40 minutes until XP is done, I'm sure some kind of black screen will await me in the morning, place your bets on what random error it will be this time.

M

 

Have bought an OCZ Throttle eSATA 8GB Flash Drive Part number - OCZESATATHR8G, this device is a dual mode USB Key and ESATA drive. Plan is to steal power from a usb port to power, and solder on a SATA to eSATA bracket, after cutting the wire back a ways.

http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/reviews/storage/OCZ_Throttle_1.html

Going to do something similar to this:

http://www.theacerguy.com/2009/01/aspire-one-a110-25-sata/

Giving up the ZIF to CF thing for now.

 

Good news, XP worked like a charm. I had a friend with a better eye and more stead hand do the soldering. I will post pics soon.

 

Are you saying the 'better hand / steady eye' soldering made the CF adapter work? or have you indeed totally abandoned the CF adaptor method?

 

DO NOT BOTHER INSTALLING WITH A USB FLASH DRIVE. Just dont realy it is a wast of time

INSTED invest in a usb cd drive. All you need is the cas and Use a dvd drife from anuther pc. they cost about$15 i have NEVER had a problom installing ubuntu, xp or 7 with

i will adadmit i have the sata vertion but i plan on to the egsact same mod but with a 64 gb card

also your problom might be you card is TOO SMALL
8 gb is notging to windows 7. I have allready used over20 gb and i havnt imstalled any majer programs yet