Installing old Windows XP on a Dell Inspiron Mini?

[Richard in AZ]

"Ant" wrote in message news:eY4U7IHOKHA.4336@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
| On 9/18/2009 7:56 AM PT, BillW50 typed:
|
| > In news:uLNIq1GOKHA.4580@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl,
| > Ant typed on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:36:30 -0700:
| >> On 9/18/2009 7:08 AM PT, BillW50 typed:
| >>
| >>>>>> Please kindly reread what I said in my original post about
| >>>>>> slipstreamed SP2 and SP3 CDs.

| >>>>> I read it fine the first time, you said you tried. So what does
| >>>>> that mean? You tried and failed or what? It that is what is sounds
| >>>>> like to me. As without SP2/3 correctly slipstreamed into the
| >>>>> install, it will fail to see files on the CD after the install
| >>>>> resets the USB ports. As you had stated, the file is really there
| >>>>> on the CD, is it not?
| >>>> Yes, the \i386\asms and its files are there. I already tried
| >>>> installing them (slipstreamed SP2 and SP3 CDs) on regular desktop
| >>>> PCs without any issues. I wonder if XP is just too old for this
| >>>> netbook since installing Windows 7 had no problems?
| >>> When you tried on a regular desktop PC, you didn't use the USB CD
| >>> drive, did you? If not, that would make perfect sense. As non-USB
| >>> drives don't require SP2/3 to install correctly, only USB drives do.
| >>> Thus why I believe your slipstream for whatever reason didn't work.
| >> That was with the external USB CD/DVD drive. How can I verify if
| >> slipstream was good or bad?
| >
| > Okay I am convinced that it is a good slipstream if it worked on the
| > desktop with the USB CD/DVD drive.
| >
| > 1) Some BIOS has a toggle to install an OS. Once the operating system is
| > installed, you are supposed to toggle it back. I am not sure what this
| > is supposed to do. Prevent MBR modification or lock the USB at 1.1
| > speeds or something.
|
| Hmm. Wouldn't that problem occurred much earlier like during XP's text
| installer screens?
|
|
| > 2) Could be bad RAM. If you can swap it with some other I would try
| > this.
|
| Hmm. Wouldn't Windows 7 had failed or error'ed?
|
|
| > 3) Could be a bad drive like David already mentioned.
|
| Could be, but then Windows 7 would had failed too?
|
| >
| > 4) Don't think the USB CD/DVD drive or disc is bad. But if this drive
| > has two USB plugs, try plugging them both in. What make and model is
| > this drive anyway? Some can have problems on some netbooks.
|
| Only one on each one external USB DVD drives. One was a Lenovo DVD
| burner drive and other was an old HP DVD burner drive.
|
|
| > And no Windows XP should be perfect on this netbook, as long as the
| > system/boot drive has enough room.
|
| Odd.
| --
| "Number fourteen. The naughty bits of an ant." --Monty Python's Flying
| Circus
| /\___/\
| / /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| | |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
| \ _ / Nuke ANT from e-mail address: philpi@earthlink.netANT
| ( ) or ANTant@zimage.com
| Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

Does the Dell Mini have a STAT or IDE drive? Do you have the drivers on the USB for SATA?
Can you get to the BIOS and reset the basic from SATA to IDE?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Use the hidden Recovery partition to reinstall Windows to OOBE state. It
includes all the appropriate drivers.

Ant wrote:
> Yes, 100 MB. Why? Is that a problem?
>
> On 9/17/2009 11:07 PM PT, PA Bear [MS MVP] typed:
>> Is there a hidden Recovery partition?
>

>> I am trying to install Windows XP cleanly onto an used Dell Inspiron
>> Mini (no idea what model it is do not have its boxes, manuals, discs,
>> etc.), but its installation keeps failing at cdrom0i386asms. The error
>> said it cannot find it, but it is there on the CDs (tried slipstreamed
>> SP2 and SP3, other brands, other burns from other software and drives,
>> etc.). I have to install from an external CD/DVD drive.
>>
>> I researched on Google, and it seems like this a common problem (error
>> message) but none of their suggestions worked. One interesting
>> suggestion was to press shift-F10 keys when the error occurs so I did
>> that to bring up a command prompt/cmd.exe. From here, to do registry
>> edits with regedit but regedit.exe fails to run (not installed yet I
>> think). I also couldn't find the drive (only found the HDD). It seems
>> like during the blue text installer, the drive exists but after
>> rebooting to GUI installer, it forgot the external USB CD/DVD drive?
>>
>> I cannot make a new partition/drive, to install from another drive on
>> the same HDD) because the netbook only has 7 GB excluding its 100 MB
>> system drive (Dell stuff).
>>
>> I had no problems installing Windows 7 though. Any ideas? Thank you in
>> advance.

 

[Harry]

On Sep 17, 10:44 pm, Ant wrote:
> Hello.
>
> I am trying to install Windows XP cleanly onto an used Dell Inspiron
> Mini
....
> I have to install from an external CD/DVD drive.
....
> I cannot make a new partition/drive, to install from another drive on
> the same HDD) because the netbook only has 7 GB excluding its 100 MB
> system drive (Dell stuff).

Never say never.
It would be the way I would go.

A skim down (using nLite) version of XP install media could
be as small as 500 MB.

Here is now.

1. prepare a bootable USB finger with UBCD4Win installed,
plus the following goodies added.
- Partition Magic
- XP install media copied to a folder on the USB finger
2. Boot up Dell Mini with this bootable UBCD4Win USB gadet
3. Run Partition Magic to create two partitions
- 1st partition is 6 GB
- 2nd partition is 1 GB
4. Reboot with this bootable UBCD4Win USB finger
Now C: drive is 6GB empty D: drive is 1 GB empty.
Copy the XP install media folder from your USB finder
to drive D:.
5. On a cmd prompt, run setup on D: drive.
6. If you are lucky enough, XP should be able to install.
Because the XP install media is local on the 7GB
HDD.

Personally, I would not attempt to install XP on a 7GB HDD.
Too small. But if you want that way, go ahead.

 

[Ant]

OK, I will try that. How do I get there though?


On 9/18/2009 10:00 AM PT, PA Bear [MS MVP] typed:

> Use the hidden Recovery partition to reinstall Windows to OOBE state.
> It includes all the appropriate drivers.
--
"Ant colonies are remarkably similar to cities. No one choreographs the
action, not even the queen ant, but ant behavior is controlled by swarm
logic--put 10,000 dumb ants together, and they become smart. They will
calculate the shortest routes to food supplies sniffing out pheromone
signals from other ants and Johnson says people do the same thing in
cities using low-level interactions of people on the street." --Alex
Cukan, "Stories of modern science," United Press International, October
8, 2001
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( ) or ANTant@zimage.com
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

 

[Ant]

On 9/18/2009 8:46 AM PT, Richard in AZ typed:
>
> Does the Dell Mini have a STAT or IDE drive? Do you have the drivers on the USB for SATA?
> Can you get to the BIOS and reset the basic from SATA to IDE?

Don't know. Will need to check, but need to check next week. Didn't have
time to look at it today.

--
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Nuke ANT from e-mail address: philpi@earthlink.netANT
( ) or ANTant@zimage.com
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

 

[Ant]

On 9/18/2009 8:33 AM PT, Daave typed:

> I did a little more research. If I'm not mistaken, this Dell probably
> did come preinstalled with XP (otherwise, it would have been Linux). The
> COA sticker I'm talking about is Windows, not Dell. If the Dell has a
> license to run Windows XP, it's a shame you had to waste money on
> another XP license (when you bought the Retail CD).

Actually, I was trying to use my old Windows XP retail CDs that I used
in the past.


> Since there is no optical drive built-in, I'm sure there are certain
> issues you need to address first. Since I have no experience with this
> model, I suggest you look here:
>
> http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/windows-xp-netbook-guides/
>
> and here:
>
> http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/
>
> especially, here:
>
> http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/windows-xp/
>
> What is the complete model name? (I've seen references to 9, 10, 10v,
> and 12.)

Good stuff and thanks.

--
"The sun's just a big glass, we're all ants, I LOVE YOU." --"Magnified"
song by the Failure band
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Nuke ANT from e-mail address: philpi@earthlink.netANT
( ) or ANTant@zimage.com
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Contact Dell Support or post in the appropriate forum here for assistance:
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/

Ant wrote:
> OK, I will try that. How do I get there though?
>
>
> On 9/18/2009 10:00 AM PT, PA Bear [MS MVP] typed:
>
>> Use the hidden Recovery partition to reinstall Windows to OOBE state.
>> It includes all the appropriate drivers.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Unnecessary and excessive crossposting removed.

This issue is discussed and pretty routinely addressed in Dell Support, as
PA Bear said. However, notwithstanding all that, I'll throw out one tidbit
of advice before you go there:

On my Dell, pressing Ctrl-F11 while booting up brings up that factory
restore option (assuming you haven't screwed up the partitions). Keep in
mind if you do it though, you will lose everything you've added to the drive
since the factory install. Anyways, there is a lot more info and advice
on this in the Dell support forums.


PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
> Contact Dell Support or post in the appropriate forum here for assistance:
> http://en.community.dell.com/forums/
>
> Ant wrote:
>> OK, I will try that. How do I get there though?
>>
>>
>> On 9/18/2009 10:00 AM PT, PA Bear [MS MVP] typed:
>>
>>> Use the hidden Recovery partition to reinstall Windows to OOBE state.
>>> It includes all the appropriate drivers.

 

[BillW50]

In news:eY4U7IHOKHA.4336@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl,
Ant typed on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:10:59 -0700:
> On 9/18/2009 7:56 AM PT, BillW50 typed:
>
>> In news:uLNIq1GOKHA.4580@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl,
>> Ant typed on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:36:30 -0700:
>>> On 9/18/2009 7:08 AM PT, BillW50 typed:
>>>
>>>>>>> Please kindly reread what I said in my original post about
>>>>>>> slipstreamed SP2 and SP3 CDs.

>>>>>> I read it fine the first time, you said you tried. So what does
>>>>>> that mean? You tried and failed or what? It that is what is
>>>>>> sounds like to me. As without SP2/3 correctly slipstreamed into
>>>>>> the install, it will fail to see files on the CD after the
>>>>>> install resets the USB ports. As you had stated, the file is
>>>>>> really there on the CD, is it not?
>>>>> Yes, the i386asms and its files are there. I already tried
>>>>> installing them (slipstreamed SP2 and SP3 CDs) on regular desktop
>>>>> PCs without any issues. I wonder if XP is just too old for this
>>>>> netbook since installing Windows 7 had no problems?
>>>> When you tried on a regular desktop PC, you didn't use the USB CD
>>>> drive, did you? If not, that would make perfect sense. As non-USB
>>>> drives don't require SP2/3 to install correctly, only USB drives
>>>> do. Thus why I believe your slipstream for whatever reason didn't
>>>> work.
>>> That was with the external USB CD/DVD drive. How can I verify if
>>> slipstream was good or bad?
>>
>> Okay I am convinced that it is a good slipstream if it worked on the
>> desktop with the USB CD/DVD drive.
>>
>> 1) Some BIOS has a toggle to install an OS. Once the operating
>> system is installed, you are supposed to toggle it back. I am not
>> sure what this is supposed to do. Prevent MBR modification or lock
>> the USB at 1.1 speeds or something.
>
> Hmm. Wouldn't that problem occurred much earlier like during XP's text
> installer screens?

Not necessary.

>> 2) Could be bad RAM. If you can swap it with some other I would try
>> this.
>
> Hmm. Wouldn't Windows 7 had failed or error'ed?

Well it is my belief that your problem is do to that SSD being a SATA
one and not a PATA (aka IDE), as pointed out by Barry in another
newsgroup, but to continue...

RAM is nothing more than a series of switches. And one being stuck, can
be stuck either on or off. And depending on what is placed there, it
might be stuck right where it is supposed to be. So no, bad RAM might
not show any problems in all cases.

>> 3) Could be a bad drive like David already mentioned.
>
> Could be, but then Windows 7 would had failed too?

Intermittent problems are tough to find sometimes.

>> 4) Don't think the USB CD/DVD drive or disc is bad. But if this drive
>> has two USB plugs, try plugging them both in. What make and model is
>> this drive anyway? Some can have problems on some netbooks.
>
> Only one on each one external USB DVD drives. One was a Lenovo DVD
> burner drive and other was an old HP DVD burner drive.

Okay, I would have felt better if one was tested on both computers.

>> And no Windows XP should be perfect on this netbook, as long as the
>> system/boot drive has enough room.
>
> Odd.

Nope, that netbook is less than a year old.

--
Bill
Windows 2000 SP4 (5.00.2195)
Asus EEE PC 701G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC

 

[Daave]

Ant wrote:
> On 9/18/2009 8:33 AM PT, Daave typed:
>
>> I did a little more research. If I'm not mistaken, this Dell probably
>> did come preinstalled with XP (otherwise, it would have been Linux).
>> The COA sticker I'm talking about is Windows, not Dell. If the Dell
>> has a license to run Windows XP, it's a shame you had to waste money
>> on another XP license (when you bought the Retail CD).
>
> Actually, I was trying to use my old Windows XP retail CDs that I used
> in the past.

How many do you have? Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you
do know that the product key associated with that particular CD cannot
be used on more than one PC at any given time. Dell XP reinstallation
CDs are ubiquitous. In your situation, that's what I would try first
(assuming you are able to obtain them). And there is never a need to
enter a product key because of their SLP!

>> Since there is no optical drive built-in, I'm sure there are certain
>> issues you need to address first. Since I have no experience with
>> this model, I suggest you look here:
>>
>> http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/windows-xp-netbook-guides/
>>
>> and here:
>>
>> http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/
>>
>> especially, here:
>>
>> http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/windows-xp/
>>
>> What is the complete model name? (I've seen references to 9, 10, 10v,
>> and 12.)
>
> Good stuff and thanks.

YW.

 

[Ant]

> How many do you have? Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you
> do know that the product key associated with that particular CD cannot
> be used on more than one PC at any given time. Dell XP reinstallation
> CDs are ubiquitous. In your situation, that's what I would try first
> (assuming you are able to obtain them). And there is never a need to
> enter a product key because of their SLP!

It's not a Dell XP. Just a regular retail CD that requires a key.
--
"The world flatters the elephant and tramples on the ant." --Indian
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Nuke ANT from e-mail address: philpi@earthlink.netANT
( ) or ANTant@zimage.com
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

 

[Your Net Guru at Yahoo]

I just had this problem too. I found that by moving the CDROM to first boot
device that windows would find it during the second install step. I hope this
works for you too. Btw do not hit any key the second time, just let windows
setup run.

"Richard in AZ" wrote:

>
> "Ant" wrote in message news:eY4U7IHOKHA.4336@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> | On 9/18/2009 7:56 AM PT, BillW50 typed:
> |
> | > In news:uLNIq1GOKHA.4580@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl,
> | > Ant typed on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:36:30 -0700:
> | >> On 9/18/2009 7:08 AM PT, BillW50 typed:
> | >>
> | >>>>>> Please kindly reread what I said in my original post about
> | >>>>>> slipstreamed SP2 and SP3 CDs.

> | >>>>> I read it fine the first time, you said you tried. So what does
> | >>>>> that mean? You tried and failed or what? It that is what is sounds
> | >>>>> like to me. As without SP2/3 correctly slipstreamed into the
> | >>>>> install, it will fail to see files on the CD after the install
> | >>>>> resets the USB ports. As you had stated, the file is really there
> | >>>>> on the CD, is it not?
> | >>>> Yes, the i386asms and its files are there. I already tried
> | >>>> installing them (slipstreamed SP2 and SP3 CDs) on regular desktop
> | >>>> PCs without any issues. I wonder if XP is just too old for this
> | >>>> netbook since installing Windows 7 had no problems?
> | >>> When you tried on a regular desktop PC, you didn't use the USB CD
> | >>> drive, did you? If not, that would make perfect sense. As non-USB
> | >>> drives don't require SP2/3 to install correctly, only USB drives do.
> | >>> Thus why I believe your slipstream for whatever reason didn't work.
> | >> That was with the external USB CD/DVD drive. How can I verify if
> | >> slipstream was good or bad?
> | >
> | > Okay I am convinced that it is a good slipstream if it worked on the
> | > desktop with the USB CD/DVD drive.
> | >
> | > 1) Some BIOS has a toggle to install an OS. Once the operating system is
> | > installed, you are supposed to toggle it back. I am not sure what this
> | > is supposed to do. Prevent MBR modification or lock the USB at 1.1
> | > speeds or something.
> |
> | Hmm. Wouldn't that problem occurred much earlier like during XP's text
> | installer screens?
> |
> |
> | > 2) Could be bad RAM. If you can swap it with some other I would try
> | > this.
> |
> | Hmm. Wouldn't Windows 7 had failed or error'ed?
> |
> |
> | > 3) Could be a bad drive like David already mentioned.
> |
> | Could be, but then Windows 7 would had failed too?
> |
> | >
> | > 4) Don't think the USB CD/DVD drive or disc is bad. But if this drive
> | > has two USB plugs, try plugging them both in. What make and model is
> | > this drive anyway? Some can have problems on some netbooks.
> |
> | Only one on each one external USB DVD drives. One was a Lenovo DVD
> | burner drive and other was an old HP DVD burner drive.
> |
> |
> | > And no Windows XP should be perfect on this netbook, as long as the
> | > system/boot drive has enough room.
> |
> | Odd.
> | --
> | "Number fourteen. The naughty bits of an ant." --Monty Python's Flying
> | Circus
> | /___/
> | / / / Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
> | | |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
> | _ / Nuke ANT from e-mail address: philpi@earthlink.netANT
> | ( ) or ANTant@zimage.com
> | Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
>
> Does the Dell Mini have a STAT or IDE drive? Do you have the drivers on the USB for SATA?
> Can you get to the BIOS and reset the basic from SATA to IDE?
>
>
>

 

[Greg]

On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:44:58 -0700, Ant wrote:

>
>Hello.
>
>I am trying to install Windows XP cleanly onto an used Dell Inspiron
>Mini (no idea what model it is do not have its boxes, manuals, discs,
>etc.), but its installation keeps failing at cdrom0i386asms. The error
>said it cannot find it, but it is there on the CDs (tried slipstreamed
>SP2 and SP3, other brands, other burns from other software and drives,
>etc.). I have to install from an external CD/DVD drive.
>
>I researched on Google, and it seems like this a common problem (error
>message) but none of their suggestions worked. One interesting
>suggestion was to press shift-F10 keys when the error occurs so I did
>that to bring up a command prompt/cmd.exe. From here, to do registry
>edits with regedit but regedit.exe fails to run (not installed yet I
>think). I also couldn't find the drive (only found the HDD). It seems
>like during the blue text installer, the drive exists but after
>rebooting to GUI installer, it forgot the external USB CD/DVD drive?
>
>I cannot make a new partition/drive, to install from another drive on
>the same HDD) because the netbook only has 7 GB excluding its 100 MB
>system drive (Dell stuff).
>
>I had no problems installing Windows 7 though. Any ideas? Thank you in
>advance.

I was told xp may not be able to install on computers that have Vista
or Windows 7 preinstalled. The reason drivers may not be available
for windows xp, including the motherboard. If this is an original
xp computer, I would look up how to restore it from the hidden
partition first. Reason xp is not installing, it may be detecting
the newer version of windows

You could delete the primary and all but the hidden partition and
see if the restore will automatically kick in. You may need to get
xp oem key or vista oem key that was originally installed on the
computer, it should be on the computer.


If that does not work you could try these methods.




Warning this will delete all data.

Unplug computer from any network.

Dont use the slip stream disk.

If you have another computer. Copy that retail at 12 speed or less
to another disk. I always had trouble using Microsoft Cds.

----->you can stop here and try it from this point or go on