ASUS W7Sg (W7S) XP Install Guide

ASUS W7Sg (W7S) XP Install Guide

This is a guide describing how to install XP on the ASUS W7Sg and ASUS W7S, two computers that ASUS only ships with Windows Vista.

So, here it goes.

1. Get XP drivers and utils

You will find all the XP drivers that you need on the ASUS FTP folder for the W7S. E.g., in Europe this folder is: ftp://dlsvr02.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/W7S/ . For other continents, change the index number in the server name (e.g., "dlsvr01", "dlsvr03", etc)

Get from that folder the following files:
AGFNEX_XP_070927.zip
ATKDrv_XP32_070912.zip
ATKOSD2_XP_070912.zip
ATK_Hotkey_XP32_Vista32_64_070912.zip
Audio_xp_070912.zip
Bluetooth_XP32_Vista32_070912.zip
CMOS_Camera_Chicony_XP_Vista32_64_070912.zip
INFUpdate_XP_070912.zip
LAN_XP_070912.zip
LifeFrame2_XP_070912.zip
Modem_MDC_XP_Vista32_64_070912.zip
RICOH_R5C833_XP_Vista32_64_070912.zip
Touchpad_XP_070912.zip
TPM_Infineon_XP32_Vista32_070912.zip
Wireless_Console_XP_Vista_070912.zip
WLAN_3945ABG_4695AGN_XP32_070912.zip

If you wish to use other utils, e.g., Power4Gear, download those as well.

2. Change the HDD to PATA compatibility mode

Make sure you set your SATA HDD to "Compatibility" mode from the BIOS, or else the kit won't recognize the HDD and Windows won't install. Alternatively, you can slipstream the SATA drivers on the XP CD. There are plenty of guides around telling you how to do that. I suggest just set the HDD to "Compatibility" mode though, it's much simpler and the performance hit is negligible.

3. Install Windows

Next, pop in the XP CD and install XP. Make sure not to overwrite the recovery partition! It's the 1st partition on the HDD, around 8GB in size, and marked "Unknown" or something similar by the partition manager in the XP installer.

4. Patch Windows

For instance, install SP3. It's possible to download SP3 in advance as an ISO. Alternatively, see below for the LAN or WLAN drivers, install those, and connect to the network to download the updates. Make sure you install a firewall before connecting to a network!

Especially make sure at this point that the UAA update is installed! The audio card and the modem won't install properly without that.

5. Install chipset drivers

This is in the ZIP file "INFUpdate_XP_070912.zip" that you downloaded above. Alternatively, it's also in the folder "INFupdate" on the Vista drivers CD. This driver is common between XP and Vista, so you can safely install the CD version. Reboot once the driver is installed.

6. (3GB W7Sg only) Disable PCI Express Root port to allow the GPU to be detected

If you have the W7S, you can have at most 2.5GB of RAM, so this bug doesn't affect you; you can safely skip this step.

On the W7Sg with 3GB or RAM, XP exhibits a bug whereby the GPU isn't detected due to a conflict with one of the Express Root ports. In my particular case, this root port was:

Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 2 - 2841

This is how the device would be identified if you didn't install the chipset drivers:
PCI bus 0, device 28, function 1

You will need to disable this device. Open device manager (e.g., hit Windows+Break, select Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager). Find the device, click Disable. Reboot the computer. After reboot, the GPU should be detected correctly.

If you find disabling this port doesn't enable your GPU, try the other ICH8 ports as well. One sign that things don't work well is when the "Mobile Intel(R) PM965/.../... Express PCI Express Root Port" device is listed with a yellow question mark in Device Manager. When the proper ICH8 port has been disabled, this device should have no conflicts.

7. Install GPU drivers

Go to http://www.laptopvideo2go.com and download some GPU drivers. I used 175.16 XP 32 with good results. Make sure to get the modded INF, and overwrite the old INF in the driver directory, with the modded one.

Next, install the drivers. Use setup.exe, the Have Disk method may result in the driver not working properly (4-bit desktop colors and 640x480 resolution).

8. Install other drivers and utils

For instance in the following order:
AGFNEX_XP_070927.zip
ATKDrv_XP32_070912.zip
ATK_Hotkey_XP32_Vista32_64_070912.zip
ATKOSD2_XP_070912.zip
(restart)
Audio_xp_070912.zip
CMOS_Camera_Chicony_XP_Vista32_64_070912.zip
LifeFrame2_XP_070912.zip
(restart)
Bluetooth_XP32_Vista32_070912.zip
LAN_XP_070912.zip
WLAN_3945ABG_4695AGN_XP32_070912.zip
Wireless_Console_XP_Vista_070912.zip
(restart)
Modem_MDC_XP_Vista32_64_070912.zip
RICOH_R5C833_XP_Vista32_64_070912.zip
Touchpad_XP_070912.zip
TPM_Infineon_XP32_Vista32_070912.zip

Make sure to restart once in a while, e.g., at the points where indicated above. Make sure to install ATK drivers first.

Note that the ATK drivers from the Vista CD will also probably work.

9. Tweak and clean up Windows XP

Use for instance the advice in my WinXP Install Guide.


Hoping this helps,

E.B.E.

 

Hello,

There are actually 3 questions that I'd like to ask you, as I would like to slipstream the SATA drivers on the XP CD.

1 - The INFUpdate_XP_070912.zip file in containing the Install chipset drivers.
Are the SATA drivers hidden somewhere in this file as well?

2 - If so, in the install process that you discribe: Right after installing the chipset drivers when you reboot, is it possible to enter the Bios again and switch de HDD mode back to Enhanced?

3 - If the INFUpdate_XP_070912.zip doesn't contain any SATA drivers, are they somewhere else given for the W7s in ftp://dlsvr02.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/W7S/.

I've also been visiting http://downloadcenter.intel.com/ but I can just not figure out where to find this SATA drivers there.

I 've verified that the hard disk on my W7Sg-3P012C is a Hitachi one. So I went to check the Hitachi hard drives support. The only answer was "go and fetch the chipset drivers for your mother board" (by the way, this is why I asked the first question).

Well, here I am... .

Thanks a lot if you can help.

 

I don't think the INF update (chipset drivers) contain the SATA drivers. It may be necessary to slipstream the SATA drivers on the XP CD to have SATA Enhanced mode working properly in XP. I am not aware of a method that allows you to install drivers later on, and then put the HDD in Enhanced mode (although it stands to reason that it should be possible).

Unfortunately I do not have details about using the SATA drivers, because I just put the HDD in Compatibility mode when I installed XP. Supposedly there isn't much of a performnace penalty, and I just didn't feel like bothering with all this SATA business.

 

I finaly found the SATA drivers for Intel 965 North Bridge and ICH8 Southbrigde.
nLite did the slipstreaming perfectely well in a fraction of a sec.

Thank you for your help and the drivers setting order

 

Could you post a link to those drivers? Just for completeness.

 

Oh Yes, I'm sorry. Well, in fact, Everything is explained and given there:

http://www.digitgeek.com/how-to-slipstream-sata-drivers-into-xp-cd/

In the Step2 of this explanation ,the link called "here" is probably the most direct access to these SATA drivers.

 

Alright, thanks very much!

 

Well, everything is not that easy...

I'm very surprised that you didn't actually experience any trouble installing the GPU drivers.
Despite I had disabled the correct ICH8 port (basically the same one : 2841) and thus, I got a correct "Mobile Intel(R) PM965/.../... Express PCI Express Root Port" as well, I didn't get any nVidia driver recognizing my "GeForce 9300M G" GPU correctly, neither using the official nVidia download link, nor the one you gave: http://www.laptopvideo2go.com

I finaly found salvation with a beta driver found on this site: http://downloads.guru3d.com/

Actually, It seems that nVidia was not totaly convinced in giving any winXP32 issue for the GeForce M Series, due to some obscur reasons like "This new cards generation are DirectX 10 (let's say DirectX X just to be in the fashion ) and DirectX X is only supported by Vista.
Well, anyway, at least, these cards should be able to speak DirectX X-1, and that will fit!

 

Note that the Have Disk method from LaptopVideo2Go didn't work for me either, I had to use setup.exe.

Also, I used version 175.16, I believe.

Moreover, make sure that you use the modded INF! Without it, the driver won't recognize the mobile GPU.

 

The modded INF! that was my mistake.
What is modded INF got clearer to me reading this:

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8128

Then I 'm just going to try to update the GPU driver with the current one now!

Finaly, only one problem remains: I just can't make the webcam works.
None of the XP drivers that I got from http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us were able to detect my camera.
I have also check the help section http://support.asus.com/faq/faq_rig...4-BCF5B9FE9714&model_name=A3E&SLanguage=en-us
Whatever the driver I use, I never get any "imaging device" section in the Device Manager

Did you also get into troubles during its setting?

Well, I'm not junky about webcams really, but I find it frustrating indeed not to be able to finalise this installation properly

 

I used this driver, it seems:
CMOS_Camera_Chicony_XP_Vista32_64_070912.zip
It worked just fine.

I remember there are drivers for 2 other types of cameras on the ASUS FTP site. You can try those two, probably your camera is a different model.

 

I've got it
No, it's not a matter of drivers indeed (cause I tryed them all before), but rather more a problem with Windows XP not recognising one of the USB port (shown as Unknown).

I just tryed (don't ask me why, please ) to reactivate ICH8 PCI Express port - 2841 and I suppresed that Unknown USB port (That had for Details : USB\VID_0000&PID_0000\SN0001 , thus I suspected it should be the USB port linked to the camera), let's say "just for fun"

then I rebooted and I got back to a old fashion 800x600 screen, probably because of Mister "Mobile Intel(R) PM965/GM965/GL960 Express Root Port - 2A01" pretty much unhappy to see Mister "ICH8 PCI Express port - 2841" back on stage.
BUT, then, I also saw my "Unknown USB" turned to "USB Composite" with a lovely relaxing "USB\VID_174F&PID_5A35\SN0001" for details.
As a matter of fact, this time de D-MAX camera Driver did the rest...

Finaly I sent Mister "ICH8 PCI Express port - 2841" back to silence (I know, this is not fair... ) and I rebooted again.

now, I 'm back to 1280x800 and a lovely webcam in order.

How do you appreciate that trick, it's magic no?

 

I appreciate it. It shows the lengths we need to go, as normal users that got Vista shoved down our throats, and paid money for having that done to us, to get a better unsupported OS (XP) to work.

But it's worth it in the end!

 

Yeah, it bloody is, you're right.

The following steps now are gonna be having OSX-86 running on next partition and then installing Debian Etch and multibooting everything.
Then I shall think about virtualising some Linux and Unices OSs using virtualbox ou vmware.

Plainty of lovely things to do...

Well anyway,thanks ever so much for the cleaver tips and this very pleasant exchange. I hope this topic is going to motivate and help some others guys like us.

I shall let you know sometime if you want to here about theses next steps that I project.

Bonsoir et encore merci!

 

Avec plaisir!

BTW, it is not allowed to discuss OSX installs on non-Apple hardware on these forums, because it's against the Apple EULA.

 

After the XP installation is completed, the SATA Operation Mode in the BIOS can be changed to Enhanced in the following way.

Download the SATA (Intel Matrix Storage Manager) driver, file name 7tim04ww.exe from the following site.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-62909

Setup this driver
Run C:\DRIVERS\WIN\IMSM\PREPARE\install.cmd
Restart your computer and get into the BIOS
Change the SATA Operation Mode from Compatible to Enhanced
Save and Exit BIOS
XP will find new hardware after the computer restart
Direct the driver installation wizard to C:\ DRIVERS\WIN\IMSM

 

I would be wary of doing that. I have tried for several hours a solution to do this a couple of weeks ago, using several methods posted in various places over the internet. And I have failed all the times.

So unless you tried it specifically on the W7Sg and it worked, I would say it's better to just live with the Compatible mode -- or reinstall XP with the SATA drivers slipstreamed.

 

Yes, it is better to integrate the SATA driver into the XP installation CD.

But, the way I mentioned for changing the Compatible mode to Enhanced mode in the BIOS configuration has been very successful, too.

I have tested on the ASUS notebook computers of the models with both of Mobile Intel® PM965 Express Chipset +ICH8M and Mobile Intel® PM45 Express Chipset +ICH9M. It has been completed smoothly and successfully every time.

Cheers!!

 

Alright, then we can consider that the method has at least a chance of success on the W7Sg. And should be tried, before going through the pain of reinstalling Windows.

Hopefully, in the worst case you get a blue screen and have to put the HDD back in Compatible mode.