[Guide] Installing WinXP on the Sager NP9170 (Clevo P170EM)

Installing WinXP on the Sager NP9170 (Clevo P170EM)

Here's a short overview of how I was able to get Windows XP installed onto my Sager NP9170. I'm not going to go into great detail into how to use all of these utilities, but with a little internet searching, you should probably be able to get through just fine.

Disclaimer: Follow at your own risk. I take no responsibility for any problems you have with your computer, your car or your dog if you follow these steps. Proceed at your own risk. This worked for me, but there's no guarantee it will work for you. Also, lots of things don't work. This will just give you basic functionality, but very little in the way of "creature comforts". Again, be warned.

Note: Yes, I know that (INSERT_YOUR_OS_OF_CHOICE_HERE) is so much better than Win XP. I'm well aware of that, and that's not the point. The point is I wanted to install WinXP on my laptop because, well, that's what I do. Personally, I'm trying to be able to quadruple boot into WinXP, Win7, Linux, and OSX, so this is just a small part of my bigger project. I'm just sharing because sharing with people is fun, and because I've seen a few people interested in getting XP up and running.

Here we go:

Tools:

-XP Install CD
You need to have an XP install CD with a working install key in order to make this work. An iso image will probably work as well, as long as you can mount it as a virtual optical drive

-XP Service Pack 3 Install File
We need some of the extra drivers included in the Service Pack, plus you might as well since we're going through all this trouble anyway. We're going to "SlipStream" these drivers into a new, bootable XP install CD

-nLite
nLite
This awesome little utility will do all the hard work integrating the new drivers onto our new install CD.

-Intel 7 Series SATA Drivers (Text Mode)
http://www2.sagernotebook.com/Sagernotebook/misc/00RAID_91X0.exe
This is possibly the most important part. before I found these drivers, the install would BSOD with a Stop Code of 7B which in this situation means (I don't see any hard drives!). Integrating these drivers into teh install CD allows the XP installer program to see the hard drives.

-Intel Chipset Drivers (Ivy Bridge) (PNP)
http://www2.sagernotebook.com/Sagernotebook/misc/01Chipset_91X0.exe
These are the basic drivers for a bunch of stuff on the motherboard. Generally, you always want to install chipset drivers first unless you have a good reason for doing things differently.

-Intel Wireless Drivers (Intel 6235) (PNP) - Wireless_15.2.0_x32.exe
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=21559
I upgraded to the next wireless NIC on my machine. These drivers might work on all the Intel Wireless NICS, but I'm not sure.

-Intel HD 4000 Drivers (Ivy Bridge) (PNP) - q2obg04us13.exe
http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/thinkcentre_drivers/q2obg04us13.exe
Video driver for the Ivy Bridge integrated video card

-Realtek Ethernet Drivers (Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller) (PNP) - PCIE_Install_5794_05212012.zip
Realtek
Ethernet Drivers

-Realtek Audio Drivers (Realtek ALC892)(PNP) - WDM_R270.exe
Realtek
Audio Drivers

-Blank CDs/DVDs
For creating the XP install CD image

-USB Drive
To transfer your drivers onto the XP machine


BIOS Settings:
As far as I know, you would have no problem with installing WinXP if you changed your "SATA Mode" from "AHCI Mode" to "IDE Mode". The only problem is that you would lose quite a bit of performance. This guide is specifically for getting XP installed with the BIOS set to "AHCI Mode"

Instructions:

1) Download all the files listed above onto the USB Drive. Extract the archive files for future use. Specifically, the Text Mode SATA drivers.

2) Install Nlite. Once installed, launch nLite. It will ask you to point it at your XP install directory. Do so. Once it's done, it will give you a bunch of options to customize your install, the key points you want are:

-Slipstream a Service Pack
-Integrate drivers
-Create an ISO

You can poke around with some of the other settings, but do so at your own peril. It is very easy to create a non-functional install.

3) When prompted, integrate the Service Pack

4) When prompted, integrate the text mode drivers

5) Skip everything else and once you get to the end of the process, create the new install ISO

6) Burn the iso onto a CD (DVD if your image is to big)

7) You should now be able to install XP normally with your new disk.

8) Once you get the OS installed, you should already be up to Service Pack 3. Just install the drivers listed above, reboot and then you can run windows update for the rest of your drivers.

Notes:
I haven't attempted to install Nvidia drivers yet, but apparently, Optimus won't work on this machine in XP, and since I can't switch between cards in the BIOS, I don't want to risk messing up my install or anything. I have three other OS installs to perform and don't feel up to it right now.

Hopefully this helps out, and if you see anything I missed, or any errors, please let me know and I'll update accordingly. As far as I know, this technique should work for just about any newer Ivy Bridge system. It might even work for Sandy Bridge as well, but I'm not 100% sure that the 7 series SATA drivers are backward compatible for 6 series chipset.

Good Luck!

 

only xp 32bit? what about 64bit?

 

I don't own a copy of XP64. In fact, I've never even actually seen an XP64 install disc. From what I hear though, drivers are even more difficult to find for XP64.

Regardless, I would think the slipstreaming and everything else would work basicaally the same. You're on your own though finding 64 bit drivers to substitute in place of the 32 bit ones. If you, or anyone else find links for 64 bit drivers that are confirmed to work, let me know and I'll add them in.