Cant install XP onto my Acer Aspire 1640

So the original 40G HD was getting very full so I tried to clean install Windows 7 on it but it came back with an error saying the hd was unstable (or something similar)
So I purchased a Samsung 160 IDE and tried to install XP back on but straight after windows installs the set up files it reboots and then hangs on the ACER splash screen. If there is a disk in the drive thats where it stays, but if I start it with no disk it gets past the splash screen and advances to a black screen saying

Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 (build 082)
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Intel Corporation

For Realtek RTL8139(X)/8130/810X PCI Fast Ethernet Controller v2.13 (020326)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM
Operating System not found

The bios is Phoenix 3A05 and the only things I can change is the boot priority. The HDD is not recognised.

It worked fine with the 40G but I cant go back to that now as I formatted it when I tried to do the clean install.
Where do I go from here?

Thanks in advance

Brad

 

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Here are some ideas from here:
http://www.nocrash.com/ncbbs/msgs/3247.shtml

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• [FONT=Arial,Helvetica]remove and replace HDD[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial,Helvetica]check for correct master slave settings[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial,Helvetica]check that hdd-ide cable is intact[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial,Helvetica]remove everything but the CD/DVD drive and Hard Drive from the boot sequence in BIOS[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial,Helvetica]check all cables are the right way round and seated firmly. RAM too.
  [/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial,Helvetica]hit it (many say this works!)[/FONT]

Another thing some of us have been trying is to remove the power cord and battery, press and hold the 'on' button for 30 seconds, then replace the battery and power cord.

There's also a suggestion that your motherboard might have a broken solder connection or similar.

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]
[/FONT]

 

I think everything on the computer is fine as I have just re installed XP Pro onto the old 40G and its all fine. But I still want to put the new 160G internally. So how do I get the BIOS to see the new HD?

 

You've got two hard drives that have given trouble. One of them is now OK. Suggests that maybe something is wrong with connections or something. I would try the other HDD again, to see if the same thing happens again with it. Up to you.

 

Bios version is actually 3A05
I cant find anywhere to download the 06?

This one won't work for some reason?

http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_1640.html

 

Finally found a link to Bios A306 that worked and it now see's the HDD. Installing now.

Thanks for the help, muchly appreciated

Brad

 

I am also looking for the 3a06 bios update. can you please give me the link that helped you fixed your 1640.
Thanks

Clyde

 

I have tried to install a 127Gig HDD (to replace a currently reliable 60 Gig original) on an Aspire 1640. Upgraded the bios to A306 sucessfully and cloned the 60 Gig with Clonezilla, Partition Magic and on a MacBook Pro (both HDDs hung off IDE/ISB interfaces) The cloning seems perfect. Every time however, the boot of the Aspire 1640 with the new cloned disk fails. My guess is the mount point is offset or the PXE ROM has some currently unfathomable start up check / offest / code. Any results on this investigation front, friends?

 

Take a look at the HD label. Is it actually larger than 127gb or if size is not identified give the model number.

When you cloned did you clone it exactly so that the new XP partition is still ~60gb or did you let it expand the partition to a larger size?

***
On older machines there is a 127gb limit for HD in BIOS which can cause problems in XP. It is best to install XP to a partition no larger than 120gb.