ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Forum- HOWTO Install Windows XP with full hardware support on F3Sc

HOWTO Install Windows XP on Asus F3SC (PRO31SC-AP049C)

all hardware and almost all ASUS utilities supported and fully working

Last updated on: 06/07/2007 @ 21:36 (GMT+1)

Yes, it's possible to install Windows XP (SP2 Professional tested) and get full hardware support to make the windows fully functional on ASUS F3SC machines, at least, the PRO31SC-AP049C model.

Note before starting: I assume too that you know how to handle a little bit computers and you have your own copy of the Windows XP CD to could copy the sources, a CD Burner to could write the ISO and your DVD of drivers included from ASUS.

Previous Notes: my notebook specs & model compatibility

It could result useful for you to read first the specs of the PRO31SC-AP049C to find out, for less risks, if your hardware is similar or the same as mine and this guide could be compatible also for your model of ASUS Notebook.

Till the date users have reported successful installation with other models than F3Sc, this is the list:

    - Asus F3Se
    - Asus F3E

ASUS PRO31Series PRO31SC-AP049C (M/B Version: F3Sc) Specs

* Processor (CPU): Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T7100 @ 1.80GHz with Intel PM965 Chipset (with 2Gb RAM @ 667 MHz)
* Storage: Hitachi (HTS541612J9SA00) 120 Gb @ 5400rpm with Intel ICH8M Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
* Graphics Card: nVidia 8400M G (128Mb integrated RAM till 896 Mb with Turbocaché)
* Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio 5.1
* Connectivity:
    + LAN: Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Controller
    + Wireless: Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
    + Bluetooth: Toshiba Bluetooth 2.0 Stack
* More hardware:
    + Chicony USB2.0 1.3M UVC Webcam
    + Ricoh Card Reader 4in1 (Memory Stick, SD, MMC and xD)
    + Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad

Step #1 - Enabling SATA Disk Interface

The main big problem to start installing Windows XP on a F3SC machine is the SATA Hard Drive that comes with it has not built-in drivers, we have to add them via floppy, but in the most of cases, we won't have a floppy able to mount into the laptop, so, what we do?

First is to get the floppy disk image named "f6flpy32.zip", we'll get it on Intel's official website searching for the last Intel Matrix Storage Manager floppy, or directly clicking here (download is valid for Intel x86)

Once you downloaded the latest "f6flpy32.zip", unzip it and you'll get a file named "f6flpy32.exe", unextract the .exe with WinRar and get the F32.IMA file that is inside, the drivers are inside this ".IMA" file, so to get them we have to unextract it, you can use MagicISO. Now, you're able to unextract the whole set of drivers to another folder and reserve it, you'll get this list of files:

IAAHCI.CAT
IAAHCI.INF
IASTOR.CAT
IASTOR.INF
IASTOR.SYS
LICENSE.TXT
README.TXT
TXTSETUP.OEM

Ok, now let's copy the sources of the XP's CD to one folder of our hard drive. You will need a powerful utility called nLite, this would make you able to shrink the sources with the hd drivers and a few things more. Install nLite and go to step #2.

Step #2 - Getting your Windows XP Bootable CD working with nLite

If you browse the nLite site, you will find the section "Guides" that is HIGHLY recommended to read before you do anything, it's translated to a huge quantity of languages so it wouldn't be difficult for you not to find one to understand.

In the selected guide, you will find the "Integrated Drivers" section to add them to the sources, i added and selected ALL that come with official .EXE in "Plain TXT Mode" using the nLite option of adding all the drivers available on a folder, after that, installation worked perfectly without pressing F6, it loaded all the drivers to could format your hard drives and install Windows XP.

I read in another post that a few hotfixes were necessary for the installation of the drivers, i checked nLite Guide and i saw that it has the ability to integrate also, i checked the downloads of the F3Jv model (the one with Hotfixes included), downloaded and integrated them all (read the nLite Guide on the section "Integrated Hotfixes", you have to add the specific .exe of your language), here is the file list:

HotFixes available for ASUS F3Jv

nLite has a lot more of powerful options to tweak the installation and Windows XP behaviour, for us it would be enough with these two steps but if you want to investigate to add more, feel free. Now press "Next" and activate the changes, let nLite to rewrite your installation sources, maybe it would take several time adding drivers and HotFixes, it will depend on your processor, after that, you will be able to make a bootable ISO and burn it to could start the installation process.

Important Note: If you lose in any point of this step, please be sure you're following the instructions that nLite Guide is telling you, go to the specific section on nLite Guide (such "Integrating drivers", "Remove Components" ...) and read the process carefully.

Step #3 - Windows XP with full-hardware-support

Now you're able to begin the installation, but before starting, i recommend you to download the whole set of drivers or if you prefer, just the Wireless one to could download the rest. Please follow the order to install the drivers, it could affect directly to the system performance. If you've already installed XP, please follow the list:

00 - Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN - Get drivers here
01 - Intel PM965 Chipset Utility - Get drivers here
02 - Intel Matrix Storage Manager - Get drivers here
03 - ATK0100 Utility Driver (WinXP) - Get it here
04 - ATK0100 Utility Driver - Install the one included on the DVD
05 - ATKHotkey - Install the one included on the DVD
06 - ATK_Media (WinXP) - Get it Here
07 - AGFNEX - Install the one included on the DVD
08 - KB_FILTER - Install the one included on the DVD
09 - UAA Realtek High Definition Audio Bus (WinXP) - Get it here - Installation instructions: This file contain the install of the Hotfix of High Definition Audio Bus, select your language and install it. Then, you gotta open your "Device Manager" and watch "System Devices", it will appear some "PCI Device" with a warning(?) mark, right-click, upload the drivers, let Windows find them alone (not via Windows Update, just local). When Windows catch the drivers, the bus is finally recognized.
10 - Realtek High Definition Audio Official drivers (WDM_R169 for WinXP actually) - Get them here - Note: In the moment you install these drivers, the audio will work with no tricks, full support input/output.
11 - Modem Drivers - Install the ones included on the DVD - Note: Though you wouldn't use the modem/fax interface, it's needed to get rid of the advice at "Device Manager" cause detects it as part of the UAA components.
12 - nVidia GeForce 8400M G - Get it from laptopvideo2go - Choosing a driver: Actually i didn't find yet a driver to support TurboCache's feature, all the ones i've tested gives me 512MB of RAMDAC integrated, nothing more than that. So i downloaded the latest one with WQHL certification (actually it's 158.22) from here. How do you install these drivers? You have to download two files "Driver" (resultant file is '15822.exe') and "Modded Inf" (resultant file is 'nv4_disp.inf'), once you've downloaded both, run '15822.exe' and select a folder to unextract the contents, then, copy and overwrite the 'nv4_disp.inf' file into the same folder, open it and run "Setup", after the installation and reboot, 3D support and nVidia tweaks will be enable.
13 - USB2.0 1.3M WebCam - Install the ones included on the DVD - Installation method: In my case, Windows XP detected automatically the webcam interface, i went to "Device Manager" -> "Image Devices" -> right-click on the webcam, update driver, don't let Windows to search automatically, specify the path to search to "YourDVDLetter:\CAMERA\CHICONY\" and Windows will find the appropiated driver.
14 - Wireless Console Utility (WinXP) - Get it here
15 - Bluetooth integrated module (WinXP) - Get drivers here
16 - Power4Gear+ (Battery Modes Application) Utility (WinXP) - Get it here
17 - Synaptics Touchpad - Install the ones included on the DVD - Installation Method: Point your browser to the following path: "YourDVDLetter:\TOUCHPAD\WINWDF\X86\" and execute "Setup"
18 - Ricoh Media Card Reader - Install the ones included on the DVD
19 - Attansic Ethernet Driver & Utility - Install the ones included on the DVD
20 - ASUS Splendid Technology Utility (WinXP) - Get it from here

One important thing i noticed and i read around there it's my PRO31SC-AP049C doesn't includes the tv-card-tuner included, just appears the connector cause it uses the same case that another models that includes it (as the Fingerprint device that doesn't comes with it)

Step #4 - HotFixes & Rest of the Applications

It's highly recommendable to apply all the "high-priority" hotfixes available from Windows Update site to improve your system, at least, if you didn't included the ASUS recommended HotFixes via nLite, you'd like to install them now.

There are a lot more of ASUS applications like LifeFrame, MultiFrame, Power4Phone, Net4Switch, InstantFun ... that could be found available for Windows XP on the "Downloads" section of F3Jv, Pro31M and Pro31T models. Since they're optional applications that offers non-exclusive features, i didn't included them as part of the essential component list.

Personally i've tested LifeFrame and Virtual Camera of original DVD and worked fine for me, also NBProbe, so feel free to test all the versions (dvd or the downloaded XP ones) and get the one that works better for you.

Step #5 - Happy End

Finally, after a lot of reboots and a lot of searches, all the features of your notebook will be available for Windows XP, at least, it worked for me. I think it's a happy end to could enjoy all the power of the features of this machine in a non-so-heavy-use-memory-and-eating-resources operating system like Windows Vista, in my opinion, Vista it's still on development till Service Pack 1 arrives. Sincerely, with Windows XP, letting graphics adaptor issue apart, i noticed just improvements versus Windows Vista. The three main reasons for me to switch to XP were:

RAM and system resources: Vista eats almost 600MB of memory just on start versus the 200MB of XP.
CPU Usage: with Aero activated, in a normal-quiet PC use (browsing, listening music, writing ...) Vista consumes between 10% and 25% of your CPU constantly, in the other hand, XP consumes just between 2% and 10% which increases the battery life in a good way.
Application Compatibility and performance: Let's face it, there are a lot of applications that still has not been switched to Vista architecture, and even less, ones designed exclusively for it, so XP it's still the main Windows to maintain the performance and the compatibility with most-used applications.

Step #6 - Comments, Conclussions & Credits

For ending, i'll just say this method worked 100% for me and i really wish it works for the rest of the people too, but i'm not professional, i'm just another PC enthusiast-lover, so excuse me if i made any possible mistake. In any case, if works or not, feel free to share your issues, i'll try to answer if i'm able to.

And of course, if you think you have a better option or solution, a better driver or a better version of an application, please share it, it's better than waiting an ASUS Official Support that all they say is this notebook is not designed for work with Windows XP, just with Windows Vista, sad thing.

After all, i'll always prefer Linux for almost all simple things like browsing, listening music and doing some simple stuff, but, i know there are a lot of people (including myself) who really needs Windows (a stable version of course) for work too, to get apps like Photoshop, Flash, Fireworks, Premiere, Audition, Cubase or others fast and simply native, not emulated. The option is easy.

This HOWTO was inspired by some posts of the entire ASUS forum as this one created by Juan to install Windows XP on a Z53SV/F3SV or this another one, created by Slomo to install it on a Z53JR machine, so i would really to thank all the people that did the same before than me, keep up the good work!