Installing Software On A Netbook?

[jimbim]

I reckon this is a stupid question, but will ask it anyway. I am thinking about getting a new Acer Aspire One, or perhaps an MSI Wind. I will use XP.

Just occurred to me. I have a lot of software on CD's. But how do you install software on a tiny netbook with no CD or DVD drive?

Probably obvious, but not to me. Unless I have to buy an external drive.

[Guest Reimar]

I reckon this is a stupid question, but will ask it anyway. I am thinking about getting a new Acer Aspire One, or perhaps an MSI Wind. I will use XP.

Just occurred to me. I have a lot of software on CD's. But how do you install software on a tiny netbook with no CD or DVD drive?

Probably obvious, but not to me. Unless I have to buy an external drive.

Just buy an external USB Multi DVD/CD Drive which also includes an DVD/CD Burner with Double Layer. Cost about THB 2,xxx

Cheers.

[jimbim]

This morning, a friend told me that it's possible to install software using a usb flash drive set up to act like a virtual CD. I don't understand anything about it and don't think he did either, just something he heard.

[Guest Reimar]

This morning, a friend told me that it's possible to install software using a usb flash drive set up to act like a virtual CD. I don't understand anything about it and don't think he did either, just something he heard.

He's right. But you need to first copy the program you like to install to the USB Stick/Flashdrive and than start the installing from there. That even mainly means that you need to copy from CD to USB Stick. Better to use an external USB DVD/CD drive which you'll need some day anyway.

Cheers.

[niller74]

This morning, a friend told me that it's possible to install software using a usb flash drive set up to act like a virtual CD. I don't understand anything about it and don't think he did either, just something he heard.

He's right. But you need to first copy the program you like to install to the USB Stick/Flashdrive and than start the installing from there. That even mainly means that you need to copy from CD to USB Stick. Better to use an external USB DVD/CD drive which you'll need some day anyway.

Cheers.

Some netbook have an option that allow them to boot from a network, but that require some preparation on whatever 'server' you are booting from.

[Gary A]

I have a one GIG flash drive that cost maybe 400 baht. A good friend of mine has an old laptop (USB 1) he uses for the Internet. He is not very computer savvy. I often transfer programs like antivirus, Firefox updates, music, photos and others to the flashdrive and install them on his computer. I transfer the programs as downloaded and do nothing tricky or special.

[Guest Reimar]

I have a one GIG flash drive that cost maybe 400 baht. A good friend of mine has an old laptop (USB 1) he uses for the Internet. He is not very computer savvy. I often transfer programs like antivirus, Firefox updates, music, photos and others to the flashdrive and install them on his computer. I transfer the programs as downloaded and do nothing tricky or special.

Gary you're right! But you need to have an other computer and/or a CD drive available for to copy that programs to the USB Stick!

Cheers.

[Rice_King]

Network shared folder /drive.

If the OP has a network set up, he could join the new Acer Aspire notebook to that network. Then share the CD/DVD drive (or a directory) on an existing PC, map the drive on the new Acer, creating a network shared drive with which to install from.

[jimbim]

Thanks to all. I feel stupid. I copied a couple installation CDs to a USB flash disk and installed them between computers in my home no problem. I figured there would be some kind of problem not installing from the original CDs. Clearly not. The netbook would not be my main computer so I will avoid buying an external CD/DVD drive.

Cheers

[Guest Reimar]

Thanks to all. I feel stupid. I copied a couple installation CDs to a USB flash disk and installed them between computers in my home no problem. I figured there would be some kind of problem not installing from the original CDs. Clearly not. The netbook would not be my main computer so I will avoid buying an external CD/DVD drive.

Cheers

That would only be a problem if you need to boot from the CD/DVD, otherwise you can just copy the contents of an CD/DVD to an Stick and install from there.

As long as you've an other computer available, it's easy to do the job. But your OP was looking like that you don't have an other computer and/or don't know how to handle the problem.

Cheers.

[trd]

I reckon this is a stupid question, but will ask it anyway. I am thinking about getting a new Acer Aspire One, or perhaps an MSI Wind. I will use XP.

Just occurred to me. I have a lot of software on CD's. But how do you install software on a tiny netbook with no CD or DVD drive?

Probably obvious, but not to me. Unless I have to buy an external drive.

You will be hugely disappointed. I bought one last week and installed Windows XP. It runs like a snail. I'm just about to give it to my GF's niece. It doesn't have enough power to run Windows. Look at the tiny Sony Vaio which is comparable in size and weight, but it costs more than 50,000 baht. Now you know why.

If you want to still go ahead and install Windows you will have to make a special bootable USB flash drive. The directions are here:

http://www.eeeguides.com/2007/11/installin...-usb-thumb.html

Althought the guide is for an Asus eepc it works for the Acer Aspire One. If you then change your mind and want to go back to Linux, recovery disks are included.

[jimbim]

trd,

The only Aspire One's that I've seen for sale locally, at various Power Buy shops, are the XP version. They seem fairly snappy, not earth-shatteringly fast, but faster than an old Acer Aspire 1300 that I have kicking around. While I would prefer the Linux version, there are a couple programs I can't give up that need XP or the Mac OS.

[trd]

trd,

The only Aspire One's that I've seen for sale locally, at various Power Buy shops, are the XP version. They seem fairly snappy, not earth-shatteringly fast, but faster than an old Acer Aspire 1300 that I have kicking around. While I would prefer the Linux version, there are a couple programs I can't give up that need XP or the Mac OS.

I bought the 8Gb flash version. According to Acer the HD version isn't available in Thailand so not sure about the info PowerBuy gave you. Anyway all I can say is that it took me the whole weekend to install XP and other software. At first I thought it was OK. Certain things opened reasonably quickly, but after using it after a while it would suddenly really slow down. Stupid things like opening a window would take 2 minutes which would block any other commands. I could see the flash drive light on continiously, trying to play catchup. I was ready to throw it out of the window. Even the Linux is a bit slow. To be fair to Acer this machine is marketed as a very basic web surfing and email device. I was trying to get more out of it than it can deliver. To give you some idea of just how slow it is, it took 2 hours to install Firefox for Windows! I'll stick with my grown up Acer laptop.

[Guest Reimar]

trd,

The only Aspire One's that I've seen for sale locally, at various Power Buy shops, are the XP version. They seem fairly snappy, not earth-shatteringly fast, but faster than an old Acer Aspire 1300 that I have kicking around. While I would prefer the Linux version, there are a couple programs I can't give up that need XP or the Mac OS.

I think you can upgrade the Acer from 512 MB to 1.5 GB memory which will have a quite big improve in Speed.

Cheers.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

You will be hugely disappointed. I bought one last week and installed Windows XP. It runs like a snail. I'm just about to give it to my GF's niece. It doesn't have enough power to run Windows. Look at the tiny Sony Vaio which is comparable in size and weight, but it costs more than 50,000 baht. Now you know why.

Heeheehee. I have one of each. The Sony Vaio is a dream machine, even running Vista. The Aspire One is slow, but its a good backup. My old backup, a Fujitsu Lifebook, is shorted, and I'll need to take it to Bangkok to be fixed. I like the Aspire One, even if its slow, because I don't have to be so paranoid about it being stolen. At 15,000 baht, it keeps me connected to the web, and I don't mind taking it on the road.

[trd]

trd,

I think you can upgrade the Acer from 512 MB to 1.5 GB memory which will have a quite big improve in Speed.

Cheers.

I'm not convinced that would help. I have only 512Mb in my Acer Travelmate and it's pretty fast. More to do with the processor me thinks. There is a version with a 80Gb hard drive and pre-installed Windows, you'd think the performance would be acceptable so I'm at a loss to explain why my experience was so bad. I can't see it would have anything to do with the solid state drive as read and write speeds are not that far off HD's these days and the atom processor is faster than the Celeron in the Asus eepc.

[Guest Reimar]

trd,

I think you can upgrade the Acer from 512 MB to 1.5 GB memory which will have a quite big improve in Speed.

Cheers.

I'm not convinced that would help. I have only 512Mb in my Acer Travelmate and it's pretty fast. More to do with the processor me thinks. There is a version with a 80Gb hard drive and pre-installed Windows, you'd think the performance would be acceptable so I'm at a loss to explain why my experience was so bad. I can't see it would have anything to do with the solid state drive as read and write speeds are not that far off HD's these days and the atom processor is faster than the Celeron in the Asus eepc.

Did you ever check to upgrade the memory in your laptop?

Cheers.

[trd]

This is interesting. I've just Googled this and it seems there are issues with the slowness of the flash drive.

http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-...e-ones-ssd.html

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/07/23/as...e_ssd_replaced/

[jimbim]

I bought the 8Gb flash version. According to Acer the HD version isn't available in Thailand so not sure about the info PowerBuy gave you.

This is too funny. The Aspire Ones on display (yesterday) at Power Buy in MBK and Power Buy in Central Chit Lom were both 8gb SSD and running XP. I realize now that those are supposed to be the Linux machines. Maybe they know their customers better than Acer does.

The EEE 1000H XP machines are very nice, and maybe one of those, or the MSI Wind, when they get here, will be the ticket.

[trd]

This is too funny. The Aspire Ones on display (yesterday) at Power Buy in MBK and Power Buy in Central Chit Lom were both 8gb SSD and running XP.

And the new Acer brochure only mentions the SSD version with Linux. The plot thickens.

[trd]

You might find this useful

http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtop...hp?f=6&t=57

I wish I'd discovered this before installing XP. I might give this another go.

[lucky2103]

It wud be very interesting to get to know whether the Aspire one is ready to hv a regular Ubuntu 8.04 OS installed...other wise it wud be useless.

BTW, the MSI looks like the winner against the Acer

[Big Guy]

there was a 4 page advert with the bangkok post 3 days ago with both the aspire one 8gb and 120 gb. so they must be around. been looking here in phuket for the 120gb but no one knows anything about it