Acer Iconia W510

[LeMarchand]

@BHMS: how the heck did you get it to boot from anything apart from the SSD? I've tried Clonezilla (optical and usb disc) - it once started to boot but gave up after the splash screen, W8 on a key (no boot) and I can't even get it to boot from a recovery disc made using the Acer Recovery Manager (booted once, but failed to use the recovery disc when instructed, not got it to boot since. Beginning to wonder if I have a duff unit.

 

I have added an admin BIOS password and turned off secure boot (though I'm not sure that setting has done anything).

[BHMS]

Unfortunately this is due to UEFI and the lack of BIOS legacy support. You will need the UEFI boot files from a 32bit Windows 8 DVD. You want bootmgr.efi from root and the EFI folder, copy those to your Windows 8 key and it should boot assuming its above the SSD in boot priority under the boot order. I have only used these to boot Windows 8 media so I doubt they work with other software like Clonezilla. I'm using WDS for deployment so Windows 8 media is all I need.

[LeMarchand]

Cheers, but I can't even get it to boot from a burnt ISO of W8 (in a mains powered device).

 

Do you know if it will PXE boot with an adapter? I'd be happy to use WDS to pull an image if it does (but would need to buy an adapter!). Clonezilla was just to image it in case it all went pear shaped (and the latest version should be EFI compliant).

[BHMS]

Are you booting from the dock USB port? You must use the tablet USB port I think. PXE boot is not supported. I had to create capture and discover keys. USB NICs will work using that media which is how I'm imaging them. I had to add the NIC driver but I'm using a USB 3.0 NIC, USB 2.0 NIC is probably supported out of the box under Win PE. Edited March 19, 2013 by BHMS

[BHMS]

Your burnt ISO should boot without issue. Is it 32bit? Have you changed the boot order in the UEFI settings?

[LeMarchand]

Are you booting from the dock USB port? You must use the tablet USB port I think.

 

Tried both! Occasionally the device will show as a boot option, but not consistently. Have noticed that the W510 often freezes on a black screen after a failed attempt to boot to an external device, and gets very warm near the NFC area and won't boot normally until it's cooled down. Suspecting a hardware fault, but the external device always shows in Windows.

[LeMarchand]

Your burnt ISO should boot without issue. Is it 32bit? Have you changed the boot order in the UEFI settings?

 

Yes to both.

[chazzy2501]

just asking but can't you do an inplace upgrade from the OS?

[BHMS]

It should appear in the boot list consistently if plugged into tablet at boot. Are you using a USB hub? I would concentrate on getting your W8 iso booting first. After that you know it is working and any other media issue is related to UEFI. Can you double check bootmgr.efi is present on the DVD?

[LeMarchand]

just asking but can't you do an inplace upgrade from the OS?

 

AFAIK, yes. I'd like a "just in case" back up first, though. I'll have a play when the blasted thing decides it wants to start again.

[LeMarchand]

It should appear in the boot list consistently if plugged into tablet at boot. Are you using a USB hub? I would concentrate on getting your W8 iso booting first. After that you know it is working and any other media issue is related to UEFI. Can you double check bootmgr.efi is present on the DVD?

 

Not using a hub (did try a powered hub as well). bootmgr.efi is in the root of the DVD. Going to try a different micro USB cable in a bit.

[LeMarchand]

just asking but can't you do an inplace upgrade from the OS?

 

It will definitely get as far as the "Choose Upgrade/Custom" Install screen. Don't want to go further without a backup (given my boot problems). I strongly suspect that it won't upgrade and will only do a clean install.

[sted]

It will definitely get as far as the "Choose Upgrade/Custom" Install screen. Don't want to go further without a backup (given my boot problems). I strongly suspect that it won't upgrade and will only do a clean install.

 

i "THINK" someone at our place tried thatwith the asus tab and it just wouldnt accept any mak key we had

[BHMS]

I had a problem with it not liking me upgrading using US copies of Win 8 that are the only ones I can seem to get from the Licensing Center. Hence the clean install.

[LeMarchand]

OK: success (at last).

 

Still can't get it to boot from virtually anything apart from the SSD, and I'm beginning to suspect that UEFI actually stands for Utterly Evil F...rustrating Invention but I've managed to back up the original config and upgrade to W8 Ent. From @BHMS's post about imaging, it still sounds as if these will be a PITA to deal with in quantity, though.

 

For future reference, I had to use the built-in Acer software to make an Acer backup key, that was not restorable from but at least it was bootable, and use Windows to create a system restore file (that was accessible with the former disk). I also made an Acer driver and program backup.

 

The machine didn't like my disks, so I used the W7 download tool to create a W8 Ent USB key and did an in place install from that (wouldn't upgrade, but no great loss there). After a few scary forced power downs it all installed (you'll need a USB KB and mouse) and the Acer backup replaced all but a couple of the drivers (and Windows Update sorted those). Not tried to restore any of the programs (and probably won't).

 

It's TPM-enabled, so it's now all Bitlockered up and I'm now transferring stuff from my old machine.

 

Apart from the above difficulties and having to hold the power button down to force it off during a failed restart more times than I'm happy with my only niggle so far is the poor touchpad drivers: it's position only, no scrolling or tapping allowed.

[BHMS]

Imaging 32 wasn't much of a problem after I spent a week getting the first one booting from USB key and captured. I could do 5 a day with just a single USB NIC. I've had to power off one every now and then as you say. Do you find the keyboard gives a lot of double typed characters? That is my major niggle. I barely use the touchpad. There is a driver update on the Acer website that is meant to improve some of the touchpad issues but I still don't think it is perfect yet.

[LeMarchand]

"One after t'other" imaging brings back memories of my old office on one site that had no network points, so all the images were done from a USB drive. Thank god that the teachers decided that the room with the server in it (along with plenty of network and power points) was too noisy!

 

Not done too much typing so far, so yet to come across the double character problem. I have installed the latest drivers, though. The lack of scrolling from the touchpad annoys me, even though I know I could use my fingers on the screen. I even tried the latest Synaptic drivers on the off chance!

[markwilfan]

We have one on trial. I really like it but omfg what a pain not being able to image it easily is! Tis a deal breaker I think. Shame. Performs fab for me despite the seemingly low spec

[LeMarchand]

Is any one having problems with the internal speakers? I have sound out via the headphone socket, but can't get anything out of the speakers.

 

@BHMS - I have noticed a few double characters (mainly spaces), but I'm quite a heavy typist and I'm not sure if it's a consequence of the cramped keyboard combined with my typing style.

[chazzy2501]

have you installed the manufactures software for the sound, I find the reverse problem alot with laptops that won't output sound from the headphones unless the realtek software is installed.

[LeMarchand]

have you installed the manufactures software for the sound, I find the reverse problem alot with laptops that won't output sound from the headphones unless the realtek software is installed.

 

Yeah - I've used the backup I did + the 2.08 driver pack. On the support forums there do seem to be a few people with sound problems!

[BHMS]

I didn't test the sound on all 32 but the full volume Win 8 sounds from the fresh image were quite annoying. I had to turn them down.

[LeMarchand]

I didn't test the sound on all 32 but the full volume Win 8 sounds from the fresh image were quite annoying. I had to turn them down.

 

 

I'll see what I can do over the Easter Hols and keep my fingers crossed for a patch that fixes it.

[Wilderbeest]

I'm using one as I go around schools. Impressed so far. Just 2 issues. Screen doesn't require password when coming out of "sleep". Also, there doesn't seem to be a deep sleep/hibernation mode. So battery runs down while screen closed and not in use.

[SYNACK]

It's weird, the W501p was trivial to get running on 8, even a PXE bootable NIC on the detachable keyboard I think. I just installed it from a USB DVD though and could have booted MDT the same way to apply an image, probably even with EFI native.