Running Windows 2000 on modern motherboards, no ACPI under InsydeH20 BIOS

[Jakob99]

I was wondering if anyone has gotten drivers for the Qualcomm Atheros AR5B125 to work with Windows 2000. It came with such computers as the Acer Aspire E1-531. These only support Windows XP and later and don't include a 5.0 (2000) section, BUT, it does give a passing mention to 2000, like here: "Installs athwx.sys (NDIS 5/5.1 driver) on NT platforms (2000, XP and greater)". In addition, passing mentions to Windows 9x (95, 98, etc) are mentioned as well, like these: "Installs athwx.sys (NDIS 5 driver) on 9x platforms" and ";ExcludeFromSelect = \  ;for win95 and legacy support" (with the latter quote mentioning generic legacy support).

This means the device should be workable with Windows 2000, but I am not really sure how to do so. Here's what I've attempted so far (using a 2007 Acer TravelMate 2480 to temporarily host the network adapter while I await my E1-531 delivery):

1. Added in NT.5.0 and my device ID (obtained from XP) %ATHER.DeviceDesc.661711AD% = ATHER_DEV_661711AD.ndi, PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&SUBSYS_661711AD and blanked the 5.1 section so it is commented out (E.G. [Atheros.NT.5.1] ; Empty section, so this INF does not support NT 5.1 and later). I also edited both .sys files within CFF Explorer to swap 5.1 mentions to 5.0 mentions. This did not work.

2. Put back in the original adapter, install its drivers under XP, copy its driver ID to the Generic section of this driver, but changed it to read as: %ATHER.DeviceDesc.001C% = ATHER_DEV_001C.ndi, PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&SUBSYS_661711AD (This caused an Code 10) and then %ATHER.DeviceDesc.001C% = ATHER_DEV_661711AD.ndi, PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&SUBSYS_661711AD (The name is already in use as either a service name or service display name).

Number 2 was done to trick the driver into thinking the original AR5BXB63 was inserted, which failed. If anyone has any solutions to getting the AR5B125, please do share. Thanks in advanced for your guys' help!

@blackwingcat

Edited November 29, 2022 by Jakob99

[Jakob99]

Welp, I've hit an impasse with Windows 2000 on the Acer Aspire E1-531. Despite following the steps here, http://windowsenthusiasts1.epizy.com/Windows2000SandyBridge.html, using an ISO made by Win32, Windows 2000 freezes at "Setup is starting Windows 2000", forcing me to press F5 and choose Standard PC. The BIOS in this system is InsydeH2O and people in the past have had issues with this and 2000. Any way I can activate ACPI under 2000 with this BIOS? I posted also to @blackwingcat's site too, BTW, SATA driver works like a charm, so no IDE Emulation mode needed. This is an ACPI issue. On the plus side, I finally have sound on a modern W2K install thanks to Realtek Audio!

@win32 Maybe you have some ideas here? ACPI is needed if I want to use BlackWingCat's custom Sandy Bridge graphics driver for W2K rather than a VESA driver. In addition, the USB 2 ports don't appear to work despite me using my steps. This appears to be related to the ACPI as following those steps on my Dell Latitude E6530, where ACPI works flawlessly, fixes them, whereas on the E1-531, they do not, meaning I either have to burn files to a DVD or go into the installed copy of XP to copy USB drive items over.

Huge thanks in advanced for anyone who can get this figured out, and to a now much lesser extent, the network card issue above this.

[Jakob99]

Welp, I've hit an impasse with Windows 2000 on the Acer Aspire E1-531. Despite following the steps here, http://windowsenthusiasts1.epizy.com/Windows2000SandyBridge.html, using an ISO made by Win32, Windows 2000 freezes at "Setup is starting Windows 2000", forcing me to press F5 and choose Standard PC. The BIOS in this system is InsydeH2O and people in the past have had issues with this and 2000. Any way I can activate ACPI under 2000 with this BIOS? I posted also to @blackwingcat site too, BTW, SATA driver works like a charm, so no IDE Emulation mode needed. This is an ACPI issue. On the plus side, I finally have sound on a modern W2K install thanks to Realtek Audio!

@win32 Maybe you have some ideas here? ACPI is needed if I want to use BlackWingCat's custom Sandy Bridge graphics driver for W2K rather than a VESA driver. In addition, the USB 2 ports don't appear to work despite me using my steps. This appears to be related to the ACPI as following those steps on my Dell Latitude E6530, where ACPI works flawlessly, fixes them, whereas on the E1-531, they do not, meaning I either have to burn files to a DVD or go into the installed copy of XP to copy USB drive items over. I did see this may be the result of a Serial Port setting, but no such option exists in the BIOS and I can't seem to find a modded BIOS that adds a Serial Port option in.

Huge thanks in advanced for anyone who can get this figured out.

[blackwingcat]

  

On 2022/9/16 at 午前9時15分, Jakob99 said:

I was wondering if anyone has gotten drivers for the Qualcomm Atheros AR5B125 to work with Windows 2000. It came with such computers as the Acer Aspire E1-531. These only support Windows XP and later and don't include a 5.0 (2000) section, BUT, it does give a passing mention to 2000, like here: "Installs athwx.sys (NDIS 5/5.1 driver) on NT platforms (2000, XP and greater)". In addition, passing mentions to Windows 9x (95, 98, etc) are mentioned as well, like these: "Installs athwx.sys (NDIS 5 driver) on 9x platforms" and ";ExcludeFromSelect = \  ;for win95 and legacy support" (with the latter quote mentioning generic legacy support).

@blackwingcat

I lost the topic to reply about it X3 

Atheros AR5008 Wireless Network Adapter Driver for Win2000

How about it ? :3

Edited September 22, 2022 by blackwingcat

[Jakob99]

17 hours ago, blackwingcat said:

  

I lost the topic to reply about it X3 

Atheros AR5008 Wireless Network Adapter Driver for Win2000

How about it ? :3

Thanks! I'll try this later. Also, I posted a new thread here but am not sure if you've seen it yet. Basically, I had to install W2K in Standard PC Mode and because of this, I cannot use your custom Sandy/Ivy Bridge graphics (I have the former and need to use VESA generic driver) and have the Windows 95-esk "It is now safe to shutdown the computer" and have to press the power button to turn off. Everyone agrees this is due to InsydeH2O BIOS not activating even your modded ACPI.sys (which works wonderfully on my Dell's with Ivy Bridge and Haswell, respectively), so if you have any solutions, please do comment in my thread linked below. It sucks  because I got this laptop so I could have Realtek audio in W2K along with actual, working Intel Graphics, and hopefully internet of some kind, but the stupid BIOS is railroading me Anywho, let's get back in topic here.

P.S. If anyone else has anything to contribute to my thread below, please do so. I'll take anything to get W2K ACPI working

 

[Jakob99]

On 9/21/2022 at 8:25 PM, blackwingcat said:

  

I lost the topic to reply about it X3 

Atheros AR5008 Wireless Network Adapter Driver for Win2000

How about it ? :3

Sorry for double post, but this driver installed successfully with no errors. I took the associated network adapter and put it in an Acer TravelMate 2480. That install of 2000 had no Extended Kernel or Core, but Boingo picked up the wireless networks, however, on trying to connect to one, the OS throws a driver IRQL not less or equal BSoD, maybe because of the lack of Kernel/Core? When using the driver with the adapter in its original laptop, the Aspire E1-531, it too installs fine, but Boingo does not detect the wireless networks saying "No signals available". There is no WiFi switch on this laptop. The closest thing is a button on the F3 key that is activated if I press Fn+F3, however, this does nothing unlike in XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10, and 11, where it turns on and off the WiFi in those OSes. This laptop does have Kernel/Core. Maybe lack of ACPI is to blame? Any help on this and my above issue greatly appreciated!

Edited September 23, 2022 by Jakob99

[blackwingcat]

5 hours ago, Jakob99 said:

Sorry for double post, but this driver installed successfully with no errors. I took the associated network adapter and put it in an Acer TravelMate 2480. That install of 2000 had no Extended Kernel or Core, but Boingo picked up the wireless networks, however, on trying to connect to one, the OS throws a driver IRQL not less or equal BSoD, maybe because of the lack of Kernel/Core? When using the driver with the adapter in its original laptop, the Aspire E1-531, it too installs fine, but Boingo does not detect the wireless networks saying "No signals available". There is no WiFi switch on this laptop. The closest thing is a button on the F3 key that is activated if I press Fn+F3, however, this does nothing unlike in XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10, and 11, where it turns on and off the WiFi in those OSes. This laptop does have Kernel/Core. Maybe lack of ACPI is to blame? Any help on this and my above issue greatly appreciated!

Perhaps you should install Atheros WiFi Application because Windows 2000 does not have a native WiFi Applicaiton.

[Jakob99]

7 hours ago, blackwingcat said:

Perhaps you should install Atheros WiFi Application because Windows 2000 does not have a native WiFi Applicaiton.

Where do I find this? The link on your website for it w2k.flxsrv.org/cgi-bin/dl.cgi?file=athcliut.exe does not work and your Windows Legacy Update website does not have it meaning I can't download it. I should note that Boingo did detect the WiFi signals when the adapter was put into an Acer TravelMate 2480, but it blue screened upon trying to connect.

[windows2]

6 hours ago, Jakob99 said:

Where do I find this? The link on your website for it w2k.flxsrv.org/cgi-bin/dl.cgi?file=athcliut.exe does not work and your Windows Legacy Update website does not have it meaning I can't download it. I should note that Boingo did detect the WiFi signals when the adapter was put into an Acer TravelMate 2480, but it blue screened upon trying to connect.

hi, please try LucidLink22Client :

MegaLink

DriveLink

Edited September 23, 2022 by windows2

[Jakob99]

2 hours ago, windows2 said:

hi, please try LucidLink22Client 

https://mega.nz/file/6fQRCbZD#7M77I20LNt9qAKwpDGC2Wv2MKl3M_rm9gc2k6PD8vew

I'll try this out. Thank you!

[blackwingcat]

On 9/23/2022 at 11:42 PM, Jakob99 said:

Where do I find this? The link on your website for it w2k.flxsrv.org/cgi-bin/dl.cgi?file=athcliut.exe does not work and your Windows Legacy Update website does not have it meaning I can't download it. I should note that Boingo did detect the WiFi signals when the adapter was put into an Acer TravelMate 2480, but it blue screened upon trying to connect.

I remade athcliut.

But I don't know that you can use this app for your device :3

If you can got dump file, send it me. it may be resolve it.

Edited September 26, 2022 by blackwingcat

[Jakob99]

16 hours ago, blackwingcat said:

I remade athcliut.

But I don't know that you can use this app for your device :3

If you can got dump file, send it me. it may be resolve it.

Unfortunately, the adapter was put back into the laptop I am using to type this. I am, however, interested in trying to get Windows 2000 and your modded ACPI (which works on my Ivy Bridge and Haswell Dell's) to work with my Acer Aspire E1-531. @AnX himself has said multiple times (including in the following thread) that Windows 2000 will not activate ACPI with an InsydeH2O BIOS, modded ACPI or not. When I run an updated to 2010 2k ISO with your modded SATA and ACPI added in, it freezes at "Setup is starting Windows 2000". I hit F5 to activate Standard PC mode and installation goes fine, but no drivers work, not even USB, even after doing the fix. I only got VESA driver to work. I would greatly appreciate it if you or someone else could help me solve this. I did post a thread here, but no one has acknowledged it yet, leaving me not hopeful for any solutions to this longstanding problem plaguing people with InsydeH2O BIOS. Someone did mention Serial port settings could be the issue, but my BIOS has no such option due to lack of said port and I can't seem to find a modded BIOS with the Advanced options (including Serial Port) enabled.

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by Jakob99

[Jakob99]

Bumping this up. Hoping someone has a solution to this problem. I posted in the following thread below inquiring on whether or not that ACPI driver can be backported to 2000, so we shall see what the answer is. I'm also changing this thread title slightly too.