How to install Windows XP directly on a new-ish laptop when it says ACPI is non-compliant?

When I try to install Windows XP (don't ask...) on a new-ish laptop (Lenovo Y410p), its text-mode portion installs correctly, but then when I try to boot it afterwards so that it can continue with the graphical portion, it gives me the STOP error 0x000000A5, telling me that the system is not ACPI-compliant.

This seems strange, because in the firmware settings, the option to switch between Discrete and UMA-only graphics explicitly says I need to select UMA for Windows XP, which I am doing, and which makes me think it is indeed possible to install Windows XP on this machine. But I can't figure out how.

Is there any way to either fix or bypass the ACPI check?

user541686

Posted 2015-08-03T20:50:08.700

Reputation: 21 330

1There's little reason to install Windows XP directly. Doing so would mean you can't morally connect to the Internet, due to unpatched vulnerabilities. If you have to test e.g. Windows XP browsers, there are services for that. If you need something more complete, you could run Windows XP in a virtual machine. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2015-08-03T21:38:47.173

@ChrisInEdmontom: For the purposes of this question assume I have a valid reason. – user541686 – 2015-08-03T21:42:13.293

According to http://shop.lenovo.com/ca/en/laptops/lenovo/y-series/y410p/#tab-tech_specs the laptop does not even support Windows 7, let alone Windows XP. It's unlikely you'll be able to make it work. However, it is NOT impossible and so I'm holding out hope I'm mistaken, and certainly not voting to close.

– ChrisInEdmonton – 2015-08-03T21:46:30.033

@Mehrdad no, you don't. If you actually need xp for some bizarre reason, install windows 8 after enabling virtualization in the bios and put xp in a hyperv vm, preferably without a network connection. – Andy – 2015-08-03T23:04:08.733

Answers

"This behavior can occur if Windows has detected that the BIOS in the computer is not fully compliant with Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI).

To work around this behavior, manually install the Standard PC hardware abstraction layer (HAL): Restart the computer to restart Setup. When Setup starts again, press F7 (not F6) when you see the "Press F6 if you need to install a third-party SCSI or RAID driver" screen. Windows automatically disables the installation of the ACPI HAL and installs the Standard PC HAL. "

Microsoft Source

Moab

Posted 2015-08-03T20:50:08.700

Reputation: 54 203

I've seen that, but that screen only comes up during the initial (text-mode) portion of the setup, whereas like I said text-mode already went through fine. It's graphics mode that refuses to start. – user541686 – 2015-08-03T22:44:55.433

Does not matter, do it and load the standard HAL, see if it solves the problem. I have done it many times on older hardware, it works. – Moab – 2015-08-03T22:47:17.173

Okay then I'm confused what you're saying I should do. Are you saying I should reinstall and press F7 during text-mode? Or are you saying I should press F7 when it's booting into graphics mode right now? – user541686 – 2015-08-03T22:49:16.650

Click the link and read carefully. Yes F7 then F6 as the article says. – Moab – 2015-08-04T00:14:03.490

What does "yes" mean? This wasn't a yes or no question. I asked if this is something that should be done before the text-mode portion or the graphics-mode portion, and you replied with "yes"...? Anyway, when I try it before the graphics-mode portion it doesn't do anything. Are you saying I need to retry installing and do this during text mode? – user541686 – 2015-08-04T10:42:18.313