On 02/07/2009 16:33, BillW50 wrote:
> In news:4a4a6ae7$0$426$426a34cc@news.free.fr,
> Salvador Freemanson typed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:43:32 +0200:
>> On 29/06/2009 21:21, BillW50 wrote:
>>> In news:4a4904b1$0$16796$426a74cc@news.free.fr,
>>> Salvador Freemanson typed on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:15:13 +0200:
>>>> Hi guys,
>>>> My Acer Aspire One ZG5 (Linux + 8GB SSD) freezes part way during
>>>> boot, when it gets as far as the blue screen with the Aspire One
>>>> logo. I can go into the setup menu, and change options and change
>>>> them
>>>> back again, but it makes no difference.
>>>>
>>>> I've also tried using the recovery DVD, using an external drive
>>>> connected via USB. This starts off OK, unpacks the kernel, but then
>>>> it gets stuck when it reaches the WElcome screen with the option of
>>>> clicking on next or exit.
>>>>
>>>> I wondered whether this might be a problem with the SSD. I've even
>>>> thought of installing XP, just to see if it works, and then
>>>> re-installing Linux.
>>>>
>>>> Any ideas anyone?
>>>> Thanks
>>> I don't know if this trick will work for the Acer SSD, but it works
>>> for some failed Asus SSD. That is just leave it on for a few hours
>>> to get it warmed up. Then it will work as long as you don't turn it
>>> off. Once you turn it off, it takes an hour or so to get it warmed
>>> up again. But this trick won't last long from what I have heard from
>>> others. As it will get worse and worse and it won't work at all at
>>> some point. The Asus EeePC Xandros has a check disk option. That is
>>> to hold the
>>> F9 before Linux starts to boot. You get a number of options, like
>>> run the recovery or check disk. Maybe your Acer has such an option
>>> like this too.
>>>
>>> I also like your idea of trying to install XP. That sounds like a
>>> good plan to me. Besides a failing SSD, it could also be failing
>>> RAM. It could be other things as well, but I would check out both
>>> the SSD and RAM first. Windows is usually more forgiving of flaky
>>> RAM than other OS like OS/2. I don't know if Linux is as picky about
>>> well working RAM or not. As I haven't personally seen Linux being
>>> picky about it yet. Hope this helps.
>>>
>> I've now installed Ubuntu Netbook Remix. Seems to work OK. The ram
>> tested OK. I guess there must have been a corrupt file, but what gets
>> me is that the recovery disk wouldn't install. I'll try that later,
>> after I've played with the Ubuntu for a few days.
>
> You know I had a similar problem with my Asus EeePCs. And it turned out
> to be the cheap DVD external drives I was getting from China. Nero
> DriveSpeed showed they were awful and would error zillions of times. So
> I started using SDHC cards to install and the problem disappeared. Later
> I got one of those Samsung Slim External DVD Writer 8X USB 2.0 SE-S084
> drives and those things are solid as a rock. They are also very
> inexpensive too. Just a few bucks more than those noname ones from
> China. Nor do they seem to draw a lot of power either like the noname
> ones do.
>

I've tried again using a known good external drive. I've also loaded the
system onto a USB key and tried to install it from that using the
procedure described in the manual. Same thing happens.
In the meantime, I've installed Ubuntu Lite Netbook Remix. This works
fine. So I guess the hardware is OK. But when I try to do the recovery
procedure, I get the same symptoms as before.
Any other ideas, anyone?