andy.beaulieu.com > Home - Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate

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Posted by: host	9/14/2011 6:53 AM
Late last year I was given an ExoPC Slate as a development device in order to port some of my Silverlight physics games. I did a little unboxing and hands-on with the device back then, and it was quite easy to port my Silverlight games to their app store. Note that the ExoPC has an Intel Atom 1.66 GHz processor, which makes it a bit short on battery life (less than 4 hours). However, it does support 64-bit Windows and has the minimum 1366x768 resolution to support the new "snap" feature. So given yesterday's release of the Windows 8 Developer Preview, I wanted to see how the new multi-touch based version of Windows would work on the ExoPC. Steps to Install These steps are for installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC slate, but you could likely use these steps for other Windows 7 slates as well. Download the Windows 8 Developer Preview with Developer Tools for 64-bit (x64). The ExoPC has at least a 32 GB SSD drive, so you can go for the larger ISO (4.8 GB). You'll have about 14 GB of disk space left after the install. Find an 8 GB or bigger USB Flash Drive. A 4 GB won't be big enough if you are choosing to install the larger ISO with the developer tools. Following the basic steps outlined here, make the USB Drive bootable and copy the contents of the Windows 8 ISO to the USB drive. When you get to Step 7 (using BOOTSECT), you will need to run BOOTSECT from a 64-bit install of Windows 7, since we downloaded the 64-bit version of Windows 8. Now that you have a bootable USB drive with Windows 8, we can go to the ExoPC slate and plug it in. Reboot the slate and enter the BIOS by tapping on the "Setup" button on the boot screen: Inside the BIOS, we need to set the boot device to the USB key. Go to the "Save and Exit" menu and select the USB key under Boot Override. Then Save and Exit. That's it! You should now see the Windows 8 Setup screen, and you can progress through as usual to setup Windows. Impressions Windows 8 touch performance on the ExoPC feels great compared to how it was under Windows 7. The on-screen keyboard and web browsing are fantastic when compared to the old Windows 7 install on the salte. The start-up time from cold boot is about 15 seconds (much better than it was under Windows 7). My next task is to port some of my Silverlight apps to this new platform, so I'll post some of my experiences on that in the future.

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Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 9/14/2011 8:23 AM
I installed it on my exopc yesterday night and I was wondering if you managed to get the small hardware button on the top left of the ExoPC to work like the "Windows" button we saw on the tablet during the keynote (very useful to get back on the main screen)?

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 9/14/2011 9:15 AM
No, my hw button doesn't work in that way. -Andy

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 9/14/2011 10:15 AM
Do I have to install some drivers?

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 9/15/2011 6:10 AM
after i boot from the pendrive it runs the windows 8 setup tthen asks me to remove the pendrive and reboot normally and plug it back in and coninue the install. after i do that i juat takes me back to windows 7. any ideas about what im doing wrong?

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 9/18/2011 6:24 PM
@Anonymous on 9/15 - yes if you try to upgrade it will ask you to try using the USB drive directly after you have started up Win 7. You can install it like just another program, and the upgrade will happen. Works fine for me with the upgrade. The 'App's weren't working initially turned out UAC (User access control) had to be turned back on a bit.

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 9/24/2011 7:01 PM
I do not get the camera, bluetooth and automatic creen rotation working...

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 1/26/2012 1:04 PM
hi...i tried installing win8. But i get an error just before installation starts: "a required cd/dvd drive device driver is missing". any idea about this?

Re: Installing W8 on ExoPC \| Consumer Preview Update??	By Anonymous on 3/1/2012 9:30 AM
I know this post is from some time ago, but if anyone's still monitoring it, any word on changes to these procedures for the Consumer Preview? I just ordered an EXOPC Slate off eBay and am looking to install W8 as soon as i get it based on these instructions.

Re: Installing W8 on ExoPC \| Consumer Preview Update??	By Anonymous on 3/1/2012 9:30 AM
I know this post is from some time ago, but if anyone's still monitoring it, any word on changes to these procedures for the Consumer Preview? I just ordered an EXOPC Slate off eBay and am looking to install W8 as soon as i get it based on these instructions.

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 3/15/2012 11:05 PM
For those with bluetooth, multimedia and screen rotate issues see my post here for solutions to these issues. http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-hardware/where-to-get-sensor-drivers-for-legacy-slates/81f64ffd-faa0-4d0c-8dc7-b8cc45e3da15?page=1&tm=1331867510625#footer

Re: Installing Windows 7 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 4/3/2012 7:17 PM
any one know how to reinstall windows 7 on a exopc slate can it be a windows 7 cd or dose it have to be windows 7 moble and where do I get get it thanks email barginhunter22@yahoo.com

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 5/31/2012 8:01 PM
Thank You!

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 6/16/2012 3:58 PM
After upgrading to Windows 8, the ExoPC on-screen keyboard was overwritten. How do I get the ExoPC keyboard back?

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 7/13/2012 10:02 AM
has anyone been able to get HDMI out to work to send the screen to a monitor?

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 7/17/2012 3:05 AM
For the HDMI to work in Win8 (and ofc win7) you just have to install the CH Control Centre. This can be downloaded from the following site http://downloads.zoostorm.com/drivers/tablet/SL8/Win7%2032/ (LVDS to HDMI)

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 10/7/2012 7:51 PM
I tried to install the hdmi driver in windows 8 but still no luck

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 10/27/2012 1:04 AM
Anyone ever get auto rotate working. Installed millennium ofc but it doesnt auto rotate. I have found that if i put the devise to sleep (press power button) then rotate device and power button again it will change orientation showing the acceleromter works in win8 just want it to be auto. Other than that all ok.

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 1/29/2013 11:08 AM
try a program call irotate

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate

By Anonymous on 3/2/2013 11:25 AM

I have fixed the Hotkey by ripping some files from Asus ATK Package. Simply just unpack "Asus" folder to C:\Program Files\ and copy a link wherever you like (mine is in "Startup" folder). Now Hotkey brings the start menu but you can edit "icpt.conf" manually.

Here's the link:
http://www.wikiupload.com/WNWCFZ72VNNWGWE

I found a new driver for Chrontel CH7036 HDMI without the first start issue:
http://www.pherzog.net/Ersatztreiber-fur-HDMI-unter-Win8.ashx

Now, any idea how to fix Autorotate?

Re: Installing Windows 8 on the ExoPC Slate	By Anonymous on 4/16/2013 10:55 AM
Can you expand on how to configure the exopc hotkey to take you to the start screen? I downloaded/installed the Asus ATK package and this got the hotkey working but it brings up media player. I cannot find the "icpt.conf" file to edit. Can you provide more detailed instructions about this? This is great info as this is the closest I've gotten to getting the hotkey to work AT ALL! Cheers!

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