**GUIDE** Install Windows 8 on the Acer C720

uali

The Acer C720 is a great notebook but the limited capabilities of Chrome OS can be daunting at times. Here is a way to install Windows 8 for those who do not have a spare machine:

 

• Make a Windows 8.1 bootable USB (Google this)
• Put the Acer C720 into Dev mode and enable legacy boot. (Google this)
• Install windows 8.1 from the Windows 8.1 USB you made by pressing Ctrl+L when starting the Chromebook.
• Do not let ANY drivers auto-install/update as they do not work properly

Problems:

Keyboard and Trackpad do not work.

Sound does not work.

Video Accelaration does not work.

Power Management does not work.

 

To make these work we need the drivers, Acer have officially said they will not release them, the only other way is to somehow port over the Linux drivers -- and that seems impossible at this current time.

 

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Why I did this? Because a user called: Videomarquantoè , kept writing articles on how hostile the Acer C720 is, this to prove how it is not but just needs full time developers working on it.

 

It was not intended for Windows 8 and is more capable of running it then other Chromebooks.

 

So it is far from hostile, yes it is difficult to upgrade the RAM as it is soldered but that can still be done it is just harder, what do you accept from a £200 laptop. Can you upgrade the RAM on a £250 Windows 8 Tablet?

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Thanks to Joseph Halder for uploading video running Windows 8:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0IljnLyG9Y

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uali

Hi Folks - If you want to use Windows 8 on the Acer C720:

Support request for the drivers required by giving kudos

 

The More Users Support - THE HIGHER THE CHANCE OF GETTING THE DRIVERS.

 

Come On!!!

doanb666

totally agree with UALI!

 

and give Kudos to the Idea!!!

eltonw

Clearly people who migrate from Windows to the Chrome OS are unclear of the concept.

You wouldn't buy a Macintosh just to run Windows, so why buy a Chromebook to run  Windows ... or for that matter buy a Windows machin to run MacOS?

You would be defeating the primordial purpose of a chromebook: fast bootup, cloud storage, cloud printing, and security from viruses. Take a look here (Windows 8).

ruudboek

Has anyone tried the drivers from a another model laptop with the exact same Celeron 2955U cpu in it?

I found out that the inspiron-15-3537 has the Celeron 2955U.

All the drivers for that laptop can be found right here:

 

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/nl/nl/nldhs1/Product/inspiron-15-3537

 

Can anyone try to install those drivers and let us know if they work?

AndroidHoneyCom

Ill try

ruudboek

Ok, let us know your results, i would love to buy a C720 if i can run Windows on it.

AndroidHoneyCom

My external mouse for the laptop broke down, so I cant test Windows 8.1 x64, I tried Windows 8.1 x32 and the setup did not work.  You can probobly get it to work on x64.  If your gonna buy the Acer C720 for Windows use, dont buy it yet because we dont have Google I2C drivers and mouse and keyboard drivers.  Use Ubuntu on it instead if your buying it

dante4845

I have managed to make the audio work by installing acer aspire e1-532 audio driver (http://www.notebook-driver.com/link/http://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/Audio/Audio_Realtek_6.0.1.6865_W8x64_A.zip?acerid=635064626328959088&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=ASPIRE&Step3=ASPIRE%20E1-532&OS=8P1&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6) cos they have similar hardware specs, but the vga drivers did not work. If anyone has the solution to the video acceleration, please share with us cos that is the most important thing to me. I just wanna play some windows games even if i have to use external keybaord and mouse.

ntech02

i tried alost everyone & i cant get the keyboard nor mouse to work

i wish there was some universal drivers for the touchpad & keyboard.

dante4845

Were you able to get the video acceleration to work?

ldoodles

1 down... 4 to go. yaay?

ntech02

i installed windows 8.1 32 bit

and everything (including intel vid accel.) works except the keyboard & touchpad

dante4845

I did install win8.1 32bit, but the start menu animation is still laggy.. meaning the video acceleration is not working. Any way forward? I juz got this lil acer as a gift, and i juz wanna run or dual boot windows 8.1 on it juz for casual gaming. I have ubuntu fully functional.

ntech02

well mine got it out of the box sorry if it didnt work for you, maybe its because i installed updates. i also tried drivers from other acers. mine worked. when i figure out which driver it was ill post it.

AndroidHoneyCom

Please tell me what drivers you used.

ntech02

what sized hard drive do you have?

if its over 16gb id say let the automatic updates install first because thats what i did b4 i installed any drivers

AndroidHoneyCom

Which acer driver did you use?

 

AndroidHoneyCom

I let automatic updates run, the screen went black after installing intel driver... what acer drivers did you use?

dante4845

If anyone got a specific way to install the drivers, please share.

Viktor

Hey Guys
I Know One Way How To Install Device Drivers And Thats In Easy Way
http://download.cnet.com/SlimDrivers-Free/3000-18513_4-75279940.html Install This Program Then Go In Automatic Updates And Install This Update :
Microchip Technology, Inc. - Other hardware - USB Serial Port
Windows 7,Windows 8,Windows 8.1 Drivers
With This Two Thing
1 . Slim Drivers Will Install GPU , Chipset And Every Driver For The PC ;
2 . With That Update It Will Install The Google I2C Drivers .
Hope This Work !