Need storage driver for eMMC drive of an Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 (AO1-431-CK8Z).

DesolateIntention
DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

Tinkerer

Good day everyone.
I got this Cloudbook from a friend and it's been impossible to install Windows 10/Zorin on its 32 GB eMMC drive. It's not detected by the Windows installer on UEFI boot mode, and on Legacy boot it doesn't let me install Windows on the drive. Zorin OS fails to install with "Input/output" and "read/write" errors.

This is what I get booting in UEFI mode.
Where can I find the storage drivers to proceed with the installation?
Secure boot is disabled, by the way.

Here's a superuser post I made with tons of information on everything I've tried so far.

Any help is appreciated.

Best Answer

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,873 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    >>> just can't do anything with it.>>>

    Like failed USB flash memory sticks, It might sometimes be detected but can no longer be written to. Sorry.

    Jack E/NJ

Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,873 Trailblazer
    >>>It's not detected by the Windows installer>>>>

    The emmc drivers are automatically installed by the Windows installer---

    ---BUT only if the emmc chip  is first detected by the BIOS.


    Accordingly, please post a phone photo of the BIOS INFORMATION tab if possible

     

     



    Jack E/NJ

  • DesolateIntention
    DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    JackE said:
    >>>It's not detected by the Windows installer>>>>

    The emmc drivers are automatically installed by the Windows installer---

    ---BUT only if the emmc chip  is first detected by the BIOS.


    Accordingly, please post a phone photo of the BIOS INFORMATION tab if possible

     

     



    Imgur album with all my BIOS tabs.
    It is detected by the BIOS, but not recognized by the installer.
    In Legacy boot with an MBR USB drive, it IS recognized by the installer, but can't be used to install Windows.

    As mentioned in my post, please refer to the superuser thread for a detailed description of the entire situation.

    Many thanks for replying.
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,080 Trailblazer
    edited July 2022
    Good day everyone.
    I got this Cloudbook from a friend and it's been impossible to install Windows 10/Zorin on its 32 GB eMMC drive. It's not detected by the Windows installer on UEFI boot mode, and on Legacy boot it doesn't let me install Windows on the drive. Zorin OS fails to install with "Input/output" and "read/write" errors.

    This is what I get booting in UEFI mode.
    Where can I find the storage drivers to proceed with the installation?
    Secure boot is disabled, by the way.

    Here's a superuser post I made with tons of information on everything I've tried so far.

    Any help is appreciated.
    Depending on how much use Zorin OS will see, you will want plenty of room. At least 164gigs of space. You could run it on 48gigs or so remember these factors on the Zorin OS. What is the exact model of your Cloudbook? As some Cloudbooks have a bios update such as "Enhanced eMMC storage's compatibility" which will make Win-10 install and recognize your eMMC drive, as that is the problem that you have, as Win-10 hasn't got any drivers for your eMMC drive and if you look at Acer Drivers and Manuals for your Cloudbooks it should have a bios update that has to be done within the Win-10 OS as Acer probably update the bios for your problem. So as you don't have a Win-10 OS, you need to unpack the .exe bios file and flash the bios with a USB DOS executable flash drive externally which is complex and needs an experienced user or tech to do, we can't advise you to do a flash like that, as this forum does not allow instructions on complex bios flashes, that if done incorrectly can brick your laptop or any password hacks on Acer PC products.

    Note: with all bios flashes Acer warns consumers "Upgrading your system BIOS incorrectly could harm your Acer product. Please proceed with caution" as there could be variables with an old laptop bios chip when its flashed as it can destroy the bios chip and brick the laptop, so make sure when you do a bios flash, that this laptop is plugged into mains power, disable anti virus, don't run any software and don't attempt a bios flash if this laptop has any dangers of going into a BOSD blue screen of death this will definitely brick your laptop.

    IMO the best thing for oyu to do is to buy an external USB pin drive or an external 2.5" SSD drive (as its common that all these eMMC laptops with these drives need expanding and more space) and install and run Win-10 on a bigger capacity USB pin or an actual SDD external 2.5" drive as your internal 32GB eMMC drive is really not adequate enough to run Win-10 Home or Pro 64bit as it needs a min of 20GB to install the OS plus updates which will leave your laptop very limited on free space which will affect performance and virtually make it unusable. Also do the Crucial System Scan as this recommends the best upgrades of ram and external ssd's suitable for your laptop. 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,873 Trailblazer
    OK.
    (1) BIOS must be in UEFI mode.
    (2) Then boot from the Windows installer stick again.
    (3) Choose advanced or troubleshooting option
    (4) Choose the command prompt option.

    Then report back for further instructions.

    Jack E/NJ

  • DesolateIntention
    DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    StevenGen said:
    Good day everyone.
    I got this Cloudbook from a friend and it's been impossible to install Windows 10/Zorin on its 32 GB eMMC drive. It's not detected by the Windows installer on UEFI boot mode, and on Legacy boot it doesn't let me install Windows on the drive. Zorin OS fails to install with "Input/output" and "read/write" errors.

    This is what I get booting in UEFI mode.
    Where can I find the storage drivers to proceed with the installation?
    Secure boot is disabled, by the way.

    Here's a superuser post I made with tons of information on everything I've tried so far.

    Any help is appreciated.
    Best for you is to attach an external drive and run Win-10 on an external bigger drive as Win-10 needs a min of 20GB to install the OS plus updates which will leave your laptop very limited empty space which will affect performance. Also do the Crucial System Scan as this recommends the best upgrades of ram and ssd for all laptops. 
    eMMC laptops can't have their storage upgraded.
    I know Windows 10 will have trouble with 32 GB, but it SHOULD INSTALL. Linux would be a good alternative to run off of the internal storage, but it DOESNT install either. Something is clearly wrong here. That's what I need help with. 
  • DesolateIntention
    DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    JackE said:
    OK.
    (1) BIOS must be in UEFI mode.
    (2) Then boot from the Windows installer stick again.
    (3) Choose advanced or troubleshooting option
    (4) Choose the command prompt option.

    Then report back for further instructions.
    I'm in the command prompt.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,873 Trailblazer
    OK. At the command prompt, enter diskpart. The DISKPART > prompt should appear. Enter  'list disk' . Please post a phone photo result.

    Jack E/NJ

  • DesolateIntention
    DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    JackE said:
    OK. At the command prompt, enter diskpart. The DISKPART > prompt should appear. Enter  'list disk' . Please post a phone photo result.

    Here's an Imgur album with screenshots of several commands I ran in diskpart. It was included in the superuser thread.
    That being said, what you asked me to do is represented in the first image of the album.
  • DesolateIntention
    DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    JackE said:
    OK. At the command prompt, enter diskpart. The DISKPART > prompt should appear. Enter  'list disk' . Please post a phone photo result.

    hello
    any ideas?
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,873 Trailblazer
    The first image seems to only show the boot stick. Subsequent images seems to show the emmc flash memory. This suggests intermittent detection issues which might be due to bad or cracked solder contacts. But, the redundancy check error is a more serious issue. Like USB sticks, emmc  flash memory chips usually fail catastrophically from too many read write operations. A solder reflow might be bring it back since it did show signs of life in diskpart, But, sorry, I seriously doubt it can be salvaged. New replacement mainboards for this cloudbook are about $50usd. If it was mine, I think a new mainboard would be a waste of money due to the lack of a replaceable boot drive capability. IMO, cloudbooks with emmc only boot drives are fundamentally throw-away designs. Sorry I can't be more optimistic.

    Jack E/NJ

  • DesolateIntention
    DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    JackE said:
    The first image seems to only show the boot stick. Subsequent images seems to show the emmc flash memory. This suggests intermittent detection issues which might be due to bad or cracked solder contacts. But, the redundancy check error is a more serious issue. Like USB sticks, emmc  flash memory chips usually fail catastrophically from too many read write operations. A solder reflow might be bring it back since it did show signs of life in diskpart, But, sorry, I seriously doubt it can be salvaged. New replacement mainboards for this cloudbook are about $50usd. If it was mine, I think a new mainboard would be a waste of money due to the lack of a replaceable boot drive capability. IMO, cloudbooks with emmc only boot drives are fundamentally throw-away designs. Sorry I can't be more optimistic.
    It's not intermittent. The images where it's detected were taken when I booted in Legacy mode. You can read the image descriptions for that exact information. It's a consistent behavior. Drive is not detected in UEFI mode by the Windows installer or diskpart, but it does show up in Legacy mode, in both tools. They just can't do anything with it.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,873 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    >>> just can't do anything with it.>>>

    Like failed USB flash memory sticks, It might sometimes be detected but can no longer be written to. Sorry.

    Jack E/NJ

  • DesolateIntention
    DesolateIntention Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    JackE said:
    >>> just can't do anything with it.>>>

    Like failed USB flash memory sticks, It might sometimes be detected but can no longer be written to. Sorry.

    I see. It had been a sadly very likely theory in my head. I guess it makes sense considering this laptop is like seven years old? And, just before we end this conversation, would buying a new eMMC chip (I have the exact model number) and having it replaced be worth a try?
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,873 Trailblazer
    No. The price and labor time costs for de- and re-solder balling a 30+ pin chip would cost more than a brand new $50 mainboard, not to mention the collateral damage that nearby board components might result. As mentioned earlier, this is basically a throwaway device when a non-replaceable solder board component fails. Sorry again.  :(

    Jack E/NJ