Netbook: Acer One Aspire 150

Netbook: Acer One Aspire 150

Posted on 19. Nov, 2008 by Eric in Convenience, Uncategorized

Netbook computers emerged several years ago, yet it seems that only now, in 2008, they are becoming popular. Perhaps this can be explained by the recent drop in prices, or alternatively it could be due to the fact that these “baby” computers are becoming nearly as capable as their grown-up counterparts. As with all computers, one netbook varies widely from the next. Some can only perform a few specific tasks, while others can run a full windows operating system allowing them to be incredibly versatile.

Acer 150 Specs
Several weeks ago I purchased an Acer Aspire One 150, which is the most powerful netbook you can buy for the price (in October of 2008). It only cost $350 and included a 1.6Ghz processor, 1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive, and Windows XP. All in all, it was a little powerhouse. The only setback being that it did not have an optical drive so installing software from CD required an external drive.

The Unfortunate Experience
While I greatly enjoyed using the Acer One, my excitement dwindled away in an instant the 6th day. On the 6th day, as everyday after work, I ran home to play on my new toy. I pressed the power button… nothing happened. The power light turned on and the processor fan spun, but that was the only activity inside its otherwise lifeless shell. The screen never turned on nor the hard drive light blink as it once had. I thought for a moment that the screen was bad, but that theory failed when I plugged my Acer One into an external monitor. I had no choice but to return it to the store. I was hoping that my experience was a fluke because I wanted to purchase another Acer One yet that was not the case. The problem seems to be fairly common according to some articles I read on Google. Evidently there is an issue with the Acer Aspire One 150’s bios. I have pondered since if I pushed my little machine too far. With a few sleepless nights, I was able to create a triple boot system on my Acer One. This means I had 3 different operating systems on one computer. When it booted up, it would ask me which operating system I would like to use for that session. The systems I installed were Linux Ubuntu, Windows XP, and Mac OS X.

Final Analysis
I’ve written this post for several reasons. Primarily to inform. I would like to inform my readers that netbooks are truly an option worth considering if you are interested in a notebook computer. I would also like to inform any readers that the Acer One Aspire 150 is an amazing little machine that offers unbeatable performance for the price. Be aware though, it may leave you disappointed in the long run… or even the short run. Hopefully my Acer One dieing in 6 days is a record which nobody will have to beat. Secondly, I wanted to let anyone know who owns a Acer One that, with a little effort, they can have a triple boot system, complete with OS X. Finally, I am looking for feedback. I am curious to hear back from anyone who owns a netbook. I’m still interested in purchasing one, yet I do not want to be burned again, nor do I want to spend more than is necessary. Please share your experience with me regarding your netbook in my comments section. As always, I don’t want to limit your comments so feel free to discuss whatever. Ask any questions you like. If you want to create a triple boot system, I just might be able to send back some good advice.

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13 Responses to “Netbook: Acer One Aspire 150”

  1. stephen

    07. Jan, 2009

    hey there i read your blog and have been reading up on creating a double boot system, what are the full steps to this process..I plan on purchasing this netbook today?

    thanks a million

  2. admin

    12. Jan, 2009

    Stephen, I’m sorry I have been away for quite some time, are you still planning on creating a hackintosh? If so, I maybe able to help!

  3. Dan

    22. Jan, 2009

    Can I recommend the Samsung NC10. It’s got the same spec as most other netbooks but since I’ve owned it I’ve been amazed at the battery life, 7hours plus on the standard battery using wifi, watching movies and browsing the net!!!! It’s got great build quality, feels nippy around XP and can be upgraded to 2 GB RAM which should make Windows 7 a practical upgrade when it’s released as an OEM. Highly recommended.

  4. admin

    28. Jan, 2009

    Dan, Thanks for the recommendation. I didn’t know that Samsung made a netbook. I have owned several higher-end Samsung phones and have loved them all. I wonder if you can install OSX on it. It would seem possible since most netbooks have similar innards. Not a necessity, yet it would be fun to ticker.

  5. bob89

    21. Feb, 2009

    what did you use as the bootloader, also in what order did install Ubuntu, Windows XP, and Mac OS X.. Did you need to make the osx partition active

  6. admin

    26. Feb, 2009

    Bob, I used the Grub bootloader that comes with Ubuntu. I first installed Windows XP. Then I installed ubuntu and finally OS X. If I remember correctly the OS X partition was active.

  7. Chuck Fore

    16. Mar, 2009

    Hi, just wanted to say have had my AAO about a month and LOVE it! It’s triple booting also but with Windows XP, 7, and Ubuntu Hardy Heron. Runs smooth but 7 has wifi issues that I’ll sort out. I’d buy another one if I could :)

  8. Steo

    17. Mar, 2009

    Bought the aao a few days ago and the same problem occured. Updated the bios and it came back alive. Installed vista ultimate and ran without any problems. I am now installing ubuntu 8.10 will let you know how this goes.

  9. admin

    20. Mar, 2009

    Steo, That is good news that you got your aao back up and running in no time. I later learned that the bios could be updated once the computer stopped working. When my aao died I thought it was too late to save it. I thought the update had to be done ahead of time to avoid the problem in the first place. Where did you find the bios update package to put on your USB drive? Did you have to key a certain key combination to force the aao to boot from the USB drive? In light of your experience and many others… I’m about to go out and buy my baby computer again!

  10. Sam Maks

    29. Mar, 2009

    I bought an Acer Aspire 150 a few months ago. Honestly I have messed around it as much as possible. I have made it my primary computer to use and abuse.

    I have Windows 7 Beta installed on it. I have mixed and matched Driver files( for Wi-Fi Ver 7.6.1.204, Audio, etc) I updated it to the latest BIOS ver.3309 using the USB Drive after making it a bootble drive.

    So far as of now I have not been able to get it to crash. I think that is some cases the BIOS file itself would have been corrupt beforehand thereby crashing that machine.

  11. Eric

    29. Mar, 2009

    Sam, How well does Windows 7 Beta run on your Acer? I bet it is great since they are making it less resource intensive than say Vista. I envy your experience. I really loved that little machine. Too bad I purchased one of the lemons!

  12. Christian

    13. Jun, 2009

    I have an Aspire one 150-1126 that won’t recharge the battery even after tits been plugged in for several hours. What can I do ?

  13. Eric

    30. Jun, 2009

    Christian,
    It is likely that your battery needs to be replaced. How long did you have your computer before it started doing this? I’m curious to know if it was broken form the beginning… or if it broke over time. I would try a replacement battery if you can find one for a good price. If that doesn’t work, send it in to Acer to get fixed!

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