Installing Windows XP: Your Wallet Is The Limit

The user guide doesn’t include instructions for accessing the Full Desktop but it does have instructions for installing your own copy of Windows XP on the Eee PC. You need SP2; not just because of the security enhancements but for USB CD support. Asus supplies a DVD with all the Windows drivers, which also allows you to make a bootable flash drive and to restore the Linux interface. Installation is relatively simple; you need to change a few BIOS settings and sit through a number of reboots to install the drivers.

The "easy desktop" interface takes up 1Gb on top of the space needed for Xandros Linux and Windows XP takes up a little more disk space. Using the instructions in the manual, you can remove 15MB of files from Windows (and another few megabytes if you go into safe mode). You can also reduce the swap file to 200MB instead of the default 756-1512MB range. If you’re prepared to spend the money (and possibly lose your warranty) to increase the RAM, you can put in 1GB or 2GB of standard 667MHz DDR2RAM and turn the swap file off altogether. The single memory slot is behind the same panel as the slot for the optional 3G card. You only have to undo two screws to access the memory slot, but one of them is covered by a label warning that removing it voids the warranty.

The memory slot is easy to access and there’s an Express Card slot for 3G - but one screw is under a warranty label.

Without extreme measures, deleting files and changing settings leaves you with around 2GB of free capacity from a 4GB SSD. Asus also suggests compressing the drive but that will reduce performance slightly. Adding a larger SSD would increase the cost of the substantially and require disassembling the system but you can use an SD or MMC card for extra storage or plug in a USB thumb drive and redirect My Documents and Temporary Internet Files there. Again, the system is small in size and inexpensive, while the storage capacity is limited.