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Integration of Intel's SATA AHCI and RAID drivers


Fernando 1

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PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2824&CC_0106.DeviceDesc this strange entry is fixed with this line PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2824&CC_0106.DeviceDesc = "Intel® 82801HB SATA AHCI Controller"

In other words, it just sets the display name properly. I fixed this by updating the driver with my newer version. As a side note, I have done performance testing and AHCI has no performance benefit seen in HD Tach. This is compared to vista in IDE, XP in IDE, and XP in AHCI

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PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2824&CC_0106.DeviceDesc this strange entry is fixed with this line PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2824&CC_0106.DeviceDesc = "Intel® 82801HB SATA AHCI Controller"

In other words, it just sets the display name properly. I fixed this by updating the driver with my newer version.

Thanks for answering my question.
As a side note, I have done performance testing and AHCI has no performance benefit seen in HD Tach. This is compared to vista in IDE, XP in IDE, and XP in AHCI
If the user doesn't get any performance benefit by enabling the AHCI mode with Intel ICH8 chipset mainboards, why do you suggest nevertheless to do it and to load the modified AHCI drivers?
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what do you mean by textmode drivers?
Mass storage controller drivers, which have to be loaded by F6/floppy or integrated into an OS CD, are TEXTMODE drivers, because they have to be present within the first (=textmode) part of the installation. Otherwise the OS Setup will not detect the storage devices (S-ATA hdd's, RAID partitions etc.).

If you are going to integrate such drivers by using nLite, you have to pay attention, that they will be integrated as TEXTMODE and not as PnP (=normal device) drivers. nLite normally detects a textmode driver (having a TXTSETUP.OEM file) and will set the driver integration popup window automaticly to TEXTMODE.

i downloaded the drivers from the intel website and there seems to be a system file which cannot be added onto nlite... there are only iaachi and isator...
The Intel Matrix Storage Controller textmode driver I have uploaded within my guide (first post of this thread) can easily be integrated by nLite. The IASTOR.SYS file is the driver itself, the TXTSETUP.OEM contains the informations for the textmode part of the installation, the 2 INF files (IAAHCI.INF and IASTOR.INF) contain the needed informations for the later hardware detection part of the Windows Setup and the CAT file contains the WHQL informations of the driver.

If you point nLite to any of the 2 INF files, nLite will integrate all files of the driver folder into the OS image. So there is nothing to be additionally done by you.

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alright, thanks... but now im having problems with the booting sequence. im using a MSI Neo2-FR motherboard. there is a mode where you can change the settings to either IDE, Raid or Achi. default settings was IDE and has no problems booting with the CD in drive. but when i switch to raid and place the first boot sequence to the CD, i was unable to do so. i entered the boot menu and all it showed up was the floppy and 2 hard disk.

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ok, i read that you have to create a raid array via ctrl + I? i've already create 1 at raid 0 and set my 1st boot sequence to the raid 0 volume. but the system says that please set a boot device etc. but i've already set the 1st boot sequence. what should i do?

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alright, thanks... but now im having problems with the booting sequence. im using a MSI Neo2-FR motherboard. there is a mode where you can change the settings to either IDE, Raid or Achi. default settings was IDE and has no problems booting with the CD in drive. but when i switch to raid and place the first boot sequence to the CD, i was unable to do so. i entered the boot menu and all it showed up was the floppy and 2 hard disk.
Is your CD/DVD-ROM device connected to an Intel S-ATA port?

If yes, you should either connect it to another non-Intel S-ATA port (for example of JMicron, if available) or you have to replace your built-in CD/DVD-ROM device by an IDE connected one just while installing the OS. After having the OS up, you will be able to replace it by the S-ATA connected optical drive.

EDIT:

ok, i read that you have to create a raid array via ctrl + I? i've already create 1 at raid 0 and set my 1st boot sequence to the raid 0 volume. but the system says that please set a boot device etc. but i've already set the 1st boot sequence. what should i do?
There are 2 different boot order settings within the BIOS:

1. the "normal" boot device order (CD/DVD-ROM at first, RAID at second etc.) and

2. the HARD DISK BOOT PRIORITY settings (RAID disk at first, other non-Raid hdd's as second and third etc.).

Edited by Fernando 1
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is the marvell something counted as a non intel sata port?
AFAIK Marvell is a manufacturer of Ethernet (LAN) chips. I have never heard about Marvell S-ATA Controllers.
and i've already created a raid array so there is only 2 options, the raid 0 volume and the floppy. there are only this 2 options.
Look where your CD/DVD-ROM drive is connected to the mainboard and try to set this S-ATA port to "IDE" mode. Then you will be able to boot off this optical device.
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As a side note, I have done performance testing and AHCI has no performance benefit seen in HD Tach. This is compared to vista in IDE, XP in IDE, and XP in AHCI
If the user doesn't get any performance benefit by enabling the AHCI mode with Intel ICH8 chipset mainboards, why do you suggest nevertheless to do it and to load the modified AHCI drivers?

Actually, from everything I know and read, ACHI does not improve performance for anyone in lots of situations. At the same time, HD Tach is an old program that isn't even supported anymore. My testing was pretty informal and more software designed to really test the benefit of ACHI v IDE would be needed.

Here are a few reasons why you'd want ACHI, hot-plugging and native command queuing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Command_Queuing

Here is a reason why you wouldn't want NCQ:

"However, the current (as of 2004) technology actually slows down HD access in certain applications, like games and sequential reads & writes, because of the added latency induced by NCQ logic[1]."

From my understanding, NCQ is a nice feature for someone who doesn't want to worry about a fragmented hard drive or doesn't do that much sequential read/writing, especially on servers. At this stage in time, I believe NCQ does not really have much of a performance hit anymore (I currently sport a 7200.10 that is 3 generations later).

Additionally, in another 4 years I see XP as going the way of 98, most people will be running Vista with the remnants still running it. Vista natively supports ACHI, which means there would be very little reason to not use it.

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hey fernando,

i tryied following your instructions to the tee. i'm not very computer savvy, but thx to your very concise steps, i was able to make a bootable CD with these 3 files.

intel pnp system

intel TXT iaStor_ich8R hdc

intel TXT iaAHCI_ich9R hdc

Im building a cpu from scratch with an intel DX38BT Intel mainboard (would this mainboard contain JMicron ports??), (2) sata HD in Raid0, and (2)ATI hd2600 graphics cards(plan to set up in CrossFire). Anyways, I Placed the Raid0 array i've created in the first position... started up with the bootable CD i made with your instructions(PS i added SP2 as one file named WIN51IP.SP2 to the folder containing the clean OS files, is this ok?) when asked to press F6, I did not. everthing was going fine, I made partitions in the Raid, then when at the step "installing Windows" after initializing, and during installing devices a Stop Error Screen appeared: semi verbatim:

""""Prob detected and Win has been shut down to prevent damage.

IRQL-NOT-LESS-OR-EQUAL

if this is 1st time you've seen this stop error screen, restart, if this appears again, follow these steps:

check that any new hardward(hw) or software(sw) is properly installed.

if this is a new install, ask hw or sw manufacturer for any windows update you will need.

if problem still exists: disable or remove any newly installed hardware or sw. disable BIOS memory options like caching or shadowing. If you need safemode to remove/disable components, restart, then F8 for Advance startup options, select safe mode

tech info:

***Stop: 0x0000000A (0x00000010, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x80523E78)

Dumping physical memory

Dumping complete.""""""""

What do I do??? Please help, i've been trying to do this for a month now. :realmad:

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Im building a cpu from scratch with an intel DX38BT Intel mainboard (would this mainboard contain JMicron ports??)
No, besides the 6 Intel ICH9R channels your board has 2 eSATA ports controlled by Marvell Controllers.
(2) sata HD in Raid0, and (2)ATI hd2600 graphics cards(plan to set up in CrossFire). Anyways, I Placed the Raid0 array i've created in the first position... started up with the bootable CD i made with your instructions(PS i added SP2 as one file named WIN51IP.SP2 to the folder containing the clean OS files, is this ok?)
No, if you want to add a Service Pack, you have to integrate the whole package. The WIN51IP.SP2 file is just 1 small file of the large SP2 package, which shows Windows setup, that the SP2 is integrated (should be in your case).
when asked to press F6, I did not. everthing was going fine, I made partitions in the Raid, then when when at the step "installing Windows" after initializing, and during installing devices a Stop Error Screen appeared: semi verbatim:

""""Prob detected and Win has been shut down to prevent damage.

IRQL-NOT-LESS-OR-EQUAL

What do I do???

The reason for this BSOD is either a memory issue or a bad driver.

This is what I suggest:

1. Remove 1 of your ATI graphic cards and try to restart the installation (I have read about problems with 2 cards during the installation). Once the OS is running, you can restore the CrossFire configuration.

2. Disable all not needed hardware devices (for example the eSATA Controllers) within the BIOS.

3. Test you memory sticks with memtest. Remove 1 or 2 sticks, if you have more than 2 GB of memory.

4. If none of the previously mentioned options really helped and the OS installation still fails, you should create a new nLited CD by just integrating Service Pack 2 (the whole package) and the Intel textmode drivers and nothing else. Try to get XP installed by using this freshly created and burned CD.

Edited by Fernando 1
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1)What is BSOD?

2)What exactly do I need to disable in BIOS, and how? I browsed thru the BIOS and I don't see any eSATA Controller option.

3)What's memtest? and where can i download it? I have 2 GB in two sticks

4)Where can i download SP2? can you make me a link?

5)should i integrate sp2 and sp3???

Edited by invzabomaster
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1)What is BSOD?

2)What exactly do I need to disable in BIOS, and how? I browsed thru the BIOS and I don't see any eSATA Controller option.

3)What's memtest? and where can i download it? I have 2 GB in two sticks

4)Where can i download SP2? can you make me a link?

5)should i integrate sp2 and sp3???

Answers:

1) BSOD = "Blue screen of death"

2) Look into your mainboard manual.

3) Look here.

4) Look for the SP2 at Windows Update. You can download the english version of the Service Pack 2 for Windows XP (Home and Professional) here.

5) No, you can either integrate SP2 or the RC version of the upcoming SP3. As long as SP3 is not released, I would integrate SP2.

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