[Fernando 1]

@ galocza:

Thanks for having done the requested tests. I really didn't expect these results.

Regarding your report about the XIB message, that Windows Setup couldn't find the si3112r.sys file, I have an additional question:
Is there a file named si3112r.sys within the AMD64 directory of the XP x64 CD, where you booted from?

If there is no such file, please do the following:
1. Open the ISO file created by the XIB with a tool like UltraISO.
2. Copy the file named si3112r.sys from your 64bit Sil3112 RAID driver into the AMD64 directory.
3. Save the just updated ISO file and burn it as bootable CD.
4. Boot off the new CD

Please report here, if this helped.

[galocza]

thanks for the quick answer.
this error message only appears with the "flattened" pack that somebody earlier suggested, it is just all files copied together. as in txtsetup.oem and si3112r.inf are references to the subdirectory ext64 (which doesnt exist), i suspect this pack is the least probable to work. i think we really should forget about it (unless you advise otherwise) and stick to the original and modified driver packs. the latter is the same but i tried to modify txtsetup.oem and si3112r.inf to have the right paths based on the 32bit drivers - i can only hope that these all right, i cannot be sure.

EDIT START
to answer your question: the only si3112r.* files there are in the "flattened" xib build are in the \$OEM$\$$\OEMDIR\ and \$OEM$\$1\drivers\kdrv0\ directories. the other two (original/modified) have them also in amd64.
EDIT END

of course if even in the light of these you suggest to try what youve written in your post i will do that.

This post has been edited by galocza: 03 January 2010 - 01:44 PM

[galocza]

sorry i had to edit the post above.

[Fernando 1]

@ galocza:

Thanks for your quick tests and feedback.
1. When I wrote about the "modified" Sil3112 RAID driver, I meant that one with the customized TXTSETUP.OEM having the correct path to the associated files (the customization of the si3112.inf is less important, because this file is only used by Windows Setup during the GUIMODE part of the XP installation).
2. If even the Windows x64 CD's, which have been created by the tool XP-ISO Builder and definitively have the si3112r.sys within the AMD64 directory, did not detect your RAID, you don't need to do a further test with the "flattened" driver.

Last question:
Did you really use a clean XP x64 SP2 CD without WINNT.SIF file and without last_session.ini as source?
I ask this again, because I am wondering why no other Sil3112 RAID user ever has posted about this driver integration issue within the nLite Forum.

[galocza]

hi,
1. in post #19 you asked for builds with modified (and i did that, and the others) but the error message you asked about in #21 happened with flattened. thats why the misunderstanding
2. yes, i guess ive come to the same conclusion.

last question: im sorry, i always forget about answering that, and yes. i always have a full copy of the windows installation cd in my toinst dir (if its needed for a driver, eg), thats what i copy to a temporary place and the new dir is what i run nlite or xib on. but to be on the safe side, i compared the directory to the unmodified install cd - they are the same.
as for the lack of problems with this before: the guy who started this topic had the same problem. i pm-d him, but no reply. anyway, as ive written above according to valves steam survey only 0.45% of their customers use windows xp x64. i guess a few percent of that use nlite or have sii raid chipset. and the last two factors together - well, it might not be that high a number...

update: ive checked the updated numbers now its 0.64% (+0.19%):
valve steams survey

This post has been edited by galocza: 03 January 2010 - 04:02 PM

[Fernando 1]

@ galocza:

Thanks for answering my additional questions.

My conclusion of all your reports is, that nLite and the XIB obviously have a bug regarding the integration of the 64bit Sil3112 RAID driver.
The reason why I suggested to try the XIB was the fact, that nLite and the XIB are using different methods. I was involved with the devopment of the textmode driver integration of both tools, but I mainly tested them with the most problematic drivers published by NVIDIA and Intel. It is a pity, that both tools are not supported anymore. So at least there will be no chance to fix this possible issue.
I am sorry, that I am not able to help you.

By the way:
The TXTSETUP.OEM file of your Sil3112 RAID driver has an interesting [Config.Si3112r] section, where some hdd's (Maxtor 4D060H3 and a lot of Seagate hdd) are listed as being problematic with this driver.
Do you have any of the listed hdd's within your computer?

[galocza]

thanks for your quick reply.
is it certain that both software are guilty and the driver innocent? i thought maybe theres an error with the driver descriptor files. a " in the wrong place or a \ or something. i never had problems with nlite (except for that blasted teletext codec), and im not saying its infallable but from an absolutely non-expert point of view the driver seems to be more suspicious.
btw i have 2 samsung hdds in raid0, not the exact same model because one of the originals had to be returned.
anyway, thanks for your effort, its a shame that your time (and others) was wasted - for nothing... at least the next victim wont go through all this in vain.

[Fernando 1]

galocza, on Jan 3 2010, 11:39 PM, said:

is it certain that both software are guilty and the driver innocent?

Since you obviously had no problem with the driver by using the F6/floppy method, I suspect, that the driver is ok.

[johnhc]

Fernando 1 and galocza, you guys have done a great job of defining the problem. Is it not possible to consider some change that might eliminate the problem? We seem to know that the two programs are most likely not going to be updated to correct the problem. Since the ''ProblemDevices" code is unusual, might it help if it were removed? What is the effect of these lines? What is the effect of leaving them out? Is there any other ideas you have Fernando 1? You guys are doing all the work, but I hate to see you have the problem defined so well, but unable to get a work around. Thanks for listening, John.

[galocza]

hi John,
id like to try a few things yet, a. because i dont want our time invested to be wasted, b. im pigheaded. i really hope that two programs cant be wrong so the problem lies with the driver. i cant understand half of those driver text files but what i can do is to take a few of the other textmode drivers and compare these to them. and hope that some error becomes evident.
and then i can be a master of trial and error too, like Kurt 8).
if theres anything new, i will report back.
thanks again for all your time,
g

This post has been edited by galocza: 03 January 2010 - 11:54 PM

[Fernando 1]

@ johnhc:
I totally agree with you and I don't like to give up, but at least the nLite or XIB users probably would not accept a work-around, if they have to manually edit the TXTSETUP.SIF or any other file after having finished the processing with nLite resp. XIB.
Nevertheless I have prepared a modified driver, which may work by chance.

@ galocza:
Here is a last chance test scenario (if you are still willing to do it):
1. Download the attached driver and unzip it.
 64bit_Sil3112_Raid_driver_v10120_mod_by_Fernando.rar (150.8K)
Number of downloads: 3
2. Prepare a new nLited XP x64 CD from scratch (new source, no last_session.ini should be loaded) and integrate the driver, which has been modified by me, as TEXTMODE driver.
3. Burn the Image onto a CD.
4. Boot off the CD and look, if the RAID will be detected.

Good luck (finger crossed)!
Fernando

EDIT: Before you are going to prepare the nLited CD, you may try the modified driver by using the F6/floppy method. The creation of the nLited CD with integrated RAID driver wouldn't make sense, if the RAID will not be detected by loading the driver via F6.

This post has been edited by Fernando 1: 04 January 2010 - 06:14 AM

[galocza]

noooooo, my whole post is gone, msfn for the first time threw me out...
ok, lets recreate it:

sorry Fernando, no luck (are you sure your fingers were crossed? 8)...
however i noticed something interestin (which doesnt mean its important): when "setup is loading files" the sii driver appears among the others but for a much shorter time. other drivers are shown for about a second, this one only for a fraction. so i guess its much smaller (which i doubt) or it is skipped by the winxp setup...
on the other hand i will borrow my brothers vista x64 install disc and try with that one vlite and this driver (they share the same driver). if it goes smoothly, its a safe assumption that the problem lies with nlite and xib. if not i am again clueless.
btw im not uncomfortable with the thought of adding the driver manually, actually i have found a guide here on msfn. but id rather find a general solution for those who will visit this forum with the same problem.
oh, and ive updated the controller cards bios, though i dont think it matters. no success there either...

i hope this post will be ok now...

[Fernando 1]

galocza, on Jan 4 2010, 01:18 PM, said:

sorry Fernando, no luck (are you sure your fingers were crossed? 8)...

Yes, I did it, but maybe not in the right moment....
To be honest, I didn't have much hope, that this will bring the breakthru.

Quote

however i noticed something interestin (which doesnt mean its important): when "setup is loading files" the sii driver appears among the others but for a much shorter time. other drivers are shown for about a second, this one only for a fraction. so i guess its much smaller (which i doubt) or it is skipped by the winxp setup...

The quicker loading of the driver may have been caused by my customization. I have deleted all entries, which had nothing to do with Sil3x12 RAID Conrollers.

Another question: Have you tested the general function of my customized driver set by using the F6/floppy method? Maybe you have not seen the EDIT text of my last post.

[galocza]

"The quicker loading of the driver may have been caused by my customization."
i dont know its really just a moment. maybe it doesnt mean anything, but id think that that one second interval for other drivers is spent loading them into memory and not analyzing the descriptor files.
i just might have time for this test and i have to go to work (again), so my answer will be short...

[johnhc]

galocza, I am on the outside looking in, but I would think the drivers are OK and OK with Windows Setup since they work with the F6 method. Similar to my experience with the 3Ware RAID controllers (always seems to be RAID) indicates a simple change to the txtsetup.oem is useful. My symptoms were the same as yours and Fernando 1 corrected the problem. I know work arounds are not the ideal solution, but it is all we have right now, unless nuhi returns or asked some one else to take over. Thanks for giving us your time for testing.

Fernando 1, I agree, many won't want to alter driver file(s), but the alternative is F6 and I think it is not very attractive. One of the main reasons I started using nLite was to avoid a floppy and my new machine has no floppy. I searched all my drivers and none use the ''ProblemDevices" code. What does this do?

Have fun, John.

[galocza]

hi johnhc,
these are registry values, from udma5 i think with these hdd models only certain working modes are allowed (lower speed?) or something like that.
im looking into this part of the file, ill be back later if i find something.

Fernando: it didnt work with f6. but i still think the problem is with the config files but maybe you just deleted too much. ill try a few things.
cheers,
g

[Fernando 1]

galocza, on Jan 4 2010, 04:52 PM, said:

Fernando: it didnt work with f6. but i still think the problem is with the config files but maybe you just deleted too much. ill try a few things.

You may try this package by the F6/floppy method:
 64bit_Sil3112_Raid_driver_v10120_mod_B_by_Fernando.rar (150.82K)
Number of downloads: 3

[galocza]

ill do that, but before a quick report:
your previous pack didnt work with f6. i readded the header and the first two "value" lines to txtsetup.oem and replaced the inf file with the original and worked with f6.
then i tried the above but with your modified inf file.
and i cant remember if this was integrated or f6... i know it didnt work.
im getting very sleepy and tired and possibly sick, so after i try your mod "b" ill probably close shop for today...
tomorrow ill home in the afternoon but ill be probably sleeping as ill be on night duty at the pharmacy.
i just wanted you to know that i didnt give up but in the next 2 days ill be mostly unavailabe. i can make a build now and then though.
ok, lets see modb!

[Fernando 1]

@ galocza:

The tests can wait. Thank you very much for spending your time. Maybe we will find a solution, when you are healthy and back again.
Get well soon!

Kind regards
Fernando

[galocza]

sorry, i was overdramatic. i canr think but that doesnt mean i cant do what im told 8). i guess i just have to take notes if i cant remember what i was doing 3 minutes earlier..
about the test: mod b worked with windows vanilla (f6) but failed when integrated with nlite (otherwise clean as usual).
i was suspecting something thats what checking it out took this long but i rememred wrong.