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Integration of nvRaid drivers into XPx64 and W2k3x64


Fernando 1

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Fernando, I think I have figured out the problem. My machine is overclocked and when I reverted back to my original no OC config from the "CMOS Reloaded" in the BIOS. I did not get the BSOD after Windows finished setup, I got into windows :) and then just finished the setup. I then OC-ed it again and it appears to be working. (fingers crossed)

Thanks for your help. B)

D.

Unfortunately I have got so many coasters now that have no blanks left to do a proper NLite CD with all drivers installed, oh well!

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Fernando, I think I have figured out the problem. My machine is overclocked and when I reverted back to my original no OC config from the "CMOS Reloaded" in the BIOS. I did not get the BSOD after Windows finished setup, I got into windows :) and then just finished the setup. I then OC-ed it again and it appears to be working. (fingers crossed)
@ daph4ntom,

good to see, that you got it to work.

Thank you for this reply. Many people who have posted their problems did not write again, if and how they solved them, especially they don't when they did something wrong themselves.

Your post verifies how important it is to read my guide with accuracy. Windows XPx64 is very sensitive to overclocking! Exactly this is the reason why I wrote this into my post No 1:

Important requirements
You only will succeed with the integration of the nForce SataRaid drivers, if you have
- a stable system (proper RAM modules and safe BIOS settings, no overclocking)

Thanks again

Fernando

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Hi there,

I have some problems getting this to work. I have already tried all procedures described in here, spent four days on it and about 15 cds!

My hardware:

-Asus A8N-VM CSM with nvidia4 raid

-2x Maxtor 250gb hd

-NEC DVD burner slimdrive on ide

-4gb ram

-AMD64 x2 3800+ @2.0ghz

-Bios revision: 0506

-Mediashield ide bios 5.50

Software:

-nlite 1.0 rc6 and nlite 1.0 beta4

-xp64 pro

I have tried all the drivers metioned on the first post... On one cd i made (and in a second case where i tried some floppies) i had the endless reboots on gui mode of the windows install, but on all other cds i made, i got the the install telling me that "Setup did not fid any hard disk drives installed in your computer"

BTW, i have a healthy stripe array (wich i have deleted and reinstalled countless times), but i do not have the "set as boot" option...

Also when i create the nlite cds i do not have any $OEM$ dirs anywhere on the disc... Even when i itegrate drivers in textmode and choose the fullunattended option... Not even when i revert from nlite 1.0 rc6 to 1.0 beta4...

I will try formatting my hds by removing the raid array and using a linux cd to see if it helps...

Currently I am seriously considering sending all my hardware back to the store now that i still can... :realmad: Please help this desperate soul!!!! :wacko:

Edited by VeryDesperateFellow
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I have tried all the drivers metioned on the first post... On one cd i made (and in a second case where i tried some floppies) i had the endless reboots on gui mode of the windows install, but on all other cds i made, i got the the install telling me that "Setup did not fid any hard disk drives installed in your computer"

BTW, i have a healthy stripe array (wich i have deleted and reinstalled countless times), but i do not have the "set as boot" option...

My first question: Do you have stable RAM BIOS settings (no overclocking)?

Next: Do you have Maxtor Sata2 hdd's? If yes, you should flash the new firmware downloadable at Maxtor homepage.

If you have a floppy drive, do the following:

Download the x64 nForce chipset driver package 6.56 from Guru homepage and copy all files you find within the IDE\WinXP folder onto an empty formatted floppy disk (don't copy the Raidtool subfolder).

Then try to install XPx64 by F6 method (without using nLite) using your just prepared floppy.

If you don't succeed this way you won't ever succeed by using nLite.

Please report if

a ) your Raid array was correctly detected (as 1 drive) during TEXTMODE part of installation and

b ) the install succeeded this way.

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My first question: Do you have stable RAM BIOS settings (no overclocking)?

Next: Do you have Maxtor Sata2 hdd's? If yes, you should flash the new firmware downloadable at Maxtor homepage.

If you have a floppy drive, do the following:

Download the x64 nForce chipset driver package 6.56 from Guru homepage and copy all files you find within the IDE\WinXP folder onto an empty formatted floppy disk (don't copy the Raidtool subfolder).

Then try to install XPx64 by F6 method (without using nLite) using your just prepared floppy.

If you don't succeed this way you won't ever succeed by using nLite.

Please report if

a ) your Raid array was correctly detected (as 1 drive) during TEXTMODE part of installation and

b ) the install succeeded this way.

Thank you for your fast reply!

First I have the bios setting on default.

Secondly, yes i have the 2 Maxtor sata2 hdd's. Modelline: MaxLine 3. The model is: 7v250f0. But i cannot find any firmware releases on their site or on google for that matter...

I did find two general iso on the maxtor site with diagnostic stuff. I am currently doing a low level format on both drives, to cancel any stuff i might have done to the MBR when i installed windows on a single disk.

It must be a hardware problem, because even with the raid array removed from the second bios screen and the raid thing disabled in the bios itself, i cannot find any hdds when i load knoppix... I will download their latest cd just to make sure i have the latest version...

How about the $OEM$ folder? Should it be on my disc if i do use nlite?

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yes i have the 2 Maxtor sata2 hdd's. Modelline: MaxLine 3. The model is: 7v250f0. But i cannot find any firmware releases on their site or on google for that matter...
Some Maxtor Sata2 hdd's can't work with nForce4 chipsets. If you don't find a firmware update, you can simply remove the problem by setting the jumpers of the hdd's to Sata1.

EDIT:

You may ask Maxtor for a firmware update by using this link: https://maxtor.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/maxtor....dlPTE*&p_srch=1

How about the $OEM$ folder? Should it be on my disc if i do use nlite?
No, nLite does not create that folder. This folder is not necessary, because nLite prevents the install of the wrong MS IDE drivers by another method. Edited by Fernando 1
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Hi Fernando,

I don't have any jumpers on my hdds... I have placed a request for new firmware. I hope it will help.

Also i tried to use drivers 6.56 on a floppy but it did not work... I got the blue screen again...

I will wait for an answer from matrox to see what they have to say.

Thanks for helping me out though! I really apreciate it!

EDIT: i forgot to mention that i also updated the bios of the mainboard to 0702, but it did'nt help...

Edited by VeryDesperateFellow
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I recently got all the parts for my new system:

Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe

AMD Athon 64 X2 4200+

Corsair XMS 2GB - TWINX2048-3500LLPRO

(2x) Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB 3.0Gb/s SATA Drives

XFX PVT70FUND7 GeForce 7800GTX 256MB

Enermax Liberty ELT620AWT ATX12V 620W Power Supply

Sony Black 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM - IDE

Sony Black IDE DVD Burner (DW-Q30A BK)

I tried installing XP Pro x64 using the F6 driver diskette method, using drivers I had on the CD that came with the motherboard, from NVidia, from various on-line sites, like planetamd64.com ... NONE of the drivers for the NVidia RAID stuff lets me get past the "Setup is starting Windows" screen.

I tried the instructions in the first post of this thread, downloading the 6.83 Package, then downloading the 6.67 package and coping the files. Then I slipstreamed (nLite is pretty slick!) the drivers into a new install disk, and it once again sits at the "Setup is starting Windows" screen again.

I guess my next steps are:

1. Try on the Silicon Image RAID controller instead of the NVidia RAID controller.

or

2. Plug in a basic PCI video card, unplug everything but ONE old IDE drive, and the DVD-ROM drive, and see if I can get it to install x64 with a basic hardware setup.

A couple things that concern me:

1. I notice no matter what I try in the NVidia RAID configuration utility, the option to make the array ootable is ALWAYS greyed out, and the description always shows it as N/A ... I've searched and found other people with the problem, but they seem to think they can install anyway... Not sure on that.

2. I tried to update the BIOS from 1009 to ASUS's new 1103 that came out this past weekend. I copied the .ROM file to a diskette, and hit ALT-F2 when the system boots, and it basically says:

Searching for diskette...

A8N321103.ROM found! ... Reading file...

(or something similar, I'm actually at work right now, so I don't have the machine or screen in front of me)

But it NEVER goes past that. I eject the diskette, and it says:

Searching for CD...

No CD found...

Searching for diskette...

over and over. I was worried for a while, but it looks like it never actually starts flashing the BIOS, so it didn't seem to cause any problems. I'm a little concerned that I can't seem to flash the BIOS on my motherboard though... I'd hate to have to tear everything apart and RMA that sucker.

Any other similar cases or suggestions? Any other important information I haven't included that would help?

Thanks a million!

Edited by Terminus
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Have the same mobo, i have make all bios update under windows with the asus update utility on mobo cdrom. On my old mobo to flash bios with alt+f2, i need to put on the floppy the bios rom and the awflash.exe (don't know if the same exe for asus mobo, not same bios brand). For the boot config in nvraid have the same thing too, in fact i had make a raid on sata 3/4 don't deleted it and remake another with the same disk on sata1/2 and can't mark it as boot until i ruplug my disk on 3/4 and deleted the raid.

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@ VeryDesperateFellow

I had a pair of Maxtor SATA2 disks and I had LOADS of problems with RAID (and without)

I actually returned them and got some WDs instead, this would be my recommendation!

The firmware upgrade does take some time to get. There is a guy called Augustus in this thread who may email it to you?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17536240

D.

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Well, here i am again.

I have just exchanged the two Maxtor hdds for a pair of Western Digital. Unfortunately, it does not seem to have helped... I tried my knopix cd to see if it would load the disks, but no. But then again, maybe this old cd does not have the necessary drivers...

So i tried the original cd together with the floppy with the 6.67, but no go...

Now i am trying my batch of about 15 nlite cds i made previously and am hoping to get lucky. If not, i will cut my losses and return everything to the store while i still can...

Thank you all for the support!

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I notice no matter what I try in the NVidia RAID configuration utility, the option to make the array ootable is ALWAYS greyed out, and the description always shows it as N/A ... I've searched and found other people with the problem, but they seem to think they can install anyway... Not sure on that.
That is a very severe thing and possibly the main reason for all your problems. As long as yourRaid array is not bootable, you will not be able to install any OS.
Now i am trying my batch of about 15 nlite cds i made previously and am hoping to get lucky. If not, i will cut my losses and return everything to the store while i still can...
I would be rather astonished if you succeed this way.

By the way:

Have you formatted the WD hdd's before you created the new Raid array?

Could you set the new Raid array (with the WD hdd's) as bootable device? If not, I would RMA the board.

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Hi,

I know that there are a lot of messages concerning nforce amd but I have a different chipset and drivers but am experiencing similar issues.

I have the nforce professional chipset and have downloaded the nvidia drivers for xp64 (version 8.22) which contains the following

Ethernet NRM driver version 5.09 (WHQL)

Network management tools version 50.09

SMBus driver version 4.50 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files

Installer version 4.93

SATA RAID driver version 6.21 (WHQL)

IDE driver version 6.21 (WHQL)

RAIDTOOL application version 6.21

. Now I installed xp64 with the raid disabled in the bios using a disk on sata-1. No problems at all. I then enabled the raid in the bios and booted XP no problem. I then proceeded to install the nforce drivers but I said no to installing the nvidia ide drivers. I had heard that this causes problems so I said no. The installation went ok and I checked the device manager and it shows the devices no problem. The problem is that RAIDTOOL is nowhere to be found! I can find it in a directory as raidtool.zip but it has not been installed at all. Any ideas? Was saying no to the nvidia raid not a good idea?

Thanks

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Hi,

I know that there are a lot of messages concerning nforce amd but I have a different chipset and drivers but am experiencing similar issues.

I have the nforce professional chipset and have downloaded the nvidia drivers for xp64 (version 8.22) which contains the following

Ethernet NRM driver version 5.09 (WHQL)

Network management tools version 50.09

SMBus driver version 4.50 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files

Installer version 4.93

SATA RAID driver version 6.21 (WHQL)

IDE driver version 6.21 (WHQL)

RAIDTOOL application version 6.21

. Now I installed xp64 with the raid disabled in the bios using a disk on sata-1. No problems at all. I then enabled the raid in the bios and booted XP no problem. I then proceeded to install the nforce drivers but I said no to installing the nvidia ide drivers. I had heard that this causes problems so I said no. The installation went ok and I checked the device manager and it shows the devices no problem. The problem is that RAIDTOOL is nowhere to be found! I can find it in a directory as raidtool.zip but it has not been installed at all. Any ideas? Was saying no to the nvidia raid not a good idea?

Thanks

because u don't have plug drive and configure raid.
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. Now I installed xp64 with the raid disabled in the bios using a disk on sata-1. No problems at all. I then enabled the raid in the bios and booted XP no problem. I then proceeded to install the nforce drivers but I said no to installing the nvidia ide drivers. I had heard that this causes problems so I said no. The installation went ok and I checked the device manager and it shows the devices no problem.
And what is about SCSI- and Raid Controller? What do you see there?
The problem is that RAIDTOOL is nowhere to be found!
I have never used this tool! So the lack of that tool should not be a problem for you.
Was saying no to the nvidia raid not a good idea?
No, that was not a good idea if you want to use a Raid array!
because u don't have plug drive and configure raid.
That's it!

Conclusions:

1. If you want to create a Raid array, you need 2 or more hdd's!

2. As long as you have not configured your Raid (by hitting F10 and using the Raid Config Tool of your mainboard BIOS) you can install as many Raid drivers - you won't get a Raid to do its work!

Edited by Fernando 1
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