[Jaxx]

Hey guys,

have the following problem.
Tried installign Windows but it wouldn't find my Raid 1 setup. Then I used Fernandos SATARAID 1110333 Mod 32 Bit driver and got Windows installed. It's been running fine now for 2 weeks. One morning I saw that Windows had rebooted but didn't know what happened. A day later I realized, that I suddenly had two hard drives in "My Computer" instead of the one RAID 1 array. During the day I did not notice the change I kept using the PC and due to that the two hard drives have slightly differnt data on them now. In the Windows Event Viewer I saw that it logged the following things:

Event ID 259: The signature for Raid Array \Device\00000068 - NVIDIA MIRROR 1.81T was updated after a degrade.

Event ID 262: Raid Array \Device\00000068 - NVIDIA MIRROR 1.81T was marked as degraded. A Raid Disk from the Array was not enumerated correctly.

I went to the NVIDIA Control Panel and it showed that the array was degraded. It had the option of repairng or rebuilding (can't remember the exact term). Decided to make a Backup Image before proceeding. In the process of installing the backup software I had to reboot the PC. I noticed in the RAID Boot Manager which get shown during the boot process, that both drives were flashing red and were labeled degraded. Back in Windows the Array is now not shown anymore in NVIDIA Control Panel!? How can I join the 2 drives back together to one MIRROR Array without the array being recognized by NVIDIAs Control Panel?? I have no clue. Could the driver be the reason? Please help me with this. Thanks

Jaxx

This post has been edited by Jaxx: 12 March 2010 - 10:26 AM

[Fernando 1]

Jaxx, on 12 March 2010 - 10:25 AM, said:

I noticed in the RAID Boot Manager which get shown during the boot process, that both drives were flashing red and were labeled degraded. Back in Windows the Array is now not shown anymore in NVIDIA Control Panel!? How can I join the 2 drives back together to one MIRROR Array without the array being recognized by NVIDIAs Control Panel??

If you are not able to repair the RAID array from within the NVIDIA Control Panel, you have to do it from within the MediaShield Utility (RAID ROM Utility) by hitting the required keys while booting.

Quote

I have no clue. Could the driver be the reason?

I don't think, that the integrated nForce RAID driver v.11.1.0.33 caused the degradation of the RAID.
Nevertheless you may give me the details regarding your nForce chipset and the OS you are running.

[Jaxx]

Attached are a couple of screenshots I took. I'm not 100% sure what I need to do. If I go to one of the 2 shown in the overview and select "Rebuild", I get the message shown in green. Does that mean I need to select one of them and delete it? What do I need to do after that?

Attached File(s)

•  MediaShield.JPG (28.08K)
  Number of downloads: 3
•  Overview.JPG (43.91K)
  Number of downloads: 3
•  Disk0.JPG (41.43K)
  Number of downloads: 3
•  Disk1.JPG (35.53K)
  Number of downloads: 2
•  Selection.JPG (47.18K)
  Number of downloads: 3

[Fernando 1]

Jaxx, on 12 March 2010 - 03:03 PM, said:

Attached are a couple of screenshots I took. I'm not 100% sure what I need to do. If I go to one of the 2 shown in the overview and select "Rebuild", I get the message shown in green. Does that mean I need to select one of them and delete it? What do I need to do after that?

Since I never have seen a degradation of both mirrored hdd's of a RAID1 array, I am not able to help you in this case.
If you have been able to get an image of your RAID data, you may create the array again from scratch, but if not, I do not know what to do first.
According to my knowledge you will not loose the data - contrary to the RAID0 - by breaking the RAID1 array. So you should be able to create a new RAID1 array anyway.

Good luck!
Fernando

[Treeant34]

Howdy Fernando:

I was recently bequeathed a Chaintech VNF4 MOBO (not the Ultra)...

I attempted to use two five-year old 40 Gb Samsung Spinpoint SATA I HDD's to create a bootable RAID 0 array for the OS (WIN 2K Pro SP4)...

Prior to using the HDD's, I ran the Samsung ES Tool on them to make sure there were no errors (they were OK) and then wiped them with DBAN...

I found the latest NVIDIA drivers (v 6.86 for this OS) and a somewhat helpful guide on their site (Configuring bootable NVIDIA RAID array for a Windows XP 32-bit/Windows XP 64-bit Edition installation)...

I figured the difference between XP and 2000 SP4 would be negligible in terms of setting up the RAID array...

I enabled the RAID in the BIOS, rebooted and went into the RAID config screen (F10), configured the two drives as a striped array, set them as bootable and rebooted...

I had previously copied the SATARAID files onto a floppy for the F6 install...

I hit F6 when the OS asked for the RAID drivers, and left the floppy in until the OS had completely loaded and took everything out when the OS loader said to remove the disc(s)...

The OS recognized the RAID 0 array (because I had a single 74 Gb drive as the primary partition to format with NTFS)...

The whole process went without a hitch but on the first reboot, I got a BSOD (something about an inaccesible boot partition) before Windows loaded...

I rebooted and went into the BIOS to see if the RAID array was set as the Boot disc and it was...

I rebooted and got the same BSOD...

I wiped the discs and reloaded from scratch but got the same deal again...

I accidentally came across your XP thread and I had no idea that this NVIDIA RAID driver thing was a global issue...

I'm wondering if the slipstreaming method will work with Win 2000 Pro SP4?

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated...

Tree

[Fernando 1]

@ Treeant34:
Welcome at MSFN Forums!

The problems you got were caused by loading the wrong driver folder. Windows 2000 Setup (as Windows XP) needs the nForce SATA information file (NVATABUS.INF or NVATA.INF) to get the nForce SataRAID drivers properly installed. That is why you will never succeed by just loading or integrating the SATARAID driver folder.

Treeant34, on 24 March 2010 - 07:27 PM, said:

I accidentally came across your XP thread and I had no idea that this NVIDIA RAID driver thing was a global issue...
I'm wondering if the slipstreaming method will work with Win 2000 Pro SP4?

Yes, this method will work with Windows 2000 SP4 too.
The W2k IDE drivers of the nForce chipset driver set 6.86 are a good choice for your nForce4 RAID system, if you want to get Windows 2000 installed.
When you are going to prepare the W2k boot-CD with integrated nForce SATA and RAID drivers, you have at least 2 options:

• integration of the IDE\Win2K\LEGACY folder content as textmode driver
  or
  
• integration of the IDE\Win2K\SATARAID folder content as TEXTMODE driver and additionally the IDE\Win2K\SATA_IDE folder content as PnP driver.

Whatever option you choose, you will not recognize any difference regarding the stability and the performance of your RAID system.
The advantage of the second option is, that the nForce SATA and RAID drivers of your W2K installation will be digitally signed by Microsoft (WHQL certified).

Good luck!
Fernando

This post has been edited by Fernando 1: 25 March 2010 - 03:03 AM

[Treeant34]

Fernando 1, on 25 March 2010 - 02:55 AM, said:

@ Treeant34:
Welcome at MSFN Forums!

The problems you got were caused by loading the wrong driver folder. Windows 2000 Setup (as Windows XP) needs the nForce SATA information file (NVATABUS.INF or NVATA.INF) to get the nForce SataRAID drivers properly installed. That is why you will never succeed by just loading or integrating the SATARAID driver folder.

Treeant34, on 24 March 2010 - 07:27 PM, said:

I accidentally came across your XP thread and I had no idea that this NVIDIA RAID driver thing was a global issue...
I'm wondering if the slipstreaming method will work with Win 2000 Pro SP4?

Yes, this method will work with Windows 2000 SP4 too.
The W2k IDE drivers of the nForce chipset driver set 6.86 are a good choice for your nForce4 RAID system, if you want to get Windows 2000 installed.
When you are going to prepare the W2k boot-CD with integrated nForce SATA and RAID drivers, you have at least 2 options:

• integration of the IDE\Win2K\LEGACY folder content as textmode driver
  or
  
• integration of the IDE\Win2K\SATARAID folder content as TEXTMODE driver and additionally the IDE\Win2K\SATA_IDE folder content as PnP driver.

Whatever option you choose, you will not recognize any difference regarding the stability and the performance of your RAID system.
The advantage of the second option is, that the nForce SATA and RAID drivers of your W2K installation will be digitally signed by Microsoft (WHQL certified).

Good luck!
Fernando

Morning Fernando:

I used the v6.86 to make the nLite ISO...

I integrated the textmode drivers and the entire SATA_IDE folder as a PnP driver and the ISO creation went well...

I will give it a go when I get home tonight...

If all goes well and the OS is finally loaded onto the RAID 0 array, should I then execute the setup on the v6.86 driver package and load everything (the audio, ethernet, RAID and IDE drivers)?

Will overwriting the RAID and SATA_IDE drivers become an issue if I do this?

I'm guessing it probably wouldn't be an issue...

Hope this works

Cheers

Tree

[Fernando 1]

Treeant34, on 25 March 2010 - 08:04 AM, said:

If all goes well and the OS is finally loaded onto the RAID 0 array, should I then execute the setup on the v6.86 driver package and load everything (the audio, ethernet, RAID and IDE drivers)?

Yes, you should do that.

Quote

Will overwriting the RAID and SATA_IDE drivers become an issue if I do this?

No, nothing will happen with the already installed nForce SATA and RAID drivers, because they are the same.
You should nevertheless check the MediaShield (IDE/Storage Driver) option to get the RAIDTOOL installed, if you want to have access to the MediaShield Console from within the OS.

Good luck!
Fernando

[Treeant34]

Fernando 1, on 25 March 2010 - 10:01 AM, said:

Treeant34, on 25 March 2010 - 08:04 AM, said:

If all goes well and the OS is finally loaded onto the RAID 0 array, should I then execute the setup on the v6.86 driver package and load everything (the audio, ethernet, RAID and IDE drivers)?

Yes, you should do that.

Quote

Will overwriting the RAID and SATA_IDE drivers become an issue if I do this?

No, nothing will happen with the already installed nForce SATA and RAID drivers, because they are the same.
You should nevertheless check the MediaShield (IDE/Storage Driver) option to get the RAIDTOOL installed, if you want to have access to the MediaShield Console from within the OS.

Good luck!
Fernando

Howdy:

The slipstreaming worked like a charm, the array works well...

I did notice a couple of things:

1) Both of the HDD's are shown in the USB "safe to unplug" dialog on the notification tray (IE you could apparently "stop" either or both of the HDD's)
2) The striped array is showing in computer management as a basic disk (should I upgrade the array to a dynamic disk?)

Have you had any success cloning a RAID 0 array (could you recommend software that will allow me to image the array)?

Thanks for your time Fernando

Tree

[Fernando 1]

Treeant34, on 25 March 2010 - 05:17 PM, said:

The slipstreaming worked like a charm, the array works well...

Fine, that you succeeded at least.

Quote

I did notice a couple of things:
1) Both of the HDD's are shown in the USB "safe to unplug" dialog on the notification tray (IE you could apparently "stop" either or both of the HDD's)
2) The striped array is showing in computer management as a basic disk (should I upgrade the array to a dynamic disk?)

1. You should never try to unplug any of the RAIDed hdd's unless the power of the system is completely off.
2. My recommendation: Let the RAID array be a "basic disk".

Quote

Have you had any success cloning a RAID 0 array (could you recommend software that will allow me to image the array)?

Since I am working with different RAID arrays I have always used Acronis TrueImage.

All the best to you!
Fernando

[Treeant34]

Fernando 1, on 26 March 2010 - 01:22 AM, said:

Treeant34, on 25 March 2010 - 05:17 PM, said:

The slipstreaming worked like a charm, the array works well...

Fine, that you succeeded at least.

Quote

I did notice a couple of things:
1) Both of the HDD's are shown in the USB "safe to unplug" dialog on the notification tray (IE you could apparently "stop" either or both of the HDD's)
2) The striped array is showing in computer management as a basic disk (should I upgrade the array to a dynamic disk?)

1. You should never try to unplug any of the RAIDed hdd's unless the power of the system is completely off.
2. My recommendation: Let the RAID array be a "basic disk".

Quote

Have you had any success cloning a RAID 0 array (could you recommend software that will allow me to image the array)?

Since I am working with different RAID arrays I have always used Acronis TrueImage.

All the best to you!
Fernando

Hi Fernando:

Could you tell me why both of the physical disks in the RAID 0 array appear in the "safe to unplug" USB dialog box in the notification area?

Is this some kind of glitch in the NVIDIA program?

This is my first go at "software" RAID and this really seems odd and unsafe (if I accidentally unplugged one of the disks by accident while unplugging a USB stick for instance I would have to rebuild the array from scratch)...

I use a Highpoint controller for a RAID 5 array on a different computer (my preference is definitely a seperate controller card for RAID)...

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated...

Tree

[Fernando 1]

Treeant34, on 26 March 2010 - 09:36 PM, said:

Could you tell me why both of the physical disks in the RAID 0 array appear in the "safe to unplug" USB dialog box in the notification area?
Is this some kind of glitch in the NVIDIA program?

It may either be a driver or a Windows 2000 SP4 issue.
By the way: Many users reported about the same problem with the generic MS AHCI driver under Windows 7. Their system hdd was shown in the systray as "Safely removable hardware".

Quote

if I accidentally unplugged one of the disks by accident while unplugging a USB stick for instance I would have to rebuild the array from scratch

As long as your RAIDed hdd's are within the PC case and not connected via USB, nothing will happen.

Quote

I use a Highpoint controller for a RAID 5 array on a different computer (my preference is definitely a seperate controller card for RAID)...

Yes, a separate RAID adapter card would be a better choice than the on-board NVIDIA nForce RAID Controllers, but I personally have never had any severe problem with my NVIDIA nForce4 RAID systems.

[filantrop]

Dear Fernando 1,

Can u please upload again nForce_720a_AHCI.zip file (reg file) that you once created for user gdm12345 (page 79 of this forum)

for MCP78S \ GEForce 8200 chipset

"@ gdm12345:

I have prepared and uploaded a REG file, which might work for you.
(nForce_720a_AHCI.zip)
Download it here and unzip it.
Before you run the REG file, you should do a backup of all your important datas.

After having run the REG file, you should do, what the other authors already have written:
1. Reboot and enter the BIOS.
2. Enable AHCI, save the new BIOS settings and reboot.
3. When you get the "Found new hardware" message, stop the installation procedure, run the installer of the 18.11 driverpack and choose just the "MediaShield"/"Storage Driver" option.

Good luck!
Fernando "

File is no longer available at rapidshare.

Sorry for offtop and thanks in advance!

[Fernando 1]

@ filantrop:

I am sorry, but I don't have this nForce_720a_AHCI.zip file anymore.
Nevertheless you may try to run this file:
 reg file for nForce AHCI systems.rar (444bytes)
Number of downloads: 27

The procedure is very important:
1. Do a backup of all important data.
2. Copy the file named NVGTS.SYS of the appropriate nForce chipset driver set into the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS folder of your OS partition.
3. Unzip the downloaded attachment and run the REG file.
4. Reboot and enter the BIOS.
5. Enable AHCI, save the new BIOS settings and reboot.
6. When you get the "Found new hardware" message, stop the installation procedure, run the installer of the appropriate nForce chipset driverpack and choose just the "MediaShield"/"Storage Driver" option.

Good luck!
Fernando

This post has been edited by Fernando 1: 30 March 2010 - 02:02 AM

[cdob]

@filantrop

Edit the "reg file for nForce AHCI systems.reg" file first, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE lines are split to two lines.
Combine these to one line first.

[Fernando 1]

@ cdob:
Thanks for your heads up and for your quick work-around.

@ filantrop:
Cdob is right. The reg file entries were published by him within page 79 of this thread, but obviously the lines were cut by the CODE box.
Consequence for you: If you have already downloaded the previous version of the file named "reg file for nForce AHCI systems.rar", you have to combine the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE lines before you are going to execute the reg file.

To make it easier for you and possibly other future users, I have corrected this mistake and reuploaded the file.
So if you use the new file, you don't need to edit anything.

Please report here, if you did succeed with the IDE/AHCI switch or not.

Good luck!
Fernando

[filantrop]

Dear Fernando, cdob

I did as cdob suggested:

* Edit the "reg file for nForce AHCI systems.reg" file first, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE lines are split to two lines.
Combine these to one line first *

works great with WinXP SP3 pro / ASrock K10N78M Nvidia 8100 motherboard. Success! Thanks a lot for your help

[MaxikingWolke22]

Hi all,

I am having problems with trying to set up a RAID 1 with Windows XP.

I have two harddrives of 1TB each.

If I now go to my computer after the installation, C-drive is 39GB, that is what I wanted it to be. But the rest, approx. 900GB, is not aviable. Drive D is 0 Byte.
However, rightclick, properties, hardware gives me in the list NVIDIA MIRROR 931.51G, so windows somehow does get it.

What can I do to get the D-drive to the ~900GB that it should have?

If I rightclick on it and want to format, it sais 39GB, just as C-drive. (During the installation, I first put up two 40-GB-parts + the rest, then deleted the secound 40-GB-partition to have 40GB for Windows and the whole rest. However, in the list during Windows-Setup, I then had 40GB partitioned, 40GB unpartitioned, ~900GB unpartitioned)

This post has been edited by MaxikingWolke22: 10 April 2010 - 09:37 AM

[Fernando 1]

@ MaxikingWolke22:

Welcome at MSFN Forums!

Your problem has nothing to with the NVIDIA nForce SATA and RAID drivers.
Assuming that the BIOS and the Windows XP Setup did recognize the complete RAID array size, you should run the Disk Management of your OS and look for the different partitions resp. volumes.
It is very easy to create new partitions, to format them and to give them a letter (D:, E: etc.) and a name. After having done that, you will see all partitions within "My Computer" and the Windows Explorer.

Regards
Fernando

[chanimal]

Thank you for this posting and it really help!

One thing: I have a 3ware 8006-2LP SATA from 2007. If anyone has this, be sure to use the 3ware SATA driver instead of the SATARAID and Legacy listed.

It's a frustrating process. I had to try it the second time with the same "burn-verified" CD as the first time, the system won't respond to "R" pressing. But keep trying! My 2nd time worked!

Good luck!

Thanks again!