RickSteele

Viper999 Try redoing a fresh nlited integration and, then, iso; ran into this a couple of times and the redo all solved it for me; suspect file corruption. Fantastic-details please-no Local Area Connection 2, no BIOS checksum error message after flash or did you enable nforce RAID after setting defaults before flashing......? Hi Fernando 1 "What I do not understand is the relationship between the nForce SataRaid drivers and the Local Area Connection. I cannot believe, that this has something to do with the method how you integrate the SataRaid drivers (F6 or by using nLite)." Just finshed a fresh install last night using the Legacy and all else as usual-Ethernet, SMBus, sfc disabled-all my normal removals, tweaks etc.; but no video drivers-install them after setup to get all the driver features. It is good-no Local Area Connection 2 etc. Update; s..t, the twin bugs are back: I just burned a bootable DVD+RW nlite 1.0rc7 with Nero 7.0.8.2 in my Plextor 716A and the LG-4163B will not read it-system log flags error=CDROM has a bad block, popup dialogue after my system hangs for 3 minutes or so while the LG tries to read the disc=invalid function; the freeze ends at this time. Meanwhile if I insert the disc into the Plextor 716A=no worries, it loads and reads it immediately. Upon trying to boot the DVD+RW I get the error=line 1 of the inf file\i386\txtsetup.sif is invalid setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit. The boot problem with bootable DVD has been there off and on since A8N32-SLI Deluxe-no rhyme or reason to it. The DVD-RW reading concern is new to this install after disappearing over the last 5 or so. Bootable CD-RW 700mb are no problem-they work fine.....so basically I'm f...ed if I can figure this one out; and am definitely frustrated. All of the nonbootable DVD+RW I've created read in both DVDROMs; irregardless which one was used to burn it. If I replace nlite's makeiso with cdimage then the bootable DVD's work fine-but I hate that cdimage because it dates all to 2002-including all the folders/files in your finished installation-WINDOWS, system32 etc. No relevant info on the net that I can find so must be peculiar to my setup only; go figure!!! Catch ya' later March 13-upd. Fully nlited a bootable 685mb CD-RW using the modified 6.85 sataraid, but, with one exception-did not again integrate Catalyst drivers-installed them at the end of setup-I now use 2 CDROM installation discs with 3 cmd files. All of the above is fixed; no Local Area Connection 2, DVD bootable still gives the same error but, read concerns etc. gone. Everything is working better than it ever has at 16kb stripe; I'm beginning to consider the Catalyst 6.3 integration as the primary source of my ills; integrate=problems, no integrate=no problems. Perhaps, like Creative, these should no longer be integrated. I've replaced my DVD cables as I received an error report in the system logs relating to this as the usual cause of that error-will use a while and report. Check this out: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?act=ST&f=70&t=69587 This 4G barrier could be the problem for my bootable DVD's-I'm at 4.2G; cdimage puts the i386 directory at the front of the disc and, apparently, this is what allows it to succed for discs above 4G. man!!!! Final Update on this post, March 15, One intermittently faulty ATAPI cable was the reason for all my DVD+RW read errors and nonbootable compilation errors-replaced both cables; I use two DVD-RW's, and all is well. The bootable DVD+RW error is due to the 4G limit discussed above. I reduced the size from 4.2G to 4.01G, created with nlite1.0rc7 and burned a bootable DVD+RW-the disc booted/operated perfectly=solved. fernando1's guide is the best way to integrate nforce4 RAID on the A8N32-SLI Deluxe; after trying several variants of integration the guide works best; yields the most stable install. Later, Rick

Hi Fernando 1, How do you explain your findings? Did you integrate all nForce drivers (SataRaid, SMBus, Ethernet, Audio) by using nLite? Did you take them all off the package 6.85? Yes, from the modified sataraid folder etc.. I am beginning to suspect the way I intall all before first logon. I've just now finished a fresh install using the Legacy folder only and no net, BUS etc.; just the Legacy, rebooting into safe mode after first logon to install all using 6.85 setup.exe. I integrated the Legacy with nlite 1.0 rc 7 and no removals-sfc enabled, with various eye-candy tweaks, reg tweaks etc., all hotfixes and WMP10 complete with all it's updates slipstreamed. I have my own winnt.sif file that I use. The difference is tangible; no more net issues, Local Area Connection 2 etc.; the system just seems more solid; but, I also have modified the way I install my apps; instead of all before first logon I install all DOTNET etc. reboot, install the rest of MS's addons, then on the third reboot install Nero etc .-all third party stuff. So, your querry is certainly been the question I have asked myself, especially in light of icroyal success. I have made a complete, as I used to, nlited 1.0 rc7 4.1G bootable DVD+RW using the Legacy folder on one and the modified sataraid on the other, complete with all drivers save video, and will try it sometime soon-I just want to enjoy my computer for a while; you know-Day of Defeat Source, FEAR etc. I will post back the experience when I do the nasty. Thanks for this thread and all of your hard work. Live long and prosper

Do not use any but the 6.85-trust me on this one. There are a couple of other discoveries I have happened upon just over the last couple of days with the A8N32-SLI Deluxe; again this is my system so mileage may vary: 1) The custom Tutorial sataraid+legacy setup works fine but, there are discrepencies; your Local Area Connection will be named Local Area Connection 2 and in the registry there is reference to a fanthom Local Area Connection which is neither functional or existant in windows; for some reason your IE window size never opens maximized from the Favorites in Windows Explorer, or hyperlinks while online; no matter what you do. Frequently there are DHCP error logs in the system logs on bootup which causes XP to hang at logon as it persists in solving for the connection. All of this is gone with an F6 install-6.85. I am going to try just the Legacy nlite1.0rc7 integrated and run setup.exe-6.85 in safemode after first logon this weekend to see if this copies the F6 characteristics and report to fernando1. Finnally, the connection is much quicker and more robust with F6. 2) do not forget to set the Nero Burning Rights configuration before any burning. 3) SystemFileChecker enabled has made a huge positive impact on my system stability. XP sp2 chkdsk finds few or no errors on any of my 4 partitions in a thorough check after the first run compared to SFC disabled. This mobo is really buggy if you do something not quite right-very sensitive. The BIOS and nforce drivers are still immature and it shows in the many problems I've encountered over the last couple of months. Terabyte has the best disc tools. Check them out=trial available....partitioning .....etc. 4)I have found overwriting an errant install with zero's is the best way to ensure error free re-install-not sure why but have read somewhere about mbr hangover....... When updating the BIOS do so in DOS only using a Unix boot floppy-from BootDisc.com-with afudos 2.21 and your ROM file-currently 1103-renamed to A8N32SLI.ROM all copied to that floppy. The reason is if you do not have a command.com you will only be able to reboot after flash using your case reset button-the Unix disc allows cntl>alt>del. There is no "press any key to reboot....etc. in AMI's flash executable. It is very important to set up BIOS defaults before flashing with one exception; if you are using nforce RAID enable this in the BIOS after loading up defaults before exiting-saving changes to reboot; otherwise you will get a "BIOS checksum error press F1...etc." message after flash and this causes grief later on-dropped/corrupt partitions/ntfs file structures in the near future. After flashing allow the system to fully boot into windows cancelling any driver prompts you do not want... then, reboot and enter BIOS setup to customize as you wish. So far this method has been foolproof for me. Goodluck!

icroyal I'm assuming you are using a USB keyboard; if so do the following: 1) do not update to the latest BIOS-1103-until XP is installed and running well 2)shutdown your PC, switch off the power supply and then disconnect the power cord from your power supply-no power to your PC at all except CMOS battery-for 15 minutes 3)plug in your power supply and switch it on 4)start your computer and enter BIOS setup and make sure the Boot setting for Legacy USB is Enabled; not Automatic. 5)finally there are many of the popular full featured keyboards that simply will not ever be compatable during setup-I use a BENQ Internet keyboard and it works all of the time during setup for slipstreamed or a SP2 XP but, not for SP1a. I have had this, among others, concern and this procedure solved it. When nliting your SP2 disc watch out for Nero 7. 7.5......was the first update to actually burn anything on my computer correctly; 7.0.8... is out now and it does well-many bugs that I experienced fixed. Bootable DVD's were a real concern/headache but so far the latest version does all well-one thing with Nero 7; make sure you enable burning support for all newly installed drives, reboot and then for everybody in Nero Burning Rights or only your first DVD/CDROM will read one burned from the other in Windows Explorer. Use the 6.85 X16 drivers, not the 6.82, and integrate the Legacy folder only, or copy the entire Legacy folder to floppy for F6. After setup is complete and first logon accomplished, copy the entire 6.85 extracted driver folder to your HDD and reboot into safemode where you finally run setup.exe-allow the NVIDIA sw drivers to install, reboot normally when prompted and all should be reasonable. This is what worked for me. I am typing this reply from 4*74g Raptors in RAID0 at 16kb stripe on the nforce4 chip.

Thanks for your reply.Are you really sure, that your mainboard and especially your floppy port is OK? In other newsgroups I saw a lot of posts from owners of an ASUS A8N32 Sli Deluxe with a lot of hardware troubles. That is why I am unsure, if your findings have anything to do with nLite. So I would like to encourage other nLite users with an nForce4 SLI x16 mainboard to report about their experiences using my guide and especially about the best driver folder choice. I have personally experienced these hardware anomolies-from total system freeze up so that when I forced a reboot WinXP would run chkdsk on my applications partition every reboot; even though no errors were found; to one of my Raptors dropping out of my array for no reason-checks good. The first concern required complete re-install and the second required shutdown, disconnect all power from mainboard for 1 minute, reconnect and switch system on booting into Windows with the array working perfectly and no problems since. There have been other errors but the gist of it is already here-no sense going into detail about all. I think the mobo is probably good and the errors occured for me with or without an nlite install but, I feel NVIDIA and ASUS--and perhaps ABIT,........so on, need to synchronize the drivers and BIOS releases-the A8N32-SLI's problems smell a lot like the A8N Deluxe's crashes with the post 1007 BIOS releases-solved by 6.65 and later; a compatable NVIDIA driver set. The A8N32-SLI Deluxe is one buggy mobo sometimes. In closing I've found integrating the drivers-nlite-and using a winnt.sif file is the most trouble free and stable.

I've built a few systems using the ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe and Premium; both for myself and another person. I always use RAID 0 on my personal systems but, Mario's was just 1 WD250G SATA II on the A8N-SLI Deluxe nforce4 chip. Unlike the Siil setup, nforce4 natively supports all versions of SATA and is supposed to require no F6 or other driver integration during WinXP setup for single-nonRAID-HDD's. I setup Mario's system and installed WinXP-pro SP2 in this fashion using no F6 and integrating no drivers at all-that was in the spring and he is still using the same install today-trouble free-1016 BIOS. After install I rebooted in to safe mode and ran setup.exe-6.66 at the time-and only the ATAPI drivers changed-opting for the NVIDIA sw drivers over MS generic. I hope this helps

See here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=51140 I have already 6.70 installed and I think it was not correct, because I got no raid tool for example.Now, update your BIOS to 1016-the latest release, or 1017.004, the latest beta-and your done. If you had updated the BIOS before updating your drivers your system would crash-it would neither shutdown or reboot-you would have to use your case reset button to reboot or shut down using the case power switch. I found that more often than not if I upgraded the BIOS with no os installed for some reason the system was unstable in certain situations-this should not be the case but........

No!-you must upgrade your drivers first and then your BIOS. If you read the qualifier at ASUS's download page for your mobo you will see-Drivers first, BIOS second Sorry, I meant: and then install new windows with right drivers. Otherwise it should be not possible to install Windows with new BIOS and new drivers. I will do following: 1. Delete windows partition C with Partition Magic 2. Upgrade BIOS with Phoenix Award BIOS flash tool 3. Install Windows with right nvidia 6.70 drivers Am I right? No. Do like this: 1. Delete windows partition C with Partition Magic 2. Install Windows with right nvidia 6.70 drivers 3. Upgrade BIOS with Phoenix Award BIOS flash tool OR-if you already have WinXP installed and it is working fine for you do this instead: 1. reboot into safe mode 2. install 6.70 3. reboot normally 4. reboot again and set up BIOS defaults-with one exception-enable nforce RAID and the HDD attached 5. save changes and reboot to floppy 6. update to the latest BIOS 7. reboot to WinXP bootable floppy again 8. reboot again and enter BIOS setup to customize it as you wish 9. save changes and reboot to Windows normally 10. you're done The BIOS update is driver dependant, but the drivers are not BIOS dependant

Just for info new BIOS A8N32SLI-Deluxe (1103)-running on my system well-not on ASUS ftp but on ASUS download page

No!-you must upgrade your drivers first and then your BIOS. If you read the qualifier at ASUS's download page for your mobo you will see-Drivers first, BIOS second

Didn't work for me, I got endless reboots, since I made fresh install with 6.70 drivers and 1011 BIOS at A8N-SLI Deluxe. And I really don't know if my motherboard is corrupt or I should update BIOS firs No!-your system will hang/crash-NVIDIA originally updated the nforce4 for these mobo's to solve this with ASUS BIOS. Also, when updating the BIOS set it to Default with one exception; if you are running nforce RAID then you must set the nforce RAID-and the HDD attached to it- to enabled in BIOS prior to updating. It defaults to nforce RAID disabled and Siil enabled-this causes BIOS checksum error message to appear; will not permanently harm anything but, by doing the above it is avoidable. Try it without any bashrat driver packs; just nlite and here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=51140 Your nForce4_SLI_6.70_winxp2k_english sataraid folder should contain the following files: nvuide.exe-copy from sata_ide idecoi.dll nvcoi.dll-copy from sata_ide nvraidco.dll disk1 nvide.nvu-copy from sata_ide txtsetup.oem nvata.cat-copy from sata_ide nvraid.cat nvatabus.inf-copy from legacy nvraid.inf nvatabus.sys nvraid.sys The above will install so that those drivers that are certified will install as signed. The other alternative is to integrate just the legacy folder-this is identical to that which is copied to floppy for F6 install but, no drivers will show certified-even those that are signed-until you reboot into safe mode and do a manual install using setup.exe. I am assuming you are using nforce RAID and have no other HDD attached to your system other than the RAID array-no USB, Siil....etc. If this is not the case then detail your system in next post. Go here first http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=51140 and here http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=89

I have owned all 3 motherboards and am now using the A8N32-SLI Deluxe. If you are using the A8N32-SLI Deluxe then download the 6.85 drivers from NVIDIA's website and follow Fernando1's guide posted in the MSFN forum in the nlite thread to integerate-this is NVIDIA's second driver release for this mobo and is working on mine perfectly-all integrated with nlite. If you are using the A8N-SLI Deluxe or the A8N-SLI Premium download the 6.70 drivers and install first prior to upgrading your BIOS-system hangs on reboot or shutdown if you do not have the latest nforce4 release. If doing a fresh install, integrate 6.70, again I recommend nlite 1.0rc6, finish the fresh install and then update your BIOS. Of particular note is you must use the latest AwardFlash BIOS tool-not the one that shipped with the A8N-SLI Deluxe or A8N-SLI Premium-in utilities at ASUS's download website for the mobo. The AMI flash tool to use is AFUDOS v.2.21 for the A8N32-SLI Deluxe-which has no driver prerequisites. Do not flash any of them using ASUS update, or anything else other than DOS.

antzpompeii This is not what you want to here but, visit Terabyte Unlimited and try out BootItNg, Image for Windows and Image for DOS. I used to use PM and it is a bug infested piece of s***t-especially after Symantec took it over. I have been using Terabyte for over a year and never, I mean not even one tiny little, problem. It supports what your BIOS supports and is fully RAID and anything else compliant. There is a bit of a learning curve but the manuals and there support are fast and impecable-try it and you will never use anything else.

Tzeb "No, that will not be ok." If using nforce RAID you will have no ATAPI recognition, other than in command prompt, in PNP during install and will not have until GUI has ended and you are at first logon. Any CD/DVDROMS will use the MS PNP 2001 drivers and are not signed. I found the NVIDIA sw drivers faster; regardless of what some "reviews say". Do your install, backup your boot partition and give the sw drivers a go-if using nforce RAID. However, rollback is not a viable-it is buggy-option; so backup before experimenting. Further, if speed is your goal use the nforce4 bios because it utilizes the PCIe bandwidth and is faster than the Siil which travels in PCI. I found the Siil very difficult to setup and boot from-instability-mileage may vary though.

Fernando "I know, that users of some Asus boards have an "unknown device" within their device manager. " All ASUS nforce4 have this requirement-to solve for unknown device-all else being equal; so, yes, this driver must be either integrated or installed afterwards to eliminate "unknown device". I just do it all with nlite. I have no experience with DFI so I did not know if you were the same; good enough. As far as the A8N32-SLI Deluxe driver integration/requirements; it is the same as all the other SLI as far as that goes. I am, however, noticing some suttle improvements in system performance/reliability-especially concerning ATAPI; therefore, I would definitely recommend the 6.85 upgrade; my system is just humming along. Live long and prosper

Fernando "You can easily install the missing "unknown" devices by giving them the correct nForce drivers." The nforce drivers will not have this particular solution-for the PCI Standard ISA Bridge-at least not on ASUS boards; is DFI different that way?. My first install using nfirce4 awhile back now had this "unknown device". This is not an "old driver" but is the only driver for this device if that is what thornsword is referring to. If it is wrong WinXP will not install it. As for the tray icon, I agree with you; it is necessary, except on generic one SATAII disc installs-no other discs attached-this is not hardware RAID. A lot of forum posts around the net I have read ask how to remove this-you can't. "Please let us know, which files you used from the LEGACY and the SATARAID subfolder." nvatabus.inf from legacy, nvata.cat, nvuide.exe, nvide.nvu, nvcoi.dll from sata_ide. The nforce broadband is also quicker-far less DHCP errors in logs after reboot.

thornsword Try updating driver using the ATK2000.INF from the ASUS Ai Booster Utility\Acpi\WIN2000 folder; or DFI's equivalent. Actually this integrates as PNP system using nlite. ASUS Probe also has it. It's for the PCI Standard ISA Bridge. I believe AMD's Cool&Quiet has this inf also; I do not think this particular inf is brand specific.

Tweakin Try it with a normal slipstreamed SP2 Setup-F6. Fernando 1 "I am very curious about your test results." Just finished a full nlite 1.0 rc6 install; modified-appropriate files copied from SATA and Legacy folders-6.85 integrated-4.3G bootable DVD-RW and it went like clockwork. The ATAPI drives responded-and are responding-very well, as good as or better than MS PNP. The RAID performance is trouble free and certainly no slower. Nero 7.0.14b is a complete bust still though and 6.6 will not do bootable DVD's using makeiso that ships with nlite-must use cdimage; all the file/folder names are in upper case-I really hate that; plus, of course, all the files/folders carry a 2002 time stamp. But, all installs well.

Fernando1 "has a LEGACY folder, which contains all necessary files (even the CAT ones" No CAT files in the Legacy folder and they install unsigned; also if you nlite integrated just the sataraid folder-installing the PNP MS ATAPI drivers you will have to update the ATAPI to the NVIDIA sw drivers manually after reboot in Device Manager, even though during 6.85 setup you are-as with the 6.82-asked if you wish to install the sw ATAPI-MS ones stay though-I guess the system feels MS unsigned are better than third party unsigned. Just a side note; I will be doing the nlite thing with these drivers this weekend and trying out the image in an install but, I don't know.....I have a bad feeling about these.......

Fernando 1 NVIDIA has just released a new set of nforce4X16 drivers dated Feb 7, 2006, version 6.85. Have not installed yet-just downloaded them now. Thought you might like to know.

Fernando 1 "I don't think, that your install would have succeeded without the additional integration of the SATA_IDE subfolder." I've done both ways and makes no difference-the install succeeds either way and the end result-MS ATAPI drivers install without incident. The contents of the F6 package-which I have also done-from ASUS; are the same as the 6.82 sataraid folder from NVIDIA. I know it makes no sense and believe me with the 1009 BIOS concerns cropping up every now and then it was actually 5 fresh installs before I got 3 that were consistant and, therefore, credible. The MS drivers are already in SP2 and ATAPI simply installs as PNP. The untouched 6.82 sataraid will install nlite integrated with no modifications everytime-all other things being equal-and no manual install in safe mode is required afterwards. My system is fast and stable using BIOS 1009-it took 4 fresh installs prior to all this and some fidgetting in CMOS to get this release BIOS to do the job-ACPI issues mainly. The mobo is, afterall, still relatively new-a few kinks to work out; I think ASUS and NVIDIA have to talk more. I hope all this helps.

I found it very basic and rough-did not like the space taken up by the toolbars, headers etc. without the ability to resize/relocate to just one line. Uninstalled and am going to wait until closer to release.

Fernando 1 "That is not totally correct." True, but, it is not installed-invisible in the unmodofied 6.82 on the A8N32-SLI Deluxe-no inf. One other thing, I also integrated the sata_ide as PNP in all 3 installs with no adverse reactions because I read somewhere that if you wish to install just SATA-no RAID-you will have to reinstall to gain the functionality if sata_ide not already present from a previous install. I can not confirm this because I only run RAID but, if it does no harm................. It seems to me that for now NVIDIA wants the standard MS PNP ATAPI drivers to install, you know?....I mean this being the first X16 release and generic for both Intel and AMD.

Fernando 1 1. Is my summary of your findings correct? I extracted the 6.82 drivers as downloaded from NVIDIA and integrated the sataraid folder as it extracted-absolutely no modifications. The MS ATAPI drivers install after final reboot before first logon-popup PNP dialogue and you select "let me choose....", then the "primary IDE...."-you select Ok, then a second PNP dialogue; same procedure only this is for "secondary IDE..."; now the MS drivers are installed and Windows XP finishes booting to the desktop. They're labelled unsigned but, in Device Manager in driver details they show certified with cat files sooo.... However, they work great. Because the 6.82 contain no Legacy-ATAPI-folder there are no nforce sw drivers for your ATAPI devices in this build. If you go into safe mode and do a manual install of the 6.82 you are asked if you want to install the NVIDIA sw dr; if you hit "yes" install goes through the motions but when you reboot you still have the MS ATAPI installed. nforce ATAPI pending in a future release I suppose. Thanks for your interest and hope this clarifies... Rick

The following I posted on nuhi's bug tracker blog after I could no longer burn error free dvd of any nature and through much trial and error and some help/suggestions posts in this thread have reached the following: More info on this after 3 fresh installs, 3 different ways: If you use cdimage in place of what ships with nlite 1.0rc5 all your folders are dated 2002. If you integrate modified nforce4 sataraid 6.82 drivers on the ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe using the Legacy folder from the 6.70 and 3 files from the sata_ide folder neither Nero 6.6 or 7 will write any DVD's and some CD's without error. A fresh install integrating the 6.82 as is and allowing the MS ATAPI drivers to load at first logon and using Nero 6.6 cured all; plus performance is better than a modified 6.82 install-reading from 2 DVD-RW simultaneously is faster and uses less resources. Nero 7 is extremely finicky/unstable; Nero support is no longer what it once was so Nero 6.6 is the way to go for now coupled with the MS ATAPI. Nero 7, on my machine at least, will not burn error free DVD's; bootable or not using either 6.82 incarnation and multitasking 2 read operations simultaneously after integrating modified; vs unmodified- 6.82 is not good. I lost 30% of my files on one DVD due to Nero 7 corrupting them during burning-fails write verification with either driver integration. Once the nforce sw drivers are installed rollback is buggy at best and caused me to do a fresh install. I am now using nlite 1.0rc5 and makeiso that it ships with error free; 6.82 unmodified have been integrated and DVD-RW performance is exemplary.