Fernando 1

According to the driver folder named "AHCI_svr" and the INF file entries this AMD SATA AHCI driver package has been designed just for Server systems, in this case for the 32bit version of Windows Server 2003 (NTx86.5.2).Windows XP users probably will not be able to get this driver installed (unless they have modded the associated INF file). Regards Fernando

@ rsnetto: Thanks for your detailed reports about your experiences with the installation of Windows XP onto an Intel "Sandy Bridge" chipset by using different Intel AHCI driver versions and thanks for the information, that the driver integration worked after having slipstreamed the Service Pack 3. Since I am going to update the start post of this thread within the next days by presenting the newest Intel AHCI/RAID drivers v10.5.0.1026, I will add your finding about how to prevent problems with the XP installation onto Intel P67/H67/Z68 chipset systems running their SATA hdds/SSD's in AHCI or RAID mode.. Regards Fernando

@ Sp0iLedBrAt: Thanks for clearing up the origin of the AMD RAID drivers v3.2.1548.37. You are right: It was you, who gave me the link. So none of the Catalyst versions ever contained these special AMD RAID drivers for Windows XP (32/64bit). Interesting detail regarding the version number of these drivers containing "1548" instead of the usual and still actual "1540": Either the AMD driver development stuff gave them a wrong version number or the driver version belonged to a new driver development line, which has not been continued by AMD. Kind regards Fernando

@ pluto2011: I doubt, that you will succeed with the XP installation onto your SATA hdd running in AHCI mode by using any AMD RAID driver package. According to my knowledge there is no AMD driver for Windows XP available, which will support your AMD SATA AHCI Controller with the deviceID DEV_4394. What you need is the AMD AHCI driver containing the amd_sata.sys, but AMD doesn't offer it for Windows XP (32/64bit) and I doubt, that the Win7/Vista driver will work with Windows XP. Furthermore the AMD AHCI drivers don't have any TXTSETUP.OEM file, which is absolutely needed for the XP installation. Regards Fernando

Although AMD has named these Windows XP drivers "RAID Drivers", they probably will support the AHCI features like NCQ even while running in RAID mode.Furthermore these "RAID Drivers" do support the following AMD SATA Controllers, which have been set to "AHCI" mode within the BIOS: DEV_4391 (SB7xx series) and DEV_7801 (SB8xx series) Users with other DeviceID's (e.g. DEV_4394) will probably not be able to get XP installed onto a SATA hdd, which has been set to "AHCI" mode, because the required AHCI driver is only available for Vista and Windows 7 and the related driverpack doesn't contain any TEXTSETUP.OEM file. Regards Fernando

@ anotherengineer: Here are my answers to your questions: The AMD textmode drivers v3.2.1548.37 for Windows XP (32/64bit) are dated 04/06/2010, but I don't remember in which Catalyst package I found these drivers. It depends on the special Southbridge version of your mainboard and the mode of your AMD SATA Controller (AHCI or RAID). Maybe the WHQL certified driver v3.3.1540.13, which is part of the actual Catalyst 11-5, will work with your SB7xx system, although these drivers were only designed by AMD for SB8xx Southbridges.If the WHQL driver should not detect your SATA hdd while trying to get Windows XP SP3 installed, you may use the AMD textmode driver v3.3.1540.13, which has been modified by me (see below). The modded driver will definitively support AMD SB8xx Southbridges, the only question is, if they will support SB6xx and SB7xx Southbridges too. Although I have added all known HardwareID's of these older Southbridges into the INF and OEM files, I am not sure, that the driver itself (that is the file named ahcix86.sys resp. ahcix64.sys) will support these older AMD SATA Controllers. I have done it for you and other interested users with an AMD RAID system (see below).@ all users with an AMD SB7xx or SB6xx Southbridge, who want to install Windows XP or XP x64 onto a SATA hdd running in RAID mode: Here are the download links to the requested modified AMD textmode drivers on the basis of the newest AMD RAID drivers v3.3.1540.13 for Windows XP (32/64bit) dated 03/15/2011: >32bit AMD SBxxx Textmode Driver v3.3.1540.13 mod by Fernando< >64bit AMD SBxxx Textmode Driver v3.3.1540.13 mod by Fernando< Important remarks: These drivers have been customized by me for being usable with all AMD Southbridges from SB6xx up. Nevertheless I am not sure, if they will work with all SB6xx and SB7xx RAID systems. Only the text files with the suffix .INF and .OEM have been modified by adding the needed HardwareID's, whereas the original AMD drivers (= SYS files) were not touched at all. Due to the customization the driver has lost the WHQL stamp, but this has no negative effect on the integration or the function of the drivers. You may download and use these modified drivers at own risk. Please report here, if the XP resp. XPx64 installation succeeded with these customized drivers. Don't forget to mention your special AMD Southbridge. If possible, please post the special HardwareID's of your AMD SATA Controller. You will get them this way:Open the Device Manager and search for a Device named "AMD AHCI Compatible RAID Controller". Then do a right click onto it > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareID's". Good luck! Regards Fernando EDIT1: Meanwhile I found HardwareID's of several OEM systems, which have not been regarded by me, when I started to modify the INF and OEM text files. That is why I have replaced the linked modded 32/64bit AMD SBxxx AHCI and RAID driverpacks v3.3.1540.13 by new ones at 06/06. So it may be possible, that these drivers now are usable with even more AMD chipset AHCI/RAID systems. Important EDIT2: Recently I have realized, that the TXTSETUP.OEM file of the linked modded 32bit AMD SBxxx AHCI and RAID driver v3.3.1540.13 (see above) had some wrong entries, which may have prevented a proper integration of the related 32bit driver into a Windows XP CD for users with some special AMD SATA Controllers. I am sorry about that. As a consequence I have now corrected the TXTSETUP.OEM entries and repacked, reuploaded and relinked the modified 32bit version of the AMD SBxxx AHCI and RAID driver v3.3.1540.13 at 06/16/2011. After having done that, I hope, that this actual driver now can be integrated into a Windows XP-CD without any problems with nearly all SBxxx AHCI and RAID systems. Users, who had already downloaded the previous (uncorrect) 32bit driver version, should download this actual version again, because the mistake within the TXTSETUP.OEM of the earlier presented package may have been responsable for the failure of the XP installation onto the AMD chipset system running in AHCI or RAID mode. The 64bit version of the driver was not affected at all and has not been replaced.

Currently I am making holidays in a foreign country and only am able to join an Internet Café. I will present freshly modded RAID and Intel driver from AMD when I am back home. Rgards Fernando

@ GrofLuigi: These new and not WHQL certified Intel RST AHCI/RAID drivers of the v10.5.x.xxxx series are especially designed for Intels upcoming Z68 chipset mainboards. Nevertheless I have already tested the actually available AHCI driver v10.5.0.1015 with both of my Intel ICH10R and ICH P55 chipset desktop pc's. So far they are running fine. If you are interested in the benchmark results with these drivers running in AHCI mode, you can find them within the post on top of >this< page, but the text is in German language. As soon as I get access to the WHQL certified version of these new AHCI/RAID drivers, I will add them to my guide (= start post of this thread). Regards Fernando

That is not correct.If you are booting off an origial (=untouched) XP CD without having integrated or loaded any drivers, you will never get a BSOD (unless there is a severe hardware issue). The only thing which may happen is, that your hdd/SSD will not be detected by the XP Setup. Regards Fernando

@ Sesshoumaru: After having red all your posts again I suspect, that your XP CD, which you were using as source for all your tests, is not clean (=untouched).

Hello Jim, thanks for your reply. I am sorry, but you are wrong. All Intel P67 chipset mainboards have an Intel® 6-series Express chip as Southbridge and the related AHCI Controller is named "Intel® Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA AHCI Controller".If your mainboard really would have an Intel ICH10R Southbridge and you are running your hdd/SSD in "AHCI" mode, you would see a device named "Intel® ICH10R SATA AHCI Controller" within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section of the Device Manager. This log file doesn't contain any information, which verifies, that your mainboard has an Intel ICH10R chip as Southbridge. The AHCI features are supported by both SATA options ("AHCI" and "RAID" mode). That s absolutely correct. That is why I recommend to avoid the "IDE" mode of the SATA Controller, if it supports the "AHCI" mode too.Regards Fernando

@ Sesshoumaru: It is not easy for me to help you, because you obviously are using a very exotic netbook with a very exotic SSD. Assuming, that the Intel SATA Controllers of your netbook are set to "AHCI" mode, I recommend to do the following: Connect the SSD with the first of the SATA ports (usually port0). Download >this< driver package and unzip it (don't use the desktop as storage place!). Let nLite integrate the prepared driver as textmode driver. When you get the driver integration popup window, just check the listed "Intel® ICH7M/MDH SATA AHCI Controller". Let nLite create the ISO file and burn the XP CD as bootable image. Boot off the XP CD and look what happens. Good luck! Fernando

Hello Jim, on behalf of other users with an Intel P67 chipset mainboard, who may run into the same problem as you, I want to thank you for your interesting and detailed workaround about how you solved it. There are still some details, which I don't really understand: Are you sure, that your Intel P67 mainbpard has an Intel ICH10R Southbridge? According to my knowledge all P67 have an Intel 6-series Express Southbridge. The related AHCI Controller should be the "Intel® Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA AHCI Controller" and not the ICH10R one. Why did you put the Intel SATA RAID Controller into the registry? If you want to use your SATA hdd in "AHCI" mode, you have to enable the Intel SATA AHCI Controller and not the RAID one. Please have a look into the Device Manager. Which Controller names do you see within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" and - if applicable - within the "SCSI and RAID Controllers" section? Regards Fernando

You can link to this thread as often and wherever you want. If you want to cite a text, please add the source link.

@ EddiNathan: Welcome at MSFN Forums! Not really, but you have to integrate the Intel RAID driver, because the related Intel SATA Controller has to be set to "RAID" mode, if you want to add a RAID0 array to any of the other Intel SATA ports. You should have set the Intel SATA Controllers to "RAID" mode, before you are going to install Windows XP onto the SSD, but you can create the RAID0 array with the hdd members later. When you are going to integrate the Intel RAID driver, you probably have to choose the listed "Intel® Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller". Regards Fernando

Since I am going to bed now, I have just uploaded for you the newest 32bit Marvell 91xx SATA driver v1.2.0.1002 dated 03-07-2011. You can download it from >here<. After having read the text of the TXTSETUP.OEM file it seems possible for me, that you have to check both listed "Marvell shared library for 32bit (install first)" and "Marvell 91xx SATA Controller 32bit Driver", when you get the textmode driver popup window. Good night! Fernando

Hello Jim, although your Marvell driver problem is absolutely off-topic, I will continue trying to help you. This is what you wrote:

You can integrate them both, but when you get the textmode driver popup window, you should just highlight the listed "Marvell 91xx SATA Controller 32bit Driver".Regards Fernando

Hello Jim, thanks for your detailed report about your XP installation procedure, but I suspect, that you had integrated the wrong SATA AHCI driver. Although you got Windows XP installed at least, it was not a good idea to set the SATA Controllers to "IDE" mode. You will get a better performance by running the SATA3 hdd in AHCI mode. Your ASUS P8P67 DELUXE mainboard has 2 different types of internal SATA3 Controllers: 2 gray 6 GB/sec Intel P67 Express Chipset SATA AHCI ports and 2 navyblue 6 GB/sec Marvell® PCIe 9128 SATA AHCI ports. Both of them require different SATA AHCI drivers from Intel resp. Marvell, but none of them will work with any NVIDIA nForce SATA driver. So I would like to get answers to the following questions: 1. To which of the differently coloured SATA ports is your Seagate SATA3 hdd connected? 2. Why did you integrate any NVIDIA SATA driver? If you want to get the best possible stability and performance, you should set the SATA Controller of your SATA3 hdd to "AHCI" mode.Since you will get a BSOD, if you change the SATA BIOS settings from within your currently running OS, I recommend 1. to create a new XP CD with integrated Intel resp. Marvell 91xx AHCI driver (please restart the procedure from scratch with a fresh copy of your original XP CD) 2. to set the SATA Controller of your hdd to "AHCI" mode andand 3. to restart a fresh XP installation. Good luck! Fernando

@ hargreavesd: Welcome at MSFN Forums! Since you obviously have integrated just one single official WHQL certified textmode driver, there should be no mistake within the TXTSETUP.OEM file of this driver (unless you have opened the file and edited anything yourself).Here is my general advice for you: Don't use the desktop for the storage of anything, especially not for drivers you are going to integrate into any Operating System. It is always better to create a folder within the root of any partition and to copy the drivers into that separate folder. Furthermore you should make sure, that you are using a clean (=untouched) Windows XP CD as source. Regards Fernando

Hello Jim, welcome at MSFN Forums and thank you for your message. I am very confident, that you will succeed with the XP installation onto your Intel AHCI system. Regards Fernando EDIT: I just have realized, that your post has been the post No 1.000 within this thread - wow!

If you should not succeed with 4 GB of RAM, try it with 2 GB. Yo can reinsert the other RAM modules once Windows XP is up.The Setup of Windows XP can only handle a lttle bit more than 3 GB of RAM, but sometimes it writes something outside the 3 GB area with the effect, that it is not able to read it later. @ brons2: Welcome at MSFN Forums! Since you want to get Windows Server 2008 R2 installed, your problem has nothing to do with this topic and with this nLite Forum. Please ask for help within >this< special Win7/W2k8 R2 Forum. Regards Fernando

@ neosho: Welcome at MSFN Forums! Please let us know, which driver you have integrated. Other question: How much RAM are you using? Regards Fernando

Since there is just 1 single driver named IASTOR.SYS within any RST driver package, you should explain, what you mean with "I decided to integrate all of the RST drivers".Did you integrate more than 1 driver package or did you just enable all listed Intel SATA Controllers, when you were going to integrate the Intel RST textmode driver by using nLite? By the way: Both options are wrong. Please read my guide within the srart post of this thread carefully and you probably will find out your mistake. Regards Fernando

That is not completely true. Intel didn't just change the names of the AHCI/RAID drivers, but the storage technology too. You will be able to use them both, but it is not easy to say, which will be the better driver series for your system.You probably have to find it out yourself. It is no problem at all to change the Intel AHCI driver from within a running OS (no need to uninstall the previously used driver). Regards Fernando