Fernando 1

I suspect, that your stability problems are caused by an inappropriate Sil3112 RAID driver and RAID BIOS combination.It is a wellknown fact, that Silicon Image RAID users will not get the best results by just updating the Sil3x12 RAID driver. They have to update the driver version and the appropriate RAID BIOS version simultaneously.

With regard to what I quoted in italics above... I don't understand why you said that the "drivers" weren't present in the F6 method of install? I integrated the chipset .infs in both installs.So you created 2 different XP CD's by using nLite, both of them with integrated Intel chipset "drivers", but only one of them with integrated Intel AHCI driver? If yes, I cannot explain, why Windows Setup named the Intel AHCI Controller in a different way. Maybe it has something to do with the order of the hardware detection and the system managing within the GUIMODE part of the installation.In any case this doesn't have any impact on the function of the devices. The best solution is always to connect the optical drives to a SATA port, which is not running in RAID or AHCI Mode. That is why many mainboards have SATA Controllers from different vendors with different chips. This gives you the opportunity to split the SATA drives (hdd/optical drives) up to different SATA Controller types.If you don't have on-board SATA Controllers from another vendor, you have to use the Intel ones even with your optical drives. The question, if you will get any problems, depends on the vendor of the optical drive and on the product itself. Once upon a time I owned a SATA connected DVD burner manufactured by LG, which did not boot at all. I gave this device back to the dealer, got a DVD burner from Samsung and everything worked fine. Generally the most critical situation with optical drives, which are connected to a SATA Controller set to "AHCI" or "RAID" Mode, is the OS installation procedure. So if you don't use the optical drive for this purpose, you probably can use it without any problems. Regards Fernando

Cluberti und Ponch may be right and the EXE files with the Dell drivers can be unzipped, but these drivers are not easy to be downloaded (when I use the "Download" link at Dell's homepage, I just get the Dell Download Manager) and the Intel Matrix Storage Manager version offered by Dell is dated 12/12/2007 and obviously outdated.

@ E-66: Thanks for your additional informations and screenshots. Now everything is clear for me and there is nothing to worry about for you. Conclusion: Both XP installation methods you have tried are working fine and everything is running as it should. The only difference between both Intel SATA AHCI Controllers, which are shown within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section of the Device Manager, is the name and nothing else. Both are doing absolutely the same and are using exactly the same driver (IASTOR.SYS dated 06/04/2009). You can verify this by looking into the driver details of both Controllers. I will try to explain the details, which caused the irritations: During the first (=TEXTMODE) part of the XP installation Windows Setup detected and "installed" the only appropriate Controller named "Intel® ICH9 SATA AHCI Controller (added by Fernando)" with the HardwareID "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2923&CC_0106", listed within the TXTSETUP.OEM and IAAHCI.INF files of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager driver v8.9.0.1023. This happened in both cases (driver integration and F6 method). It was the text file named IBEXAHCI.INF (v7.0.0.1013 and dated 06/04/2009), which is part of the integrated Intel Chipset "driver" set, which renamed the Controller during the Hardware detection (=GUIMODE) part of the XP installation. Since the Intel chipset "drivers" were not present while installing Windows XP by using the F6/floppy method, no renaming of the Controller happened in this case. By the way: AFAIK the renaming of the Intel AHCI Controller doesn't happen, if you install the Intel chipset "drivers" after having completed the XP installation. The "Property" tab entries of the "Intel® ICH9 Family 4 Port SATA AHCI Controller - 2923" are absolutely misleading, because the used driver is not v7.0.0.1013, but v8.9.0.1023. At first view the identical driver dates are irritating, but I checked it: Both files, the real driver named IASTOR.SYS and the text file named IBEXAHCI.INF have been released at 06/04/2009. I hope, that everything is clear for you too. Have fun with your XP installation and your SATA hdd running with the actual official Intel AHCI driver. Regards Fernando

I have tried to unzip the EXE file by using 7-zip, but that didn't work.@ IIIIIIIIII: It seems, that your notebook has an Intel Southbridge and the SATA hdd is connected to an Intel SATA AHCI Controller (maybe ICH7M or ICH8M). If I am right, you will find the appropriate SATA driver and a guide regarding the integration within the first post of >this< thread.

There is no need to integrate all drivers. The only driver you have to integrate is the AHCI driver, because I suspect, that your SATA hdd is running in AHCI Mode. Do you know the chipset and the Southbridge of your notebook?

@ IIIIIIIIII: Welcome at MSFN Forums! Which EXE file did you try to integrate? Where did you get it? Regards Fernando

@ E-66: Since you didn't mention the OS you have installed (just "Windows" is not enough) and did not add a screenshot of your Device Manager, it is not easy to answer your questions. Nevertheless here are some additional informations for you: The "Intel® ICH9 Family 4 Port SATA AHCI Controller - 2923" is just a system management device and not supported by any real Intel driver. Real drivers have the extension ".SYS". This device is named by the file IBEXAHCI.INF as part of Intel's chipset "drivers". Contrary to the previous mentioned device the "Intel® ICH9 SATA AHCI Controller (added by Fernando)" is the real Intel mass storage controller device and supported by Intel's textmode driver named IASTOR.SYS. Please do a right click onto the "Intel® ICH9 Family 4 Port SATA AHCI Controller - 2923" and check the driver name and details, if you find any. After having done that, compare it with the "Driver" > "Details" informations of the "Intel® ICH9 SATA AHCI Controller (added by Fernando)". Additional questions: Which Windows version did you install? After having installed the OS with integrated Intel AHCI driver and Intel chipset "drivers", have you seen a section named "SCSI and RAID Controllers" or "Storage Controllers" within the Device Manager? If yes, have you done a look into that section? Regards Fernando

The WUCreator requires .NET Framework v. 1.1 with sp1 and security patch or v. 2.0.If you had such big problems to get this tool installed, you should let it be. The chance, that you would succeed with the driver integration by using the WUCreator is very small. I just wanted to mention the existance of this tool. Regards Fernando

The fact, that this shrinked driver version worked with F6 is a good basis for future tests.By the way: There is a third tool, which is able to integrate textmode drivers into a Windows XP (32/64bit) CD. Its name is "Windows Unattended CD Creator", the developer is Vitali Graf. I helped him with the textmode driver integration process a few years ago. If you want some details, you should look >here<. You can download the latest version 1.0.2 Beta 10 from >here<.

@ 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

You may try this package by the F6/floppy method:64bit_Sil3112_Raid_driver_v10120_mod_B_by_Fernando.rar

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. 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.

@ 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 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.

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

@ 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 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: 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: I am sorry about my late reply. Johnhc has sent me a PM about your problem, but I didn't have the needed time to post here during the past days (holidays and a house full of visitors). Now to your posted issue with nLite: If you succeeded with the XP x64 installation by loading the needed Sil3112 RAID driver via F6/floppy, you should be able to get XP x64 installed by using an XP x64 CD with the same integrated textmode driver as well. Since there are more than 1 possible reasons for the failure of your driver integration tests, I recommend to do the following: A. Creation of a fresh Windows XP x64 CD with integrated Sil3112 RAID driver by using the tool nLite Procedure: Use a fresh and untouched Wndows XP x64 SP2 CD (no WINNT.SIF within the AMD64 directory) as source and the latest version of nLite. Don't load any last_session.ini. Just choose the nLite task "Integrate drivers" and "Create ISO file", don't remove, add or tweak anything. Integrate your modified 64bit Sil3112 RAID driver as TEXTMODE driver. Don't integrate any other driver. Let nLite create the ISO file and burn it as bootable Image or let nLite burn the Image directly. Try to get XP x64 installed by booting off the just created CD. Don't press F6 when prompted. If Windows Setup should not detect your RAID and its partitions, the tool nLite may have a bug regarding the integration of the 64bit Sil3112 driver. This possibly can be verified by using an other tool, which is able to integrate textmode drivers into a Windows XP x64 CD. Do the following: B. Creation of a fresh Windows XP x64 CD with integrated Sil3112 RAID driver by using the tool XP-ISO_Builder Procedure: Download the actual version of the XP-ISO-Builder (XIB) from >here< and install it as Administrator Use a fresh and untouched Windows XP x64 SP2 CD (no WINNT.SIF within the AMD64 directory) as source. Don't load any previous XIB settings. Just choose the XIB tasks "Controller Drivers" (Menue point 6) and "Creation of the ISO file". Integrate your modified 64bit Sil3112 RAID driver by pointing onto the TXTSETUP.OEM file. Don't use any of the other XIB options. Let the XIB do its work inclusively the creation of the ISO file. Burn the ISO file as bootable Image by using a burning tool. Try to get XP x64 installed by booting off the just created CD. Don't press F6 when prompted. After having done that, please report here about your results. Good luck! Fernando

@ johnhc: There is no reason for the installation of the 3Ware RAID software v9.5.3, because the included RAID driver is the same version (v3.0.4.70 dated 03/24/2009) as the driver of the 9.5.2 package. You can easily verify it by doing a right click onto the real driver named 3wareDrv.sys > "Details" > "File Version" (3.0.4.70) resp. "Product Version" (9.5.2). I have no idea, why LSI has published these 9.5.3 sets. Nevertheless I downloaded, customized and uploaded the "newest" 3Ware RAID drivers of the 9.5.3 sets (32/64bit). Here are the download links: 32bit 3Ware RAID drivers v9.5.3 for Windows XP 64bit 3Ware RAID drivers v9.5.3 for Windows XP x64 The driver, which has been integrated as textmode driver by using nLite, will be present within the TEXTMODE part of the OS installation (for the detection of the hard disk drive) and within the GUIMODE part, when the usual detection of all hardware devices happens. If you want to integrate a textmode driver by using nLite, you will never need to do it twice (as textmode and PnP driver). As 5eraph already has written, you obviously mixed my term "driverpack" (= package with drivers) with the special term "DriverPacks", which are available >here<. The DriverPacks method has nothing to do with nLite, users have to use a special integration tool named DriverPacks Base, which they can get >here<. Regards Fernando

The name "driverpack" means, that it is a (zipped) package, which contains drivers.

The TXTSETUP.OEM file has been customized by me. The unzipped driver files have to be integrated as text mode driver. Why do you think, that they should be integrated as hotfix?

Thanks for the info.I will update the download link very soon. EDIT: Done! By the way: The version of the "Intel INF Update Utility" (=Intel Chipset Device Software) is much less important than the AHCI/RAID driver version of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager or Intel Rapid Storage Technology. Reason: The INF "drivers" do not contain any real driver and only a few INF files of the new package have been really updated. Which is the DeviceID of your Intel ICH7 SATA AHCI Controller? The DeviceID named DEV_xxxx is part of the HardwareID's.You can get the HardwareID's by doing a right click onto the device within the Device Manager > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareID's.

It is not possible to integrate divers, which have compressed files like example.dl_, example.ex_ or example.sy_ etc. The integration will succeed, if you expand all compressed files before you start with the integration. Which driver gave you the "Dism Exitcode '2' message? If it was the ATI Catalyst 9-12, you can download a driver version, which has been already prepared by me for the WinIntegrator integration: 32bit ATI Catalyst drivers 9-12 WHQL for WI integration 64bit ATI Catalyst drivers 9-12 WHQL for WI integration Regards Fernando

Yes, I do not recommend to install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager Software for AHCI users, because - contrary to RAID users - they cannot really use the Console, but may suffer permanently under a longer boot time.