Fernando 1

I actually found the nForce CD that came with my 'puter. I've attached the drivers I got from that so you can look at it.EDIT: can't attach, too big apparently. Can I email it to you? If you cannot find the driver version number, you may attach the NVATABUS.INF file. Both 1.0f and 1.0 rc8 were complete failures, in the same manner described in my first post in this thread (i.e. installation was successful but crashed to BSOD after final reboot, indicating that the nForce drivers were being overwritten).I don't believe that.Maybe your problems have something to do with the fact, that you don't have a real Raid array. Why did you build a Raid, although you have only 1 hdd? When your installations have failed, did you try to boot in safe mode by using F8?

Which driver version did you take? Check the properties of the NVATABUS.SYS or NVRAID.SYS. This is a very important question. You would help yourself and a lot of other nLite users, if you would do the following: Create an nLited XP CD with integrated LEGACY drivers from the 6.85 package by using nLite 1.0 Final. Take the original XP CD as source! If this method fails, create another CD by using nLite 1.0 RC8. Please report here about the results. Thanks! Fernando

My suggestions:1. Check your RAM sticks by doing a memtest (the "IRQ_Not_Less_or_Equal" error mostly is caused by bad RAM or unstable RAM settings). 2. Unplug the floppy cable from your motherboard and disable the FDD Connector within BIOS (this is better than to work with a FDD without function). 3. Recreate a new nLited XP XD, but this time a ) take the RC8 version of nLite (some users reported about problems with the final version by integrating TEXTMODE drivers) and b ) integrate the nForce SataRaid drivers I suggested within my guide (post 1 of this thread). Don't take the nForce RAID drivers from the DFI web site you have used (they are very old, although they are presented by DFI this year). Suggestions:1. You should always use a clean original OS CD as source, when you start creating an nLited CD. 2. The nForce SataRaid drivers off the 6.85 package LEGACY folder should work for your chipset. 3. Maybe you should try to use the RC8 and not the final version of nLite 1.0 (some users reported about problems with the final version by integrating TEXTMODE drivers). 4. Don't remove any IDE/SCSI drivers by nLite, when you want to integrate the nForce SataRaid drivers. Try nLite 1.0 RC8 and report here, if you succeed this way.

What exactly happened after the installation? Did you get reboot loops or BSOD's?How did you install XP onto your Raid? Did you use an nLited CD or did use the F6/floppy method? Did you do a LOW FORMATTING of both hdd's before you created the RAID array (to erase all datas from previous non-Raid tests)? This is a known issue of Vista and not yet solved by NVIDIA/Microsoft. You can't get Vista installed onto an nForce Raid system by booting off the DVD, but you succeed, if you start Setup from a XP partition (for Vista x86) or from a running XPx64 (for Vista x64).I have written an installation guide for owners of an nForce SataRaid system. Look here: http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/1-vt66299....d2327f04623825e Whithin the "Advanced BIOS Features" of your BIOS you should find the option to change the "Hard Disk Boot Priority". Set your RAID at first position and then try again to set your Raid as bootable.

No, you didn't abuse this forum and I am happy that I could help!CU Fernando

Congratulations, that you got it!Within DFI-Street forum I saw some more details about the possible reason of your problem: So at least it probably was a hardware issue. I would do everything for you, but I won't do that! (Meat Loaf)

Hi,I already have read about your problem on DFI-Street, where you posted, that you are searching for a driver floppy, that works, and that you don't want to slipstream the nForce SataRaid drivers. Now I can see, that you want to integrate the nForce SataRaid drivers into a bootable XP CD. As you had problems with all drivers and installation methods you tried, I suppose, that you don't have a driver, but a hardware problem. My first advice is, that you should unplug all hdd's outside your Raptor Raid0 array, before you try to install Windows XP onto your Raid (notice: Within your signature at DFI-Street I saw, that you have additionally 2xMaxtor SATA hdd's). Then I propose the following: 1. Download the 6.53 chipset driver package (you find the link within the first post of this thread), unzip it and copy the content of the IDE\WinXP folder - except the RAIDTOOL folder - onto an empty floppy disk. Now you will have an nForce SataRaid driver floppy, which works with all nForce4 Raid systems. 2. Take your original XP CD and try to install it by F6 using the floppy drivers you just have created. Take both proposed devices (RAID and SATA). If the installation fails, you have a real hardware problem. Unless you don't solve it, you won't get XP installed onto your Raid system. If the install succeeds, you have 2 options: You can either update the nForce SataRaid drivers and install the other nForce chipset drivers at once by running the setup of the 6.85 chipset driver package or create a bootable Windows XP CD with integrated 6.85 drivers by following my guide (see the first post oft this thread). Please report here about the results of your work. Good luck! Fernando

The LEGACY subfolder (if available) is the better solution for users with a SataRaid system, because it contains all needed files.If you don't succeed with the LEGACY folder integration, you either have done something wrong or you have a hardware issue. No, you can. The LEGACY subfolder is usable for SataRaid and PataRaid systems. Exactly the troubles you have described were the reason why I have changed the text of my guide (first post of this thread). If you think, that the present text is still confusing, remember the following: It is not easy to create a short, easy to understand and exact description of the integration of the nForce SataRaid drivers, because 1. there are many different nForce chipsets and hardware combinations and 2. NVIDIA has done nothing to make it easy for the users with an nForce SataRaid system.

Take the LEGACY folder (without any file copying) and integrate it as TEXTMODE!Attention: This advice and my guide (post 1) is only good for users with a SataRaid system. That means, that you have to do something else, if you don't have a proper created and activated nForce RAID array!

I assume, that you have created a "healthy" and not bootable Raid array, that your Master Boot Record (MBR) is on your single 120 GB Pata disk and that this hdd is set as drive C:.As you don't have a SataRaid, but a PataRaid system, you should do the following: 1. Look into your BIOS and set the "Hard Disk Boot Priority" to 1. your 120 GB PATA disk and 2. your RAID array. 2. Unplug the non-Raid Sata hdd before you begin with the installation. 3. Try to install XP MCE by using your nLited DVD. If the installation fails, you should create a new nLited DVD with integrated PataRaid drivers (that means: integrate the LEGACY subfolder of the 6.85 driver package as TEXTMODE, but choose only the Raid Controller as device). Please give me some details about your system (kind of motherboard and hdd's).Never do a mixture of LEGACY and SATARAID subfolder!

It is not easy to help without any further informations:Which is the name of your mainboard and what sort of nForce chipset are you using? Which OS are you going to install? Are you able to install the OS off the original (not nLited) CD without pressing F6? Do you use a Maxtor Sata2 hard drive disk? If yes, have you updated the firmware or jumpered to Sata1?

Maybe this post will give you some help:http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=526382 CU Fernando

Thank you for posting how you fixed your problem.CU Fernando

If you have one or more nForce Sata drives, but no Raid array, you should not use the method of the first post.Nevertheless you can integrate the nForce Sata driver into a bootable CD by doing the following: 1. Download the suitable nForce chipset driver package according my suggestion within the first post of this thread. 2. During the driver integration section of nLite you can integrate the SATA_IDE subfolder of the suitable package as PnP driver. Don't integrate any TEXTMODE driver (neither LEGACY nor SATARAID) and don't press F6 during the install! CU Fernando

For any help I need some informations:Do you use Raid or not? If yes, which nVRaid BIOS version do you see on second boot display? How many and which sort of hdd's are connected to your mainboard? Which nForce IDE driver package did you use? Which SataRaid driver subfolder (SATA_IDE or LEGACY) did you integrate? What do you mean with "It gave me no error that it can't copy nvraid.sys"? (the 64-bit driver package does not contain such a file, the correct name is NVRDx64.SYS)

You obviously have done something wrong during the driver integration part of nLite, because your Windows XPx64 setup "misses" all nForce chipset driver files at once including files, which have nothing to do with a correct nForce SataRaid driver integration. XPx64 setup will only "miss" files, which are mentioned in the INF files of third party driver packages. You either picked up wrong driver folders or manipulated some INF files.I am nearly sure, that you used the "all-at-once" driver package integration option of nLite although I have suggested to use the single driver option: Important: Since nlite v. 1.0 RC7 you have the choice between a single driver or a multiple driver folder integration. You should integrate the nForce SataRaid drivers with the single driver option. Only this way you can be sure, that nLite integrates the correct driver subfolder which you have prepared earlier. If you have any further problem, here is my advice: Try to integrate the 6.56 Guru drivers by using F6 as you posted at DFI-Street forum. If you succeed, create a new nLited CD by just integrating the LEGACY subfolder of the 64-bit nForce chipset package 6.67 or 9.34. Don't mix the IDE (in your case: SataRaid) drivers with other nForce drivers (Ethernet, Audio, SMBus etc.). If you want to integrate these non-IDE drivers, you should do it seperately as "normal" PnP driver integration. P.S.: As I have seen in your DFI-Street forum signature, you are using Maxtor DiamondMax 10 Sata2 disks. Do you know about the problems of these hdd's with nForce4 chipsets? Did you flash a firmware update or jumpered them to Sata1?

After some new tests I detected, that the brandnew nForce SataRaid drivers designed for Vista Beta2 (IDE drivers v. 667) are working flawlessly with W2k, XP and W2k3 and all the various nForce chipsets (inclusive the old ones). Try them! @ all users with nForce SataRaid systems: As a consequence of my new tests I recommend generally to take the brandnew SataRaid drivers v. 667 from here. This package contains the same SataRaid drivers as the "official" chipset package 9.34, but is much easier to be integrated, because it has a LEGACY subfolder. It seems, that this new IDE driver package is not only the best choice for W2k, XP, W2k3 and Vista, but also fully compatible to all known nForce chipsets!

Maybe your problem has something to do with the fact, that the nForce 430 S-ATA Controller is not really supported by the nForce chipset packages 6.56 and 6.67. Unfortunately NVIDIA has net yet published any special W2k3 x64 driver for the nForce 430/410 chipset.Try the following: 1. Download the brandnew 64-bit nForce chipset driver package NV_IDE_667 from here, unzip it and prepare the IDE\Win64\LEGACY subfolder for the later integration. 2. Create a new nLited CD, but integrate the just mentioned LEGACY subfolder as TEXTMODE driver. Before you begin with the installation of the OS, you should unplug all unneeded hardware devices (USB etc.) and remove except 1 all RAM sticks. Please report here, if you succeeded with the installation or not, because this might help other users with the same problem. Good luck! Fernando EDIT: I just tested the mentioned brandnew nForce SataRaid drivers with Windows Server 2003 x64 by integrating them into a bootable CD. The installation was completely error free, the OS runs like a charme with these drivers! I will add these findings into my guide (first post). So I really can encourage you to take them for your system too.

Are you able to install W2kx64 by using F6/floppy and taking the SataRaid drivers from the 6.56 package? If not, you probably have a hardware problem.

Which driver package (version number) did you use?Is your original W2k3 CD and your CD burner ok? Did you use Nero for burning the CD? What you have done, seems ok. When you have downloaded the chipset driver package, you don't see any subfolders, drivers and INF files. So you have to unzip the package, before you are able to integrate any subfolder and INF file.

Yes, my guide (first post of this thread) works with nForce 410/430 chipsets too.The only problem is, that the special nForce 430 chipset driver packages offered by NVIDIA do not contain a LEGACY subfolder, which contains the needed NVATABUS.INF file. My suggestion: Take the LEGACY subfolder from the package you get here. Try the new x86 package you get here. Run the package and install just the nForce Raid drivers.

Fine, that you got it to work.Maybe it were the CAT files, which were missed by the W2k3 setup. As these files aren't really necessary (because the nForce Pata/SataRaid drivers are not WHQL certified), it doesn't matter at all, that you skipped them.

@ Blub and i_know_tim: Thank you very much for your posts. That really reassures me. CU Fernando

Where did you read this? You should not remove these drivers, when you are integrating the nForce SataRaid drivers. Always the same or each time different files? Is your CDROM drive, your RAM, your PSU and your W2k3 CD ok? Do you have an overclocked system? Which SATA mode are your Maxtor hdd's using? If SATA2 is enabled by hdd jumper, do you have a mobo with nForce4 chipset? If yes, did you flash the necessary Maxtor firmware for a successful work with nForce4 chipsets? Note: Don't press F6 during setup, if you have inserted a CD with integrated nForce SataRaid drivers.

Windows Server 2003 has only 1 CD. What you certainly mean is Windows Server 2003 R2. The installation should work if you just integrate the nForce SataRaid drivers into CD 1 (= bootable CD).