Installing SATA raid drivers on new mobo

[caracortada_uk]

Hi all. Just changed the mobo on my dads pc and completely forgot that the RAID controllers are different. As such windows wont boot. How can i install the drivers for the new mobo without causing any harm to the current windows install? Old mobo used a SIS SATA controller, new one (my old one) uses nForce4 ultra (AMD).

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This article on the MS website:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;824125

I know i can do a repair install to give it the drivers, but that wipes the registry. Currently have accounts programs on the machine and dont know if wiping the registry will still allow them to work. Also general hassle of new reigsitry and all the programs currently installed.

That article also says i can do an "upgrade" install from within windows using the old mobo. Would an Upgrade keep the registry and all data intact? Basically just installing the needed drivers?

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Other option is to boot the HDs using the old mobo and back up the registry. Put in new mobo, do a repair install and boot into windows and tell it to use the back up. Would using the back up not tell it to use the old drivers?

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I recall something about being able to tell the BIOS to treat SATA drives as IDE drives, therefore bypassing the need for sata drivers on a fresh windows install. I know this is possible on compaq Mobos, cant see anything like that on the MSI, does anybody know anything about this? Seems like the perfect option.

Old mobo - AsRock K7VT4A Pro

New mobo (my old one) - MSI K8n Neo4 Platinum

Edited September 11, 2007 by caracortada_uk

[IcemanND]

You should be able to put the old motherboard back in, then install the drivers for the new RAID controller, just right click the INF file and select install. Works 4 out of 5 times. never hurts to have a backup also.

[ilko_t]

Here are some options:

1. Sysprep the installation on the old MB adding the relevant entries for your new SATA driver in sysprep.inf /massstorage section

2. Find the option in BIOS (if any) to run the SATA controller in IDE compatible mode, for better result look at this article, apply the reg fix and add the drivers needed:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314082

3. Add manually the entries needed in registry and copy the driver

You need and entry with the proper Hardware ID of the controller in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase , pointing to the service for it, which you will need to add manually too, or use the inf file of the driver to do it. Without the proper record in CriticalDeviceDatabase you will get BSOD 0x0000007B. That's why the way suggested by IcemanND actually has unpredictable result, depends whether there is compatible HID in CriticalDeviceDatabase or not. If you need any further information just ask, I wrote a complete guide a while ago, but it's in Bulgarian language, so will need to do some translation.