Integration of Intel's SATA AHCI and RAID drivers

[Fernando 1]

I believe it was but I'm not in possession of that original CD - i checked the install disk and yes, it has a file WINNT.SIF

The presence of the file named WINNT.SIF verifies, that you have used an already processed XP CD as source.

If you want to install Windows XP successfully onto an Intel RAID or AHCI system, you have to use an absolutely untouched XP CD as source. Otherwise you may get interactions of the previously integrated and for your special hardware not usable drivers with the driver you really need to be integrated (= the Intel RAID driver).

[StressedforXP]

So you mean I need to use the SP2 original disk, since during the SP3 drivers must have been added? As things stand is there a way for me to reapply the win7 boot (with like a flash drive or someting) so i can load the original OS? or am I doomed to have to reinstall my win7 operating system or original XP

[Fernando 1]

So you mean I need to use the SP2 original disk, since during the SP3 drivers must have been added?

You have to use a clean=untouched XP SP2 or XP SP3 as source, if you want to install XP onto your X79 RAID system.

As things stand is there a way for me to reapply the win7 boot (with like a flash drive or someting) so i can load the original OS?

Just boot off your Win7 DVD resp. USB flash drive, but use the "Repair" instead of the "Install" option. This will recreate the Win7 bootloader.

There is no need to reinstall Win7.

[Daytrader]

So guys, am i right in thinking, if i install xp pro with sp3 slipstreamed into my install disk, and install useing my asus p5ql pro motherboard useing the sata port connected to my install sata hard drive with bios set to ide, i do not have to slipstream the sata ahci/raid drivers in if bios is set to ide and i do not want to enable ahci or raid in the future ? i mean will i still get the sata hard drive working to its 300 speed spec, i know it dont actually get any where near that, but i mean will i be getting the full benift from my connected sata drive compared to just a old pata/ata hard drive, i just want confirmation please / cheers

[Fernando 1]

@ Daytrader:

You will only get the possible performance from your SATA connected HDD or SSD, if you have connected it/them to one of the Intel SATA ports running in AHCI or RAID mode.

Since your ASUS P5QL PRO mainboard has an Intel ICH10R Southbridge and does support AHCI, I recommend to integrate the suitable Intel AHCI driver into your XP CD and to install the OS in AHCI mode.

Regards

Fernando

[achiprobl3m]

i got a unique problem, i have a c600 chipset and slip streamed 32bit Intel RST AHCI & RAID driver v10.5.2.1010 for X79, which installs xp fine in achi or raid. HOWEVER. i have a 3tb GPT partition(partitioned in windows 7 originally), which is unaccessible for some reason, during the windows xp install process in raid or achi mode the drives state un accessible( the data storage size is also inaccurate, but that doesn't matter since xp can't read 3tb correctly without 3rd party support) i re did the same installation in ide mode, the drives are accessible(obviously inaccurate data size), i use a program called GPT LOADER which allows 3tb drives to be displayed in windows xp 32bit no problems, but in my case it's only working in IDE, which brings me to this forum in regards to the c600 drivers. The drivers arent allowing me the same access i would get in IDE, i need this access to enable my 3tb drives in xp(3tb drives which i would require 3rd party software to enable anyways), even when i installed gpt loader after achi xp installation it doesn't show up in disk management, yet in device manager the drives are there, just no volume is assigned and it's not present in disk management either, unlike in ide mode it would showup but wont allow to create a volume(that's where GPT LOADER handles the rest), Anybody got a solution?

Edited February 22, 2013 by achiprobl3m

[Fernando 1]

@ achiprobl3m:

Welcome at MSFN Forum!

Anybody got a solution?

There are not so many users with an Intel C600 Series Chipset mainboard and and a 3TB GPT partitioned HDD, who are running or would like to run Windows XP.in AHCI mode.

My advice is to use a more actual Operating System.

Regards

Fernando

[achiprobl3m]

yea well, thats 1 solution. However in my case i would like to get it to work... Ide works no probs, but ahci, obviously it's the drivers, would you happen to elaborate as to why this problem occurs. btw, when i uninstalled gpt loader in ahci mode ( since i was trying anything at this point ), the drives files were scanned and i seen a list of all the displayed dirs on the 3tb drive, however no volume though... and still nothing in disk management .

[Fernando 1]

would you happen to elaborate as to why this problem occurs. btw, when i uninstalled gpt loader in ahci mode

I am sorry, but I have no idea how I could help you.

Windows XP is a very old Operating System and was developed by Microsoft without any knowledge about AHCI, GPTand about how to support HDDs with a size of 3 TB.

[lera1981]

This thread is excellent! I never thought I'd be able to install 32-bit Windows in an AHCI setup. I've a strange issue though, and it might have something to do with the 32-bit Intel RST textmode drivers for X79 (but perhaps it could be my BIOS setup, too) ...

My AHCI is set up like this:

SATA6G_1 = 240Gb Corsair Force GT SSD

SATA6G_2 = Nothing

SATA3G_1 = Internal BD-RE drive

SATA3G_2 = Nothing

My bootup configuration is:

P0: 240Gb Corsair Force GT SSD

P2: Internal BD-RE drive

I've slipstreamed XP with the 32-bit Intel RST textmode drivers for X79 and everything worked perfectly, but the hard drive isn't able to boot up by itself. To boot into Windows XP, the slipstreamed Windows XP CD must be in the drive, and then you have to wait for the "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD" to go away.

If I have any other CD in the drive, or nothing in the drive at all, then I keep getting the error message:

Reboot and Select proper Boot device

or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device

I found this MS page that seems related but it applies to Windows 7 or later: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

Also, the "START" value for the iaStor.sys driver is already set to 0... I'm not sure if it's wise to play around with that setting. I've tried swapping the bootup configuration so that the P2 internal disc drive attempts to boot first, but that doesn't make a difference.

Any ideas?

[Fernando 1]

@ lera1981:

Welcome at MSFN Forum!

I've slipstreamed XP with the 32-bit Intel RST textmode drivers for X79 and everything worked perfectly, but the hard drive isn't able to boot up by itself. To boot into Windows XP, the slipstreamed Windows XP CD must be in the drive, and then you have to wait for the "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD" to go away.

For me there are 2 possibe reasons for the issue you have reported:

1. There are wrong BIOS settings regarding the boot order resp. the HARD DISK BOOT PRIORITY or
   
2. the Windows XP bootsector with the Master Boot Record has been installed outside your system drive (Corsair SSD).

Please enter the BIOS and check, if your Corsair Force GT SSD has been set as first bootable HARD DISK DRIVE.

If the BIOS boot settings are ok,, but your problem should persist, I recommend to boot off the nLited XP CD again and to use the "Repair" function. Alternatively you may download the tool EasyBCD, which is free for the non-commercial use. You can get it >here<.

Good luck!

Fernando

[lera1981]

Thanks for the speedy response and your help, Fernando!

The error message is definitely related to the BIOS but I'm not sure if that's the only problem. I've tested my settings with another Corsair SSD that boots to Windows 7 x64, which works fine as long as it's my first bootable drive as well as the first in the list of bootable devices. (otherwise, I get "Reboot and Select proper Boot device ..." on that drive, too)

I'm starting to think that the Windows XP SSD could be defective, though... sometimes when I re-install Windows XP, it reports random missing files, or crashes the system during a shutdown or a driver installation. Windows XP reports an abnormal MBR, but boot utilities (including fixmbr) don't seem to fix it. EasyBCD looks interesting but it doesn't seem to have any options available when I run it under Windows XP.

[killer1one1]

Hey Fernando,

First of all I truly admire and appreciate the work you've done here! Now I have one question I think you might be able to help me with,

I have an MSI X79MA-GD45 board with 2 HDD's running Win7 on one and XP64 on the other. I've already got both OS's loaded (and the bootloader works fine in selecting each one), but I still need to switch,via bios, sata mode between IDE and AHCI each time I want to boot in the respective system (win7 BSODs when sata is on IDE mode, XP BSODs when it's on AHCI mode).

Basically, my question is, how do I go about installing your modified 64 bit AHCI driver under Windows XP 64 ALREADY installed? I'm past the point of slipping it to the install disc. Any help would be much appreciated, keep up the good work sir!

[Fernando 1]

@ killer1one1:

Welcome at MSFN Forums!

Since your question has nothing to do with the tool nLite and the topic of this thread, I recommend to search for an answer somewhere else.

I generally do not recommend a switch from IDE to AHCI from within an already running OS.

Regards

Fernando

[e4services]

AMAZING. With the help of this post, I actually got a working Install Disk for XP that would boot on my new H67 Intel Chipset Dell XPS 8300.

AND with posts on the use of SYSPREP I actually got pretty far into moving my Windows XP Pro installation from my old nVidia ASUS motherboard with a C2Q to a new Intel Dell system, Intel H67, with an i7. . Took some work, but never got a work around for the MS limitations.

Repair Install with my new XP CD gets all done but get only 1 second of the XP splash screen and reboots.

No ntbtlog file either, so thinking it is a HAL problem.

The difficulty was the SATA drivers, at first, to get XP on the nVidia chipset in the first place! Just couldn't get rid of them, even with a SYSPREP reset, always crashed the new machine. Strange thing is, even after all this, the Repair Install, and I get it to try a Safe Mode start, you see the dang drivers still loading!. But like I said, it doesn't seem to be that, I do not think, for there is no BSOD, just reboots.

So I will post it here in hopes to help the next guy.

Followed the system addressed here, and produced an XP Pro SP3 CD using my original Microsoft Retail XP Pro, no service packs. Used the latest nLite, SP3 executable, Intel Chipset INI file/drivers, and Fernando's Intel Rapid Store Text Mode Driver set, incorporating them all into a new install / recovery disk.

Followed recommendations from a post about using SYSPREP to move installs with nvgts.sys, to new machines.

Uninstalled all the nVidia software/drivers through Control Panel. Reboot if you have too.

Used the Device Manager to switch the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers to the Standard IDE Controllers with Update Driver, Install from Specific Location, Don't Search, I will Choose. REBOOT LATER

Uninstalled any nVidia nForce Controllers listed under storage controllers. REBOOT LATER.

Downloaded CCleaner, Driver Sweeper AND Driver Fusion, ran them all to try and rid the system of use of nvgts.sys

Reboot to Safe Mode w/Networking. Double Checked the Device Manager again, had to remove the nVidia RAID drive again.

Ran all the cleaner sweepers and removed what I could.

Ran SYSPREP, from an ADMIN Command Window "sysprep -factory -nosidgen -mini -activated -bmsd -shutdown"

Let it do its job and shut the machine down.

Moved the drive to the Intel i7. Boot Fails, still can't access the SATA bus my guess, no blue screen like a std boot cd would (07b error), just crashes.

reboot from the LOVELY XP CD I just made with the incorporated SATA drives, Install, Repair, finds the XP install and repairs it.

To no avail

going to try a different route this time of starting an upgrade install from XP on the old machine, then moving.