Integrating SATA drivers - Insert disk 4?

[supersheep]

Hi all,

I've been trying to integrate some drivers for a SATA chipset - Intel GD32144 - that our server uses. I'm installing Server 2003 SP2 (Volume License version).

I integrated the drivers okay (textmode), but Windows setup doesn't automatically detect the chipset. It asks me to press S to install additional mass storage devices - if I press S I can see "Intel SATA GD32144 Miniport" in the list, but when I select it, it asks me to insert Windows Server 2003 Setup DISK #4!

I don't have a disk 4! Leaving the disk in doesn't work.

What the hell is going on here? Why does it want Disk 4?

Attached is the Last Session.ini for the integration, and a zip of the drivers.

LAST_SESSION.INI

Drvr_1150.zip

Edited January 25, 2009 by supersheep

[johnhc]

supersheep, I know almost nothing about W2k3, but I have a couple of things to try. I see you are running nLite under XP. Can you try it under W2k3? I also see that your driver folder has two .inf files. Try selecting 'Multiple driver folder' under Insert of the Driver section and let it use both, if appropriate. When installing XP, it asks to hit F6 to install mass storage drivers. If that is what the 'press s' is about, don't press it. Just wait for setup to time out and continue. Make sure to always start with a fresh copy of your CD files/folders, do all your work in one nLite session and integrate only one SP. Enjoy, John.

[supersheep]

Weirdly enough, adding one of those INFs, then attempting to add the other, results in nLite saying that the driver has already been included.

The "press S" bit I'm referring to occurs well after the F6 prompt - just prior to selecting a HD to install to. If I don't select a mass storage driver and try to install, I get an error about Windows not having any drives to install to.

I'm absolutely stumped. I've poked around in txtsetup.sif, and I can see the drivers in there, but I have absolutely no idea what the lines referring to them mean. The gd31244.sys line appears twice, though - once with a bunch of commas and the number 1984, the other line has a lot more numbers in it, one of them being 4_ (reference to disk 4?)

Cheers for the suggestions, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere at all - running nLite under 2k3 makes no difference, nor can I see why it should. Using "multiple driver folder" only results in one driver being available for integration, as above.

Is anyone able to interpret txtsetup.sif files?

[johnhc]

supersheep, WoW, if I think of something, I'll let you know. In your CD \SUPPORT\TOOLS folder is a file called DEPLOY.CAB and in that cab are two .chm (help) files. Extract the .CAB file (I use 7-Zip) and these help files (especially deploy.chm) will explain the txtsetup.sif and winnt.sif files. Please let us know what your learn. Enjoy, John.

[supersheep]

I've found this about integrating textmode drivers using Unattended, OEM style:- http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_...nded-Setup.html

Before I start on the massive process of doing this, do you know if this kind of thing is successful?

Thanks for your help, btw! I noticed this thread has been indexed by google as the only sensible result for nLite and this particular controller.

[johnhc]

supersheep, that is a great link you found - thanks. I have only used nLite and not done an install on hardware (I use VMware Server). I am getting ready for AMD to announce a processor I want, then I am going to build a new computer. One thing I think has changed is the location of the $OEM$ folder. I think if you look in you source folder (after running nLite) you will find it parallel to i386, not inside. It certainly is in my setup (XP x64). NLite does not use this method, but it should work. Also take a look at the NLDRV folder in your nLited source, probably in your i386 folder. The files, in the 001, 002 , etc folders, will be compressed (_ as last name character), but these are your driver files. Have you tried doing an install with your drivers on a floppy and using F6? Perhaps the drivers you are trying to use are not the correct ones. I would suggest doing this, if you have not already, before you strike off on any other technique. BTW, there is an Unattended sub forum here that talks about these procedures also. I have not used it and am not familiar with it. Enjoy, John.

[supersheep]

Since this thread is Google indexed, I'll provide the solution to this one..

The GD31244 drivers have a broken txtsetup.oem. For some reason this breaks the nLite integration - and the driver never gets loaded.

What I did:

1) Rewrote the txtsetup.oem with the write hardware ID, included the catalog file, etc. according to these MSDN docs - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms794587.aspx. I can upload it if required.

2) Integrated this according to the OEM preinstall method listed in the article I linked to previously. I have a better link somewhere to the article that helped me through it - I'll edit this post to include it.

3) Used nLite to generate a bootable CD *only* from my modified install.

The driver gets loaded in textmode setup and I can see all the volumes.

(Incidentally, this is for an install on a Powervault 745N, using a USB CD-ROM drive, which has an Intel GD31244 SATA controller - index this, Google!)

[the42ndoffense]

I seem to be running into the same problem. Of the 30 times I have attempted to restore this server, it seems to be bent on wasting as much of my time as possible. Oh wise and handsome supersheep, is their any chance you could elaborate on your txtsetup modifications? perhaps a link? any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

-murdering his powervault

[supersheep]

No problem - I'll need to dig out the image I used, which is at work, but I'll get back to you with the modified files you need. Our Powervault is now running vanilla Windows 2003, installed last week, so I can testify that it does work (eventually)!

[supersheep]

Actually, just found it.

The attached zip has the files you need.

1) Copy contents of 2003 CD to your machine.

2) Unzip the "newtree.zip" from here, and make sure you extract with subfolders turned on.

3) You'll see that newtree has an $OEM folder, and a i386 folder. Move these folders into the folder that contains the Windows 2003 CD - $OEM won't exist, but i386 will.

4) Open nLite, target the Windows 2003 folder, and just create a bootable ISO.

5) Burn it.

6) Boot your Powervault from it using an external CD-ROM drive - you don't need to press F6 or anything, the gd31244.sys will load automagically.

This definitely works on a Powervault 745N, with an Intel GD31244 SATA controller.

Good luck!

newtree.zip

Edited February 25, 2009 by supersheep

[scotru]

Actually, just found it.

The attached zip has the files you need.

1) Copy contents of 2003 CD to your machine.

2) Unzip the "newtree.zip" from here, and make sure you extract with subfolders turned on.

3) You'll see that newtree has an $OEM folder, and a i386 folder. Move these folders into the folder that contains the Windows 2003 CD - $OEM won't exist, but i386 will.

4) Open nLite, target the Windows 2003 folder, and just create a bootable ISO.

5) Burn it.

6) Boot your Powervault from it using an external CD-ROM drive - you don't need to press F6 or anything, the gd31244.sys will load automagically.

This definitely works on a Powervault 745N, with an Intel GD31244 SATA controller.

Good luck!

You wouldn't know how to modify this to work with Windows Server 2003 SBS edition would you? I'm having the same problem. I thought I had it resolved, and was able to get as far as the initial blue installation screens using a modified txtsetup.oem, but after copying installation files upon reboot I consistently get a "A Disk Read Error has occured." I'm guessing I've got something wrong with my drivers slipstreamed drivers. :-(

Any help appreciated.

[johnhc]

You wouldn't know how to modify this to work with Windows Server 2003 SBS edition would you? I'm having the same problem. I thought I had it resolved, and was able to get as far as the initial blue installation screens using a modified txtsetup.oem, but after copying installation files upon reboot I consistently get a "A Disk Read Error has occured." I'm guessing I've got something wrong with my drivers slipstreamed drivers. :-(

Any help appreciated.

scotru, I am not familiar with W2003, but if you will attach your Last Session.ini (as requested in the BOLD RED letters above) we will take a look and see if we can see a problem. Do you have the identical HW that supersheep has? If you are installing on a VM (a great idea for testing - VMware Player, VirtualPC and VirtualBox are free), then please post a screen shot of your error message. BTW, nLite is licensed for personal use only and not business. Are you using nLite in a business environment? Enjoy, John.

[Ponch]

I've been trying to integrate some drivers for a SATA chipset - Intel GD32144 - that our server uses.

All of you using nLite for SBS and other, remember that nLite's licensing is for personal use only.