nLite Device Integration in Repair mode (CD Boot)

[rfm2000]

The basic question that I have is whether nLite can be used to integrate driver support for a new device, in this case for a two channel RAID controller, during a CD boot and repair operation using a modified version of the Windows installation CD(Win XP) with the only modification to the distribution being the integration of that one device driver.

I tried to integrate the driver for a 3ware Escalade 8006-2LP controller using the driver folder on the supplied CD. Integration and iso image creation seemed uneventful. As the CD booted, the loading of the Escalade driver flashed by on the status bar and so I thought the operation would be successful. I proceeded to repair the installation of Windows but when the repair operation completed and I logged back into Windows, device manager simply showed a raid controller under "other devices".

Installation of the Escalade driver at that point by the normal "have disk" method was uneventful and successful. Unfortunately for complicated reasons I need to try to install the Escalade driver during a repair operation.

I also tried a later driver from the website for the Escalade, which claimed to be WHQL, and it behaves the same way. Note that there is no Escalade driver in the Windows kit and so I think the driver should have loaded in text mode in any case, signed or unsigned. The text mode driver did see the device and an attached disk drive during CD boot up, but I don't understand why the controller was unrecognized during normal operation. A

Any insights or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Ponch]

Unfortunately for complicated reasons I need to try to install the Escalade driver during a repair operation.

I've never heard of installing a driver trough "repair". I have no idea if it's possible, be it through nLite or standard cd. I can't even think of a reason why you'd want to. Maybe if you explained that, someone could come with a workaround ?

[johnhc]

rfm2000, one point you may be missing is there are two different kinds of drivers - text mode and running mode (I made this term up, but I think you understand). The text mode driver is only used during the first part of install and it is possible that it works and the running mode driver is bad. You need to have both kinds of drivers. Please attach (not paste) your Last Session.ini. 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.