Cannot find Hard Drive-3Ware RAID controller.

[johnhc]

After completing the text mode file copying, setup gave the error that no hard drives could be found. I had included the 3Ware text mode driver (Version 9.5.2) DLed from the the 3Ware site and included it in my nLite run. Fernando 1 came to my rescue, once again, by finding a fix via Google. The page, here, is in German, but essentially says to delete the lines at the end of the txtsetup.oem file that allow use of a USB floppy to load the text mode drivers. This is not needed - really cannot be used since F6 cannot be used. After deleting these lines, my install went fine. Thanks again to Fernando 1 for his help. Enjoy, John.

[Fernando 1]

Users, who don't want or are afraid to edit any driver file, may use one of the driverpacks I have already customized for being easily integrated into a Windows XP (32/64bit) CD.

Here are the download links:

32bit 3Ware RAID drivers v9.5.2 for Windows XP

64bit 3Ware RAID drivers v9.5.2 for Windows XP x64

Have fun!

Fernando

[johnhc]

Fernando 1, you refer to these two files as "driverpacks ". I DLed the x64 one and extracted it. It looks like it is simply the driver files from LSI-3Ware compressed with 7-Zip. Can this be placed into the hot fix section of nLite? Is this all there is to driver packs for nLite? Thanks, John.

[Fernando 1]

It looks like it is simply the driver files from LSI-3Ware compressed with 7-Zip.

The TXTSETUP.OEM file has been customized by me.

Can this be placed into the hot fix section of nLite?

The unzipped driver files have to be integrated as text mode driver. Why do you think, that they should be integrated as hotfix?

[johnhc]

Fernando 1, because you called them "driverpacks ". I have never used a Driver Pack. Where do they go? I knew you deleted the USB boot devices - otherwise LSI-3Ware files. Thanks, John.

[Fernando 1]

Fernando 1, because you called them "driverpacks ".

The name "driverpack" means, that it is a (zipped) package, which contains drivers.

[johnhc]

Fernando 1, ever once in a while I realize how little I know. I asked you before about a running Windows using the text mode driver - you said yes. For my 3Ware controller, I have always included both a normal and text mode driver. Please see attach screen shots. Both pairs of .inf files are identical (same hash), the .sys files are exactly the same length but not identical (different hash) and the .cat files are not the same (different length). The pairs of file names are all the same. They are both in the NLDRV folder in two separate folders. So, which driver does Windows use when running (not installing)? Do I really need to include both? What is the difference in the two .sys files? Why are the .cat files different?

Is there not something called a Driver Pack that can be included in nLite in a manner similar to Update Packs and AddOns? Thanks, John.

[Guest]

Is there not something called a Driver Pack that can be included in nLite in a manner similar to Update Packs and AddOns?

I believe you've heard of Bâshrat's DriverPacks, which have their own software to slipstream them. Technically, you could download a DriverPack and navigate through each folder within to slipstream each driver individually with nLite. But given the sheer number of drivers usually included in each pack, I'd recommend using the software designed for the Packs.

By the way, I'm still interested in knowing which theme you're using.

EDIT: I missed the edit in your reply. Thanks.

Edited December 26, 2009 by 5eraph

[johnhc]

Fernando 1, what prompted all these questions is that LSI-3Ware released code set 9.5.3 and I was looking at the drivers. The text mode and normal drivers are the same and the same as the 9.5.2 text mode driver. The only differences I can find, in the 9.5.2 code set, and identify with a comp command and a hex editor is the Digital Signatures have a different time stamp. The driver I find in my drivers folder is the text mode driver. I am thinking I do not need what I call Normal drivers for my controller. Any comments? Thanks, John.

[Fernando 1]

@ johnhc:

1. There is no reason for the installation of the 3Ware RAID software v9.5.3, because the included RAID driver is the same version (v3.0.4.70 dated 03/24/2009) as the driver of the 9.5.2 package. You can easily verify it by doing a right click onto the real driver named 3wareDrv.sys > "Details" > "File Version" (3.0.4.70) resp. "Product Version" (9.5.2). I have no idea, why LSI has published these 9.5.3 sets.
   Nevertheless I downloaded, customized and uploaded the "newest" 3Ware RAID drivers of the 9.5.3 sets (32/64bit).
   Here are the download links:
   32bit 3Ware RAID drivers v9.5.3 for Windows XP
   64bit 3Ware RAID drivers v9.5.3 for Windows XP x64
   
2. The driver, which has been integrated as textmode driver by using nLite, will be present within the TEXTMODE part of the OS installation (for the detection of the hard disk drive) and within the GUIMODE part, when the usual detection of all hardware devices happens. If you want to integrate a textmode driver by using nLite, you will never need to do it twice (as textmode and PnP driver).
   
3. As 5eraph already has written, you obviously mixed my term "driverpack" (= package with drivers) with the special term "DriverPacks", which are available >here<. The DriverPacks method has nothing to do with nLite, users have to use a special integration tool named DriverPacks Base, which they can get >here<.
   

Regards

Fernando

[johnhc]

Thanks 5eraph and Fernando 1.

I could see that the versions were the same, but I was confused by the fact that the normal driver of the 9.5.2 set (version 3.0.4.70 dated June 1, 2009), was not the same file (different hash) as the text mode. I think LSI-3Ware released a complete code set even though the drivers did not change (at least 64 bit ones - did not look at 32 bit). The software and the controller firmware did change. In fact, the latest firmware gave me a little performance boost.

I think I now understand about DriverPacks. I was under an erroneous assumption that they were similar to Update Packs and AddOns. I am not interested in the real DriverPacks, and it looks like there are none for XP x64 anyway. Thanks to both, John.

[jkey]

Thanks ALOT! This solution works

[johnhc]

jkey, thanks much! You are welcome and glad the forum helped you. Enjoy, John.