ASUS Striker Extreme/680i/XP Drivers to use?

[Avedis]

My system:

ASUS Striker Extreme motherboard (nforce 680i chipset)

4 x 1 GB Corsair XMS2 PC6400 RAM

Intel Q6600 cpu

GTX 285 video card

SATA Drives:

Intel 80 GB SSD

WD 150 GB Raptor

WD 500 GB Caviar

Lite-On DVD/CD burner

Here is what I'm trying to do. I have installed Windows 7 64-bit on my new SSD and that is my main OS and startup drive.

I had XP on the Raptor drive and reformatted it in hopes of doing a fresh install of XP and having a backup operating system on another drive..just in case.

My XP 32-bit installation disc is old and doesn't have SP2 on it. As I found out, it also doesn't recognize SATA drives and I have no floppy drive to install the drivers as it wants.

So I heard about nLite and it seemed to be the ideal thing to use to add the SATA drivers to the XP start up disc.

The problem is I'm not sure what drivers to use with the 680i chipset. I tried to use the 32-bit nforce IDE drivers v10.3.0.46 as listed in the in Fernando1's thread.

I followed the directions, burned the disc and booted up on it. I went throught the partitioning and quick format part and then downloaded the installation files to the drive. When it finished downloading the system files, it restarted the computer and I got:

"Disc Boot Failure

Insert System Disc

Hit Enter"

Not knowing what to do next I hit Enter and got:

"Disc Read Error Occurred Press Control-Alt-Delete to Restart."

There are XP system files installed on the Raptor drive when I looked at it.

I tried redoing the procedure instead using drivers downloaded from ASUS' website for my motherboard. Downloading the Nvidia Chipset Driver Package WHQL V9.53 for Windows XP. I rebuilt a new disc from scratch as per the nLite procedure outlined by Fernando1. I even removed two memory sticks as suggested.

The same thing happened as before.

My DVD/CD burner is SATA. Could this cause a problem? I'm thinking that I am not adding the proper drivers to the installation disc.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm stuck.

Thanks!

[Fernando 1]

@ Avedis:

Welcome at MSFN Forums!

Here is my comment:

1. Windows XP with integrated SP2 or SP3 will be able to detect a SATA hdd without any integrated third party drivers.

2. My "sticky" guide is only valid for users with an nForce RAID or AHCI system. nForce 680i chipset mainboards do not support AHCI.

3. The error message "Disc Boot failure" may be caused by a corrupted or missing MBR.

4. If yo have more than 1 hdd/SSD connected with your mainboard, you have to take care about the "Hard Disk Boot Priority" settings within the mainboard BIOS. The hdd/SSD with the active partition (and the effective MBR) should be on the first position of the "Hard DISK BOOT PRIORITY" settings.

5. It is never a good idea to have more than 1 MBR within the system. The track 0 with the partition tables will not be erased by doing a simple format of the drive. Only a low level format or using a tool like KillDisk will erase the track zero of your Raptor hdd, where you had an active partition previously.

This is what I recommend:

1. Erase all data inclusive the track 0 ones from your Raptor hdd by using a tool like KillDisk.

2. Make sure, that the Intel SSD is on the 1st position within the "HARD DISK BOOT PRIORITY" settings.

3. Boot off the original XP CD with integrated SP2 or - even better - SP3 and install it where you want.

4. After having completed the XP installation you will have to repair the bootloader of your Windows 7 installation by booting off the Win7 DVD and choosing the "Repair" option.

Regards

Fernando

Edited January 15, 2010 by Fernando 1

[johnhc]

Avedis, so we can have a better picture of what you are doing, 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. Please report when you have a solution, so others can benefit. Enjoy, John.

[Avedis]

I was hoping you'd see this Fernando.

I believe you misread my post. My XP installation disc does NOT have SP2 on it, so it won't recognize SATA drives.

All three SATA drives are connected to my motherboard by SATA cables.

In the BIOS, the boot priority is:

1. Intel 80 GB SSD

2. WD Caviar 500 GB HDD

3. WD Raptor 150 GB HDD

Windows 7 is on the Intel SSD.

The WD Caviar is a storage drive with no OS on it.

The WD Raptor is the drive I want to reinstall a fresh XP 32-bit OS on.

So my question still remains. What files/drivers do I need to include using nLite onto a XP installation disc for the 680i chipset.

I understand about the MCR...sort of. I did have to run my Windows 7 Repair Disc after each episode previously described in order to repair the boot loader.

[Avedis]

johnhc,

I'm not sure where to get the Last Session.ini file.

I did start with a fresh copy of the disc each time and did it all in one session. What fernando said makes sense about the 680i and AHCI but there in lies my problem. Which specific SATA driver files do I include for the 680i chipset?

I am NOT trying to add a SP but perhaps that would be easier than trying to find the appropriate SATA drivers for my 680i chipset. Should I build a install disc by adding SP2 to the original startup disc using nLite? If so, how do you recommend doing so?

I'll try anything!

[Fernando 1]

I believe you misread my post. My XP installation disc does NOT have SP2 on it, so it won't recognize SATA drives.

Yes, but I realized it later and edited my previous post.

So my question still remains. What files/drivers do I need to include using nLite onto a XP installation disc for the 680i chipset.

Nothing else than the Service Pack 2 or 3 (the latter is better, because it is the latest).

[johnhc]

Avedis, adding an SP will not correct your driver problem. I took a quick look at the Asus site and was unable to find the drivers. What is the MB model. Please give us a link to your Asus download page if you can. The Last Session.ini file is found in the source folder after running nLite. Please do not post the _u.ini file for this has your CD key and other private information. I could be wrong, but I think you would need to place the HDD that you are installing XP on as the first in the boot priority list. I should point out that I have never done a dual boot install and know that Fernando 1 is much more knowledgeable than I. I guess the safe thing to do would be to temporarily remove the SATA cable from the SSD to see if you can get your XP install working. You would then need to unplug the Raptor to go back to W7 (sounds like I need to learn how to do a dual boot install). I am sure Fernando 1 will get me straight soon, but I think he is in Germany (+6 to +9 hours from US). Installing from a SATA optical drive should not be a problem. I install from an LiteOn SATA drive. Please help us find the right drivers from Asus. If you are running nLite under your W7 system, that can be a problem for creating an ISO for XP, especially if you are adding an SP. Enjoy, John.

[Avedis]

As far as the ASUS website, here is the link that will get you to the download section.

http://support.asus.com/download/download....SLanguage=en-us

Once you get there, over on the right is where you enter the product information to drill down to the files that are specific for the motherboard.

Product = Motherboard

Select Series = Socket 775

Select Models = Striker Extreme

Enter those and click Search. It will then ask for the OS. Click WinXP.

There you will find BIOS updates, drivers, manuals, utilities...etc., that are specific to the ASUS Striker Extreme motherboard.

I have attached the Last Session.ini file to this post.

Please understand that the dual boot worked fine before I wiped the Raptor drive clean. All I had to do to switch OS's was to reboot and hit F8 to enter the boot priority. I selected the drive I wanted to start up on and the OS booted up fine.

What do I do about nLite and Windows7 as far as the ISO?

Last_Session__2010.01.14_18.30.02_.ini

[Fernando 1]

Avedis, adding an SP will not correct your driver problem.

The simple driver problem is, that the generic MS IDE driver of the old (=Pre-SP2) XP CD is not able to detect the active partition, which is on the SATA connected SSD.

This problem can easily be solved by integating the SP2 or SP3 into the XP CD.

Only SATA drives, which are running in AHCI or RAID Mode, will not be detected by the generic MS IDE driver of any XP version from SP2 up.

Since Avedis is not runnng his SSD in RAID Mode and since his motherboard doesn't support AHCI, there is no need to integrate any textmode driver.

[johnhc]

Avedis, Fernando 1 has just straightened me out. So you can get by without a SATA text mode driver but you will need at least SP2. Since you are running W7, integrating an SP my not work but you can try it - seems like some have success. Please DL SP3 from MS DL Center. When you run nLite, select the first Task, Service Pack, and point to SP3. Please let us know what you learn. Enjoy, John.

Fernando 1, thanks for the information. I thought all SATA connected install drives required a text mode driver for all XP. Thanks, John.

EDIT: Avedis, I not sure where you are ultimately headed. I noticed that you have used very little of nLite except to include a driver you won't need if you can get SP3 added. It is possible to add the SP on any system running XP without nLite. You then could install that and run nLite in the XP and build an ultimate version of XP with the tweaks, hot fixes, drivers etc from there. Please let us know what you want to do and we may be able to help. Enjoy, John.

Fernando 1, could Avedis use the text mode driver from the ASUS site, install XP without an SP, then run nLite and do the rest?

Edited January 16, 2010 by johnhc

[Avedis]

Well......crap.

I downloaded SP2 since you can't install SP3 unless SP2 is already in place.

I ran nLite and when it asked to point at the SP, I pointed at the executable file instead of extracting it first and pointing it at I386. It seem to extract and load it into the folder with the XP SP1 files.

I burned the ISO and then did a low level format as suggested. It then installed the files off the disk and then asked for a retstart.

When it restarted, I did a F8 to get the boot manager and directed it to the Raptor drive with the XP SP2 files on it.

Same thing:

"Disc Boot Failure

Insert System Disc

Hit Enter"

I then restarted and ran the repair disc to clean up my Windows7 SSD which then ran. I restarted again and had it try to boot up on the Raptor again....same result.

I have attached the Last Session.ini file. I don't know what I'm looking at when I looked through it but it didn't seem to me that it added anything. Could pointing nLite at the auto-extract for SP2 instead of extracting it first and pointing nLite at the I386 folder have caused a problem? Perhaps the Windows7 issue with nLite caused a problem....I don't know.

Would running nLite after changing the compatibility mode in Windows7 for nLite to XP help or should I try something else instead?

Last_Session.ini

[johnhc]

Avedis,

I downloaded SP2 since you can't install SP3 unless SP2 is already in place.

This is not true for integration. That is why I asked you to DL SP3 and install it - I knew you had only SP1 from your Last Session. You did the correct thing with your SP. I don't quite understand what you mean by "and pointing it at I386". Did you get a successful integration message from nLite? How far did you get in the installation? The first mode is the text mode (no graphics, copies files after format), then the GUI mode. Did you get into the GUI mode? Were you asked for your key or any other information? Have you cleaned the MBR from the Raptor as Fernando 1 suggested? Does your MB have more than one SATA controller, or only the SI? Your problem does not look like the problem others have had with using W7. Please post a screen shot of a Windows Explorer view of your source folder after running nLite. Good luck, John.

[Avedis]

johnhc,

What I meant by the I386 comment was that if I extract the SP2 folder, it downloads everything into a folder labelled I386. When I pointed nLite at the SP2, I did not point at the I386 folder. I pointed at the self-extracting icon. It appeared to extract the folder and install it as desired.

I did get a successful integration message from nLite. I got through the text mode but did not get into the GUI mode. After the files downloaded into the HDD, it went into a restart. I was not asked for a key either.

I ran a low level format as fernando recommended. I assumed that cleared the MBR.

My motherboard has two SATA controllers. The nforce handles the six internal SATA connections and the SI is for any external SATA connections plugged into the back of the case.

What was your impression of the Last Session.ini I attached?

Please elaborate as to how I should get to the source folder after running nLite. I don't understand how to get a screenshot. I'm a little green when it comes to these things.

Could the boot record be causing the problem? Is there a way to repair the boot record of the drive I'm downloading to? I wish I knew more about this than I do.

[Fernando 1]

Fernando 1, could Avedis use the text mode driver from the ASUS site, install XP without an SP, then run nLite and do the rest?

I doubt, that any of the nForce drivers from ASUS will work, because Avedis will need a LEGACY driver, which is supporting his chipset. The SATARAID driver will not work because of the missing RAID Controller, the suitable SATA_IDE driver folders do not contain a TXTSETUP.OEM file.

@ Avedis:

Nevertheless you may try the following (i am not sure, if it will work):

1. Download the LEGACY nForce IDE driver v6.99 from >here< and unzip it.

2. Integrate the content of the LEGACY folder as textmode driver by using nLite.

3. When you get the tetxmode driver pop-up window, only check the "NVIDIA nForce Storage Controller (required)".

4. After having burnt the Image, try to boot off the nLited CD. Maybe the XP Setup will detect the SATA hdd with the boot sector (MBR) by using the integrated nForce SATA driver v6.99.

If you should succeed this way, you will be able to integrate the SP3 into your old original XP source for a fresh XP install.

Good luck!

Fernando

Edited January 16, 2010 by Fernando 1

[johnhc]

Avedis, I assume you are running all your SATA drives on the internal (nVidia) controller? The source folder I am talking about is just the folder you copied your CD contents into and point nLite to. It is the folder that contains the Last Session.ini. Your last posted Last Session looks funny. "Target = Windows XP Home Edition SP1 - 5.1.2600.1106 - English (United States)" at the top still says SP1. Usually it says SP2 if you integrated SP2. Otherwise the Last Session looks fine.I am now wondering if you really got SP2 integrated. Again, post the screen shot I asked for and we can see for sure. I failed to respond to an earlier question about using XP Compatibility Mode. This is a good idea and may help - again, seems to help some people. To emphasize, DL SP3, do not extract it and using a fresh copy of your CD run nLite and integrate SP3 by pointing to the DLed file. Fernando 1 will need to answer your MBR question - I don't know. Please let us know how you make out. BTW, I edited one of my previous replies and asked about your ultimate goals. Please let us know. Enjoy, John.

EDIT: Fernando 1 and Avedis, I DLed the Makedisk for the nVidia drivers from the ASUS site and ran it on my VM. Attached are the floppy files from them - one here and one in the next post to avoid the 200KB limit. Please let us know, Fernando1, if these are any good.

Edited January 16, 2010 by johnhc