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

[johnhc]

Here's the second half. Enjoy, John.

[Avedis]

I tried both SP2 and SP3 slipstreamed onto the startup disc files and neither one worked....big surprise. I even changed the compatibility for nLite to XP-SP2 before running it on Windows7.

I checked the slipstreamed folder each time with nLite and when it examined the composite folder, it indicated SP2 and SP3 respectively so I assumed that the integration was successful and did not include a screenshot of the folders. When I looked at the folders, they had the additional files integrated into the startup files.

All my SATA drives are internal and therefore running off the nforce controller. As far as the Target issue, I don't think it would change as the target for the SP integrations or the drivers is going to be the Windows XP Home Edition SP1 folder.

I'm beginning to think that the Makedisc download might be my only way out of this. I can cannibalize a floppy drive out of another computer I have,install it on my computer, run Makedisc, build the floppies and F6 my way into getting the drivers on the hard drive before installing the XP OS.

I'm out of ideas unless you guys have something else for me to try.

[johnhc]

Avedis, I would like to see the Last Session from your SP3 run and still a screen shot. If your are interested in trying the Makedisk approach, please DL and combine the two attachments in my previous two replies and point nLite to the .inf files there. Please let us know and post your Last Session after the run. Enjoy, John.

[Fernando 1]

@ johnhc:

I doubt, that Avedis will succeed with the XP installation by integrating or loading the SATARAID folder (unless RAID is enabled within the BIOS).

@ Avedis:

Since you obviously are able to run Win7, please have a look into the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" and - if applicable - the "Storage Controllers" sections of the Device Manager.

Please give me the exact names of the listed Controllers.

[johnhc]

Fernando 1, you are probably correct, but I thought it was worth a try, particularly that Avedis was thinking about trying a Floppy drive with the Makedisk.exe. Here is the code at the end of the txtsetup.oem from the Makedisk:

[HardwareIds.scsi.BUSDRV]
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_008E", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_00D5", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_00EE", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_00E3", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0036", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_003E", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0054", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0055", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0266", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0267", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_036F", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_037E", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_037F", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_03F6", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_03F7", "nvatabus"
id = "PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_03E7", "nvatabus"

Many of the device codes refer to SATA as in SATA/RAID. Maybe it means nothing, but seems curious to me. Enjoy, John.

[Avedis]

Finally, I got it to work!

What I did:

1. nLite disk - I merged the installation disc with SP2.

2. Makedisk for Nvidia MCP55 chipset based motherboards V9.53....I made a floppy with both drivers on it.

3. Disconnected 2 RAM sticks to drop to 2 GB RAM

4. DISCONNECTED THE OTHER TWO HD'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Booted up on nLite disk

6. Hit F6 to queue up the MCP55 drivers.

7. Low level format

8. Continued with installation with no problems!

I believe the key here was to disconnect the other hard drives....especially the SSD with Windows7 on it. I think it was messing up the disc boot somehow.

At any rate, I can switch OS's by restarting and selecting the OS I want in the Boot Manager, just like before and a I have a clean install of Windows XP completely updated through SP3 and with all the video, audio and other necessary drivers. I will now make a disc image and store it on another HD.

My many thanks to johnhc and Fernando 1 for your intense efforts to help me through this!

[Fernando 1]

@ Avenis:

Fine, that you succeeded at least.

Only disadvantage: You now have 2 MBR's on different drives again.

Since you have XP up now, please give me the Controller names you see within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" and - if applicable - the "SCSI and RAID Controllers" sections of the Device Manager.

Regards

Fernando

Edited January 17, 2010 by Fernando 1

[Avedis]

Fernando,

The IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers are nvidia nForce 590/570/550 Serial ATA Controllers. There are three of these that show up together and only two are in use. There is one SATA drive for the Primary Channel and one SATA drive for the Secondary Channel for each controller. The third one isn't in use as I have three SATA drives and one SATA DVD/CD drive.

The SCSI and RAID Controller is a Silicon Image SiI 3132 SATALink Controller. The Silicon Image is for the external SATA connectors on the rear panel and I do not use a RAID array.

As for having a MBR on two separate OS drives, I guess I don't understand why that is a problem. It is my understanding that the BIOS firmware accesses the MBR information during bootup so having one MBR per drive shouldn't be a problem. I could see that it might be a problem on a partitioned drive with multiple OS's on the same drive but that isn't the case here. I have experienced no problems with my setup for quite some time.

At any rate, my problem is solved and I appreciate all the feedback that you and johnhc provided me in my quest to complete this project.

Thanks again!

Avedis