Integrate RAID driver without nlite

[Dogway]

I have an already nlited ISO, so I can-t run it again to integrate the SAS RAID drivers I think. I don-t have a floppy drive to run F6 from, and the USBKeyPrep F6 method is not working for me with 2 USB pendrives. I-m thinking whether it-s possible to edit some files in the ISO and integrate manually the RAID drivers, so I can burn again and install Windows. Or another option is to use a so named "mass storage CD" described here to preload drivers. Any help is welcome.

Thanks

Edited April 15, 2013 by Dogway

[tomasz86]

If it's a completely different driver then you can safely use nLite again to integrate it.

[Dogway]

if that's true, you can save my day, or rather my week TBH, I'm gonna try right away.

[allen2]

Manual slipstreaming of intel ahci/raid driver might help you understanding how to adapt it with your sas raid driver.

[Dogway]

tomasz86, are you sure that re/running nlite won't screw my unattended?

allen2, I will try that if this method fails, it would be too many hit and miss concerning what to write on the files...

[tomasz86]

If you only add the driver and don't change any other options then I'm sure that everything will be OK. At least that's what I can say basing on the fact that I've done it numerous times in my system.

[Dogway]

ok, I just finished integration with both x86 and x64, will try again now, i just clicked on Driver, and Make ISO buttons, so it should work. I cross fingers.

[Fernando 1]

ok, I just finished integration with both x86 and x64, will try again now,

If you really have integrated 32bit and 64bit drivers into the same XP image, I doubt, that it will work.

[Dogway]

no sorry, 2 different builds, 32bits gets 32bits drivers, and same with x64.

I had to create a bootable USB with flashboot, because my DVD-RW had to fail in the right moment! (it-s detected as DVD-R booktype, so it can-t be erased, and can't change booktype in imgburn by some reason). I added it as boot from C: instead of A: since I'm not doing F6 or anything, is that right?

[Dogway]

Finally managed to install through the nlite method. I did a.quick format now since I had done a full format yesterday trying out with the OEM XP x64. Then something strange happened, I got the typical dual boot showing xp x86 and xp x64, and then that Windows couldnt start because a wrong.disk configuration. I then rebooted and chose xp x64 and finally xp x86 started. (?) I inspected boot.ini and both entries point to partition 2 (C: after eisa partition), but there's no track of the old x64 install on hard drive. Also on the default line and the first OS line (the non working XP x86 entry) there's written "signature(c4946615)"

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(c4946615)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
signature(c4946615)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional"  /pae /fastdetect /noexecute=alwaysoff
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional x64 Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Edited April 15, 2013 by Dogway

[Dogway]

More misterious things. Now that I have XP x86 installed configured and running, I'm going to install x64 on the third partition of the same drive. As I did with the other OS I integrated the SAS drivers and run from CD, then promptly an error message:

“The device associated with following device driver will not work correctly on this computer:/symmpi.sys.

The device driver is not compatible with the x64-based version of Windows your computer is running.

This device driver may be required to complete Windows setup. Please contact the device manufactor to obtain driver compatible with the x64-based version of Windows.”

Seems I integrated the wrong drivers?! I doubt, how do I check?

this is my TXTSETUPfile, looks fine I would say...

[SCSI]
lsi_sas = "Dell SAS 5x and SAS 6x Adapter Controller Driver (Windows XP x64)"

My OEM XP x64 says:

[SCSI]
lsi_sas = "Dell SAS 5x Controller Driver (Windows 2000/XP x64)"

The most relevant thing is that the OEM TXTSETUP file says:

lsi_sas.cat     = 1,,,,,,,303,0,0
lsi_sas.inf     = 1,,,,,,,303,0,0
lsi_sas.sys     = 1,,,,,,4_,4,1,,,1,4
lsi_sas.x64     = 1,,,,,,,303,0,0,lsi_sas.sys

whereas the one I integrated the drivers are:

lsi_sas.cat = 1985,,,,,,,1985,0,0
lsi_sas.inf = 1985,,,,,,,1985,0,0
lsi_sas.sys = 1,,,,,,4_,4,1,,,1,4
lsi_sas.sys = 1985,,,,,,,1985,0,0
lsi_sas.tag = 1985,,,,,,,1985,0,0

I did another test. I thought the differences were because wrong drivers, but they are both right it's just that the OEM are a previous version. What is wrong is the nlite integration, even using the exact same drivers as the OEM the above differences persist. I think I'd be better off by manual slipstreaming with the allen2 mini-guide, probably just copying the lines from one TXTSETUP to another, out of TXTSETUP I'm pretty much lost...

Edited April 16, 2013 by Dogway

[allen2]

You might need to remove the default symmpi.sys or set it to load after the lsi_sas.sys in txtsetup.sif in section "[sCSI.Load]".

[Dogway]

You might need to remove the default symmpi.sys or set it to load after the lsi_sas.sys in txtsetup.sif in section "[sCSI.Load]".

Unbelievable, that tiny thing did the trick!

It was already after lsi_sas so I removed it. So x86 needs symmpi.sys, whereas x64 needs lsi_sas.sys... strange...

I'm going to investigate now how to hide partitions from certain OS, I have x64 in J:\ if I move it to C: will I need to reconfigure all the paths? Also I read about some boot manager that needs to be in a small partition. I don't know why but I always have a small residual partition of 8Mb I think, is it usable? It's a bit of a pain if I had to format again this partition and install x64 again just for that.

HDD 1

1: EISA partition

2: C: XP x86

3: J: XP x64

4: no partitioned

edit: I will ask in a new thread!, thanks for all the help

Edited April 18, 2013 by Dogway