Anyone have 3ware Raid Working?

[trainee]

I haven't found any posts about people using 3ware raid driver (specifically 7k/8k) successfully in an unattended install. I know that RyanVM has integrated the latest driver into his pack but I have not been able to get it to work.

Here is what I am using:

XPCREATE Slipstreamed CD tested working on a machine that doesn't need additional Raid drivers.

Then I add raid information to the XPCREATE CDROOT and re-burn the CD (either hacking the drivers in by hand or using Ryan's patch, etc.)

With Ryan's I get BSOD right after it finishes loading drivers on install

So far the best I have been able to hack, gets me through install, but then I BSOD after first reboot.

This may be an XPCREATE question, but I kinda feel like it is a chicken or egg thing. I guess I should try just getting the drivers to work without any slipstreamed updates. Anyway, does anyone have these drivers working in ANY unattended installation that may be able to help me? Thanks in advance for any help.

EDIT: I have gotten just as far with METHOD #2. ie. $OEM$\Textmode & winnt.sif edit gets me as far as I can get with hacking txtsetup.sif. I can recognize the drivers initially, format the hard drive, and complete the initial install. After reboot I get a 0x0000007B error (essentially cannot find raid drivers). So if anyone wants to try (again) the Textmode winnt.sif method (with a driver they can already get to work with the txtsetup.sif method), then PM me and I can give you a detailed description of what I did.

[Bâshrat the Sneaky]

I think you should post your problem in Ryan's topic... (sticky in Device Drivers subforum)

[RyanVM]

You're sure you're copying the needed files to the i386 directory?

Do try and see if you can get it to work sans any other RAID drivers (using the method on GM's site), so at least we'll know if it's a driver bug or a bug in my archive.

[trainee]

Yeah, I've tried it with greenmachines method as well (that was my hacked by hand listing)

To clarify I have tried these 3 methods (tweaking each to try to make them work):

1.) Using GM's method

2.) Using textmode method

3.) Using RyanVM's method (very similar to GM's method)

With both #1 I am able to find and format the raid array, and do the initial install. Following the 1st reboot, I see the winXP startup very briefly and then get a BSOD with an 0x0000007B error (can't find disk)

With #3 I get a BSOD subsequent to loading all the drivers (I watch them across the bottom) and prior to formatting the drives.

With an f6 floppy load (standard attended install) I have no problems (thank god or i would really be SOL now wouldn't I?), so I know the drivers *DO* work.

I am going to try and contact 3ware to see if they have any possible solutions (it is possible that they have a system integrator package or something since they ship primarily for large arrays and workstations.

Thanks for the help and I will let you know if I make any progress.

Note: No offense to anyone but isn't GM's method a.ka. Raskren's or a.ka. i don't even know who started it's method? A lot of what I got was from raskren's post. I find his to be slightly more general than GM's where GM's is slightly cleaner and more straightforward. Once again I'm not meaning to slight anyone; just trying to give credit where credit is due.

Edited for clarity

[RyanVM]

Wait a sec - you're ABLE to use F6 OK during your unattended install?

[trainee]

Wait a sec - you're ABLE to use F6 OK during your unattended install?

Errr no... I said they work with an f6 install (fully ATTENDED) to illustrate that the drivers aren't totally bunk thats all. (more clarity: bunk=FUBAR, FUBAR=malware, malware=well you get the idea). Anyway I'm sorry if my post seemed to indicate otherwise (rrraaaRRRRrrr Bad post! badddd post!), but I, like the rest of you, cannot do an unattended install with f6 loaded drivers, but I wish that I could . Anyway I've been up all night trying out different crap so excuse my ranting <---me.

And that's all I have to say about that (holy crap I used a lot of smilies)

EDIT: It's official, this is the only thread that shows up when you do a search for FUBAR. And I've hit the smiley limit, otherwise there would be a happy face <here>

EDIT2: I edited the previous post to help alleviate the confusion, so RyanVM wasn't crazy it was not clear *BEFORE* hopefully it is now

[RyanVM]

I get you now . I'll take another look at the drivers tonight to make sure I didn't miss something when I put the pack together. It sounds like the file's not being copied over like it's supposed to, and that's the problem.

[trainee]

Okay here's where I am:

I now have a XPCD with SP1a (only! no other updates), working with the TEXTMODE method (i.e. method #2). I will be burning a full XPCREATE CD soon to make sure that it works with that as well. When I get that working I will provide greater detail on how I fixed this. It seems like only a handful of people have gotten the TEXTMODE method to work from CD, so I'm figuring that people will be interested if it does with a complete slipstream. Hopefully at least anyone else struggling with 3ware drivers will be able to learn something cya.

(wow emotes sure are fun)

[trainee]

Ok I have it *ALL* working. The $OEM$\TEXTMODE method (M2) is working great for me now, but I'm not sure there is enough interest to validate a big-ol post, so if people are interested let me know and I'll do up something (with as much detail as possible). Now that I am past this part I need to go learn more about regtweaks

[RyanVM]

People are getting similar BSODs with other controllers, so there has to be something I'm missing.

[trainee]

The new post became so long that I created a new thread. It can be found here.

Anyone know how to change the topic title? Becuase now it shows up in the list as:

Does anyone know how to make 3ware drivers work, post by trainee

How to make 3ware drivers work, post by trainee

Contrary to popular opinion I don't strive to talk to myself.