Integration of NVIDIA's nForce RAID and AHCI drivers

[Metalljens]

When using your suggestion and nlite should i select oem preinstall option in nlite when doing the unattended setup?

[Fernando 1]

When using your suggestion and nlite should i select oem preinstall option in nlite when doing the unattended setup?

Yes, let it as it is (activated).

[Metalljens]

arggg!

Im still getting the bsod and reboot failure after install, using Nlite B4, and your solution and using the 7.13 drivers!

the 6.53 works perfectly when using nlite b5 without any other modifications. Why dont later ones do that?

I checked the all the folders in the 7.13 package all the files seem to be the same wether its pataraid, sata_ide or sataraid, how come?

And why is the 6.53 only one folder for everything?

Edited July 21, 2005 by Metalljens

[poPsi]

Just Wonderng if this can be applied to an already slipstreamed SP2 Volume Lisenced XP cd (off my work place) or does it have to be an OEM. My copy does not have the WINNT.SIF in the i386 folder, only a TXTSETUP.SIF Within this file there is no section [Data], only a [setupData].

Anyone know if the same changes to the files mentioned can be done, and if it will work...

Thanks for a great guide...

[Fernando 1]

the 6.53 works perfectly when using nlite b5 without any other modifications. Why dont later ones do that?

Because NVIDIA changed the structure of the nForce drivers (for example by building seperate subfolders for PATARAID, SATARAID and so on).

I checked the all the folders in the 7.13 package all the files seem to be the same wether its pataraid, sata_ide or sataraid, how come?

You find several identical files in different folders, but the content of the folders is different.

And why is the 6.53 only one folder for everything?

See above. NVIDIA seperated the files later, because there could be some misunderstanding between the inf-files and the different drivers, when they were all together in 1 folder.

Just Wonderng if this can be applied to an already slipstreamed SP2 Volume Lisenced XP cd (off my work place) or does it have to be an OEM. My copy does not have the WINNT.SIF in the i386 folder, only a TXTSETUP.SIF Within this file there is no section [Data], only a [setupData].

You can use an already slipstreamed SP2 VLK version of Windows XP - no problem at all..

There is no WINNT.SIF within an original Windows CD. This file has to been created by the user or is automaticly done by a tool like nLite, when you create an Unattended Install CD. So if you use nLite and do not use the option "unattended Install" there will be no WINNT.SIF. It is built after the end of the processing procedure of nLite. So, if you interrupt nLite without letting finishing his work, you won't see a WINNT.SIF.

The TXTSETUP.SIF exists on a normal CD, but nLite writes a lot of things into this file about the drivers. Let nLite finish, then you can see a lot of informations in this file.

Edited July 21, 2005 by Fernando 1

[burningrave101]

Why wont beta 5 work with the 6.66 drivers if i do the method you outlined? Beta 5 will work fine with the older 6.53 drivers though wont it? I saw a couple of users mention it worked fine for them.

Edited July 22, 2005 by burningrave101

[Fernando 1]

Why wont beta 5 work with the 6.66 drivers if i do the method you outlined? Beta 5 will work fine with the older 6.53 drivers though wont it? I saw a couple of users mention it worked fine for them.

Your first question can only be answered by Nuhi.

Here is what he has written about the small changes between beta4 and beta5 concerning hardware (HW) detection and the integration of chipset drivers:

Only thing changed is order of HW ID entries...and I can not believe how important this seems for Nforce line of controllers.

...even small driver version difference makes a difference for them.

It may be, that nLite beta5 works fine with some old nForce Sata Raid drivers. I did not test it. NLite will definitely not work with the nForce chipset packages 6.66 and higher).

So if you want to integrate the old chipset drivers (between v. 5.10 and v. 6.53), you can try nLite beta5 without making any changes I described in post 1 of this thread.

But normally people want to have the newest drivers (although they are not always the best), when they build up a new system. A later upgrade of Sata Raid drivers is not so easy and maybe dangerous too in some cases.

[Metalljens]

Hey Fernando1!

Can you explain the differences in those two txtsetup.oem below

the first one is from the 6.53

and the second one is from the 7.13, but 6.66 is the same too.

6.53

[Files.scsi.RAIDCLASS]

driver = d1,nvraid.sys,RAIDCLASS

inf = d1,nvraid.inf

dll = d1,nvraidco.dll

catalog = d1,nvraid.cat

[Files.scsi.BUSDRV]

driver = d1,nvatabus.sys,BUSDRV <----

driver = d1,nvcchflt.sys,FILTER

inf = d1, nvatabus.inf <---

dll = d1,idecoi.dll

catalog = d1, nvata.cat

in the 6.53 there is both driver and inf entries for nvatabus.sys (marked with arrows)

--------------------------------

7.13

[Files.scsi.RAIDCLASS]

driver = d1,nvraid.sys,RAIDCLASS

inf = d1,nvraid.inf

dll = d1,nvraidco.dll

catalog = d1,nvata.cat

[Files.scsi.BUSDRV]

driver = d1,nvatabus.sys,BUSDRV <---

inf = d1, nvraid.inf <---

dll = d1,idecoi.dll

catalog = d1, nvata.cat

The 7.13 just have an entry for the nvatabus.sys, and an entry for nvraid.inf instead.

I have now tried to slipstream those 7.13 raiddrivers like a hundred times now with different configurations, using your solution and nlite B4, and using only nlite b4 and nlite b5, but nothing seems to work.

What i wonder is would installation of the 7.13 drivers work when doing the

installation the old fashioned way with the F6 method, without copying the nvatabus.inf to the sata_raid folder??

[Fernando 1]

What i wonder is would installation of the 7.13 drivers work when doing the

installation the old fashioned way with the F6 method, without copying the nvatabus.inf to the sata_raid folder??

You may try it and I will try to integrate the SataRaid drivers from v. 7.13 into Windows XP with nLite once more.

A better help would be possible, if I knew your hardware combination (chipset of your board, Sata Raid or Pata Raid).

Although I am not an expert in configurating txtsetup.oem files I will try to answer your first questions too:

You cannot compare a txtsetup.oem file, which is dedicated for all chipset combinations (Sata/Pata/SataRaid/PataRaid) as in packet v. 6.53, and a txtsetup.oem file from a special subfolder (SATARAID, PATARAID and SATA IDE) as you will find it in the v. 7.13 (Question: From which subfolder did you take the 7.13 OEM-file?).

The other big difference between both driver packages is the missing of the filter driver nvcchflt.sys in the newer NVIDIA chipset driver packages.

Edited July 22, 2005 by Fernando 1

[Metalljens]

i got the oemfile from sata_raid folder.

And im running an Amd 64 3200 cpu on a DFI Lanparty UT 250, which has the Nforce 3 Ultra chipset.

Yes, youre right, one shouldnt compare apples with bananas...

But my point is, if i was to make a driver floppy for my sata raid to install winxp32 with the F6 method which files would i have to copy to the floppy? is it enough with the sata_raid folder files?

The point being is there something wrong with the driverpackage? , i mean the official 6.66 is similar in layout and would surely work for updating when your systems online, but would it work when using the F6 method and new install? since that .inf file obviosly isnt where it should be.

[Fernando 1]

But my point is, if i was to make a driver floppy for my sata raid to install winxp32 with the F6 method which files would i have to copy to the floppy? is it enough with the sata_raid folder files?

The point being is there something wrong with the driverpackage? , i mean the official 6.66 is similar in layout and would surely work for updating when your systems online, but would it work when using the F6 method and new install? since that .inf file obviosly isnt where it should be.

You are certainly right. The NVIDIA nForce drivers are making a lot of problems.

I just googled a little bit and found a very interisting message for all owners of a pc with nForce3 chipset and a Sata Raid system within this page:

http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/latest-dri...-3-vt60240.html

In one of the posts you can read, that it is possible to install the drivers from the package 7.13 on a mainboard with an nForce3 chipset, but you have to take the ones laying in the PATARAID subfolder (they even work for Sata systems). If you use the files laying in the SATARAID subfolder, you will get a crash of your system.

Would you test this using my method? The only difference would be, that you take the drivers from the PATARAID subfolder as Textmode drivers. That would be very helpfull for all owners of nForce3 chipsets.

Maybe it is easier for you to test it with F6 method. Put just the files from the PATARAID subfolder of the 32-bit 7.13 onto a floppy!

Edited July 22, 2005 by Fernando 1

[Metalljens]

Thank you Fernando!

Ill try that and get back to you in awhile.

Thanx for the tip

[virtualrain]

Here is my experience slipstreaming 6.66 SATA RAID drivers on XP SP2 Install CD...

First let me say that Fernando, you Rock for figuring this out.

I think it is worth pointing out (assuming I am correct) that the integration of drivers in nLite (which is the first step) is really only to address the Text Mode portion of Windows Install. This is what saves you from having to use a floppy and F6 during initial setup. For whatever reason (lack of WHQL certification I believe) it does not then use these same drivers later for Windows GUI mode installation.

The first time I tried this process, for some reason, nLite did not grab the file nvatabus.sys for inclusion in the install. As a result, half way through loading the text mode drivers, it said "nvatabus.sys file not found" and halted. I redid the process and this time verified that nLite had grabbed the file by checking in the I386 folder for nvatabus.sy_. It worked fine the second time.

The second part of your process where you are copying files to the OEMDIR folder is for the Windows GUI mode install. After doing some research this is a common technique for installing non WHQL certified drivers during Windows GUI mode install.

Overall, it worked well for me the second time. I not only integrated the RAID drivers but also used nLite to integrate the rest of the nForce drivers. Note that when integrating other nForce drivers you only need to select one INF in each of the relevant subdirectories you want to integrate... nLite grabs everything in that directory regarless of what INF file you select for integration.

Good luck to others.

[virtualrain]

If someone knows how to install the NVRAID Windows tool after slipstreaming the driver install, I would be keen to know.

[Metalljens]

I have now tried slipstream with your solution and used the pataraid drivers instead. But still BSOD!!

I read the post that your referring to at nforcershq, but it doesnt say if it works when doing a fresh install using the F6 or slipstreamed.

Because i can update the raiddrivers manually when online, so it cant be the wrong drivers.

I made it work when using the F6 but using the txtsetup.oem from the patadraid and using drivers from sataraid and copy that nvatabus.inf from pataraid to sataraid.

But i cant get it to work when slipstreaming it.