Integration of nForce SataRaid drivers

[Fernando]

@ All users with a NVIDIA nForce SataRaid system:

The tool WUCD Creator (since version 0.9.8 ) offers a very easy way to integrate the actual nForce SataRaid drivers into a bootable Windows XP CD (32- and 64-bit).
If you use the CD Creator for the integration of these problematic drivers, there is no need for any additional handmade work (creation of folders, editing of SIF or OEM files). At the end of the install of the bootable CD you have a perfectly working OS with up-to-date nForce SataRaid drivers - no F6 and no floppy is needed.
Vitali Graf as the "composer" of the CD Creator managed this by the complete integration of a special method, that I have described in summer 2005 (OemInfFiles method *). This method prevents, that the MS setup routine installs the wrong MS standard IDE drivers instead of the still not correctly digitally signed nForce SataRaid drivers.

Important requirements for the successful integration of the actual nForce SataRaid drivers:
a) up-to-date mainboard BIOS (new nVRaid drivers need an actual Raid Bios, which is a part of the mainboard BIOS)
b) enabled ACPI (Power Management)
c) error free OS CD and CD-ROM device
d) correctly configurated and activated nForce Raid array (BIOS and F10)

1. Preparations:
Download the actual version of the CD Creator here and install it.
Before you begin your work with the CD Creator, you should lay out the suitable nForce drivers you want to integrate. The choice of the best suitable NVIDIA SataRaid drivers depends on the mainboard chipset features and a little bit on the available Raid BIOS version:

For the later integration of the SataRaid drivers into a Windows XP CD (32-Bit) I recommend one of the following nForce chipset driver packages:
a) v. 6.85 (get it here) for mainboards with nForce4 Ultra, nForce4 AMD/Intel SLI and nForce4 AMD/Intel SLIx16 chipset,
b) v. 9.34 (get it here and don't take the official 9.34 package) for mainboards with an nForce 410/430 chipset (Notice: These newest 32-bit nForce SataRaid drivers v. 667 can be used with other nForce chipsets too),
c) v. 6.53 (get it here) for all nForce4 chipset owners, who got problems with the newer nForce SataRaid drivers because of their old nVRaid BIOS version or
d) v. 5.11 (get it here) for mainboards with nForce 3 chipset.
Owners of a mainboard with an nForce590/570/550 chipset should take the 32-bit nForce SataRaid-drivers they find on their mainboard driver CD.

If you want to build a Windows XP x64 CD, you should take one of the following driver packages:
a) v. 6.67 (get it here) for mainboards with nForce4 Ultra or nForce4 AMD/Intel SLI chipset,
b) v. 9.34 (get the x64 version here and don't take the official 9.34 package) for mainboards with an nForce 410/430 chipset (Notice: These newest 64-bit nForce SataRaid drivers can be used for other nForce chipsets too)
c) v. 6.56 (get it here) for all users with an nForce4 board, who had troubles with the 6.67 or 9.34 package and
d) v. 6.25 (get it here) for mainboards with nForce3 chipset.
Owners of a mainboard with nForce590/570/550 chipset should take the 64-bit nForce SataRaid drivers they find on their mainboard driver CD.

2. Processing:
After the start of the CD Creator you may use all options you want, but you have to do the "Driver Integration".

Within the section "Driver Integration" it is necessary to pay attention to the following:

• Choose the integration of "Controller Driver" and point to the IDE\WinXP\LEGACY subfolder of your prepared nForce chipset driver package (if you use the 32-bit packages v. 6.53 and v. 5.11 or one of the x64 packages v. 6.25 and 6.56, just point into the IDE\WinXP directory).
  
• You have to integrate one after the other both proposed drivers as Controller Drivers.
  
• Owners of a mainboard with nForce590/570/550 chipset should integrate the SATARAID instead of the LEGACY subfolder.

Then you can integrate all other needed nForce (SMBus, Ethernet, Audio etc.) and other drivers as "normal" Device Drivers. Before you start with the integration you should give each driver a name (such as SMBus, nVLAN, Graphic, Audio, Printer etc.).

Very important:
After having finished the integration of all drivers, you have to flag the Controller driver named  NVATABUS (XPx32) or NVATAX64 (XPx64) by rightclicking as "Bad Controller". Only if you have done this, the OemInfFiles method will be activated for this suspicious driver by the CD Creator. If you miss this step, you will not succeed at the end of the install of your OS (result: endless reboots even in safe mode).
This step might not be necessary for owners of a mainboardwith nForce590/570/550 chipset, because the SATARAID subfolder mostly contains WHQL certified drivers.

3. Finalizing:
After the complete processing you should let the CD Creator build the CD image (ISO file). This ISO file can easily be burned as bootable CD by a burning program as Nero (use "Recorder" > "Burn Image....").

Ready!

I hope, that my guide is clear and easy to understand.

If you have any problems, please post into this thread. I will try to help you.

CU
Fernando


*) The OemInfFiles method for not WHQL certified drivers has been described the first time by PhreeZ in this thread.[/color]