Integration of nForce SataRaid drivers

[Joggie]

Hi Fernado,

I used the slipstream method as you described.(All drivers windows whql).It worked for me. Not all XP64 installation files where copied to the raid0 hd system.
I only use nVidia Sata ports.
Sata 1 and 2 for Raid 0.(2* 80GB drives)
Sata 3 as normal Sata drive.(1*160GB drive)

The snag is the following files are on Sat 3 drive.
1) Boot.ini
2) NTdetect.com
3) NTLDR
I copied all Files from SATA 3 to the raid0 configuration.
When I disconnect Sata 3 while PC is powered done, and reboot their after system fails to boot.

Connect Sata 3 drive back,all is well.
Is this normal.

Windows was complaining that it had to use the 3 rd Sata device for installation purpose. Otherwise windows will be unable to install.

My system:
AMD +3800 dual core CPU.
A8N32 SLI Deluxe mother board.
2* 80gb HD configured as Raid0.(Used on SATA 1 and 2)
1* 160gb HD as normal SATA.(Used on Sata 3)
Use onboard sound.
nVidia XFX 7800GTX video card.
Sony DVD writer on IDE, as master.(Primary port)

I used 6.85 Nvidia drivers, from nvidia web-site (Nforce4 drivers)

On my Sil3132 port no Sata devices connected.

Regards

Joggie

[Fernando]

I used the slipstream method as you described.(All drivers windows whql).It worked for me. Not all  XP64 installation files where copied to the raid0 hd system.
I only use nVidia Sata ports.
Sata 1 and 2 for Raid 0.(2* 80GB drives)
Sata 3 as normal Sata drive.(1*160GB drive)

The snag is the following files are on Sat 3 drive.
1) Boot.ini
2) NTdetect.com
3) NTLDR
I copied all Files from SATA 3 to the raid0 configuration.
When I disconnect Sata 3 while PC is powered done, and reboot their after system fails to boot.

Connect Sata 3 drive back,all is well.
Is this normal.

Windows was complaining that it had to use the 3 rd Sata device for installation purpose. Otherwise windows will be unable to install.

Hi Joggie,
what you have written is a wellknown issue.
If you install an OS onto an nForce Raid array, you should unplug all non-Raid devices (hdd's, USB sticks etc.) during the install, because otherwise the OS setup tries to install the Master Boot Record (with boot.ini, NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR) onto the non-Raid device and makes it to the only bootable partition (= drive C: ).
My questions:
1. Do you have any OS installed onto your 160 GB hdd (connected to Sata3 port)?
2. When you created your Raid array, did you set your Raid array as "bootable" (active)?
3. Have you set the Raid as first bootable hdd within BIOS?

CU
Fernando

[Joggie]

Hi Fernando,

My questions:
1. Do you have any OS installed onto your 160 GB hdd (connected to Sata3 port)?
No.

2. When you created your Raid array, did you set your Raid array as "bootable" (active)?
I dont think during windows install process it actually ask me for that.
I did show two drives, Raid 0 and the other sata drive(160gb). I pointed to the raid0 partion and selected the full 160 gb partion. Then windows complained it cant install, it need's the other drive to copy some files.

3. Have you set the Raid as first bootable hdd within BIOS?
In the bios it saw 3 hd.
Serial-ATA1 enabled.
Serial-ATA2 enabled.

nVidia Raid Function enabled.

SATA1 controller enabled.
SATAT2 controller disabled.
Comment according to the manual SATA1 and SATA2 controler are user-configuarable only if you use nVidia Raid Function.
Exit bios configuration (F10)
Then I rebooted pc went to raid-utility.
Selected Raid-Stripping, then stripping block.
Then pressed F7 to creat raid-set.
Then I exit from raid uitility.
Started OS installation.

Regards


Joggie

[Fernando]

2. When you created your Raid array, did you set your Raid array as "bootable" (active)?
I dont think during windows  install process it actually ask me for that.

When you create your Raid using the F10 Raid Utility, you normally get the option to set the Raid as "active" (= bootable). Maybe your Raid Utility does not have this option.
Windows will not ask you, where you want to set your MBR. It will set it where it want or overwrite the previous MBR files, when it finds any.

3. Have you set the Raid as first bootable hdd within BIOS?
In the bios it saw 3 hd.
Serial-ATA1 enabled.
Serial-ATA2 enabled.
nVidia Raid Function enabled.

No, I meant the "Boot frequence" within the section "Advanced Features".
You should use the following boot ranking (frequence):
1. CD-ROM (to get the OS installed)
2. your Raid array (to get the MBR set there during the install)

My suggestion:
Do the BIOS settings, unplug your 3rd Sata drive and start a new clean install of the OS.
During the first (TEXTMODE) part of the installation you are asked, where you want to get the OS installed and if you want to use the whole Raid disk size or not. At this point I would say "No" and create a partition C with a size of 25 or 30 GB. After this decision you should format the partition C (you can use the quick NTFS format option).
After the successful install of the OS you can reconnect your 3rd Sata drive, but don't forget to delete the 3 MBR files you still have on that device. Be aware, that your OS partition as part of your Raid array with the new MBR files are on drive C!

P.S.: As you have made a double post, please delete one of them by editing something like "deleted (double post)".

[Joggie]

Hi Fernando,

After a couple of installs over the weekend, I got it solved.
Every thing is working 100%.

My problem was corrected via you suggestion.
Inside the bios I found a place that you could alter your boot sequence.
This is only for HD.
When I only got a single HD in the system this does not become apparent,it only shows up when you add a next drive.
I found this the hard way.

When I did the installation with only the Raid0, all was ok.
When I plugged my next non-raid drive, then it tried to boot up with that HD.( This was a no-go.)
Then you have to sort it out in "HD" boot sequence.
This boot sequence has nothing to do with Floppy,HD or CD boot sequence. The HD boot seq. is under my "Advance Bios" settings.

Under the Raid-Setup utility the is a option to select "Boot", but this is greyed out.

Tnx

Fernando
PS Sorry for the double post my fault. I used the back key under Explorer.

[Fernando]

After a couple of installs over the weekend, I got it solved.
Every thing is working 100%.
My problem was corrected via you suggestion.
Inside the bios I found a place that you could alter your boot sequence.
This is only for HD.
When I only got a single HD in the system this does not become apparent,it only shows up when you add a next drive.

Hi Joggie,
congratulations, that your got your problem solved, and thank you for posting how you did it. This may help other users with similar problems.

I enjoyed, that I could help you.

CU
Fernando

[Boris]

Hello!

I guess, the SataRaid drivers is a common pain in the neck...
My situation is very close to what Gisborne has described.

I have:
ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe motherboard
1 WD Raptor HDD 36Gb
2 Seagate Barracuda 320Gb HDDs

The idea was to have WinXP on Raptor and RAID 0 on the two 320Gb HDDs.

Any attempts to get nVidia RAID drivers installed (diskette + F6 during setup; incorporation of the drivers by nLite) resulted in a smooth install of WinXP Pro and exactly the same endless reboots Gisborne has described above.

In perfect accordance with his story, omitting the RAID drivers during XP installation resulted in working OS, but no RAID disk (no surprise!).

Googling "ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe RAID" revealed an interesting feature:
the latest BIOS versions (1012-1017.beta) requiere nVidia chipset drivers to be installed - othervise, the system crashes. (http://support.asus.com/download/downloa...uage=en-us)

I was stupid enough to start my attempts by upgrading to the latest BIOS 1016. Does anybody know if this could be the reason for the problem? It sounds strange that you CANNOT install WinXP with BIOS 1012 or higher...

I am thinking of flashing the BIOS back to 1007 and giving it another try. Does anybody have suggestion for other ways to overcome this issue?

Regards,

Boris.

[Fernando]

I have:
ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe motherboard
1 WD Raptor HDD 36Gb
2 Seagate Barracuda 320Gb HDDs

The idea was to have WinXP on Raptor and RAID 0 on the two 320Gb HDDs.

Any attempts to get nVidia RAID drivers installed (diskette + F6 during setup; incorporation of the drivers by nLite) resulted in a smooth install of WinXP Pro and exactly the same endless reboots Gisborne has described above.

In perfect accordance with his story, omitting the RAID drivers during XP installation resulted in working OS, but no RAID disk (no surprise!).

Googling "ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe RAID" revealed an interesting feature:
the latest BIOS versions (1012-1017.beta) requiere nVidia chipset drivers to be installed - othervise, the system crashes. (http://support.asus.com/download/downloa...uage=en-us)
  
I was stupid enough to start my attempts by upgrading to the latest BIOS 1016. Does anybody know if this could be the reason for the problem? It sounds strange that you CANNOT install WinXP with BIOS 1012 or higher...

I am thinking of flashing the BIOS back to 1007 and giving it another try. Does anybody have suggestion for other ways to overcome this issue?

Hi Boris,
welcome to Vitali's Board!
I will try to help you.
Here are my suggestions:
1. When you want to install Windows XP onto a non-Raid hard disk drive (in your case the Raptor), you should neither integrate any nForce Raid drivers into a bootable XP CD nor hit F6 during Setup. After the complete XP installation you can install the nForce SataRaid drivers by hitting the SETUP.EXE of the nForce chipset driver package 6.85.
2. Before you are going to install the new 6.85 chipset drivers, you should reflash the old ASUS BIOS. I heard about the problems with a new ASUS BIOS and the instruction of ASUS to load the new chipset drivers before flashing a new BIOS version.

CU
Fernando

[Boris]

Hi Fernando,

Thanks for the reply!

I have actually got some progress - after flashing the BIOS to 1011 I sucessfully installed WinXP using the F6 and SataRaid drivers provided with the board.
But the success is only partial - although the system is up and running, I get error message from the nVidia Raid controller, and I cannot properly install the nVidia chipset drivers provided with the motherboard. Same story with the graphics card (nVidia Qadro FX540) - installation fails.

I thought that BIOS version 1011 might still be "too high" for the drivers provided. Brief inspection on asus.com nearly drove me mad, since for installation of BIOS 1013 or higher you need nVidia chipset 6.65 or higher installed, and for chipset 6.65 installation you need BIOS 1012, WHICH IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD. Jerks...

Anyway, it is 1.30 pm now, and I will keep trying tomorrow. Thanks for your advise - I think I will try this way too.

Regards,

Boris.

[Boris]

Just to avoid misunderstanding (I would like to avoid any unnecesary BIOS flashing):

Fernando, you suggest that I
1) install WinXP with no SataRaid drivers whatsoever on the non-raid Raptor
2) flash BIOS to the last stable version (1016)
3) install nVidia chipset drivers 6.85 (not 6.70? My board is A8N-SLI Deluxe) AFTER renewing the BIOS (contrary to what is recommended by ASUS!)

Do you mean that after installing the chipset drivers I will be able to see the RAID drive?

Thanks again for your help - I think it would be fare if ASUS pays you 5% from each A8N board sold!