nForce IDE drivers 10.3.50.8 WHQL/mod for Vista 32/64bit

[Drago]

[Fernando 1]

@ Drago:

I just booted off the Vista x64 DVD with integrated SP1 and was able to load unsigned Intel textmode drivers (my recently "modded" version).
So there is obviously no problem to get unsigned drivers installed onto Vista SP1 from scratch, but users with an nForce4 RAID system cannot use the ablity, when the "Load Driver" button is greyed out or the list with the compatible devices is blank.
Some Vista Beta and RC versions had the same problem and we solved it by running the Patch CD.

It would be a great step for all NF4 RAID users, if you would be able to load the "modded" nForce IDE drivers after having run the Patch CD.

Here is the way to use it:

1. Boot off the prepared Emergency CD.
   
2. When prompted, remove the CD, insert the Vista DVD and press a key.
   The computer will now boot Vista Setup from DVD with legacy SATA Controller support. The RAID and its partitions should already been detected (you don't need to load any special drivers).
   
3. Now you have the opportunity to load actual nForce IDE drivers (SATARAID first, then SATA_IDE)
   
4. Choose the partition where you want to get Vista installed.
   
5. Attention: When Vista Setup is going to reboot the first time, you need to use the same trick again (otherwise you will get a BSOD): Remove the Vista DVD, insert the Emergency CD, then boot. When prompted, remove the CD, reinsert the Vista DVD and press a key.
   
6. The Vista installation hopefully will finalize without any problem.

[Drago]

Oh dear... then maybe my posting was quite useless, because of a f***** up installation DVD (to be honest: I never had any original Vista DVD with integrated service pack 1): I bought Vista x64 (and surely got that original DVD and license), but used an integrated version of SP1 from the web to install... maybe I should download the service pack and make an integrated version by my own (using vlite)?

That also wouldn't be the best way... it's so sad that MS has removed the ability to slipstream service packs.

Have you got a german or english version of Vista x64 with SP1? I used an english version to verify it...

Regarding the emergency disc: It works also fine using Vista x64 SP1.

[Fernando 1]

[Drago]

[Fernando 1]

@ Drago:

Contrary to you I don't believe, that your Vista startup problems regarding the load of unsigned drivers have something to do with the Vista SP1 DVD you are using (unless the OS has already been deeply modified).
I suspect the LEGACY mode nForce4 RAID system and the missing fully compatible in-box drivers as being responsable for this issue.

What I still don't understand is the following:
On the one hand you wrote, that during Vista Setup you get a blank window at the point where normally users have the option to load separate textmode drivers and that it is impossible for you to load any of them.
On the other hand you had written, that you were able to get Vista SP1 installed by loasding the 9.98 IDE drivers.
One of both versions must be wrong.

Questions for clarifying this:

1. When you wrote about a blank window and the impossibility to load any driver, did you mean, that no hardware device was shown as being compatible whatever (unsigned) driver you loaded?
   That would make sense.
   
2. What happens, if you load the Emergency CD?
   Is your RAID detected? Can you load any signed drivers? What happens, if you are loading the modded nForce IDE drivers v9.99.09 (first SATARAID, then SATA_IDE)?

[Drago]

[Fernando 1]

@ Drago:

Thanks for your detailed reply.

Little side-note: The window you get after having tried to load any driver, doesn't show any driver, but the compatible hardware devices (Controllers etc.).

Furthermore I am not sure anymore, that the Intel textmode driver I tried to load for my Intel RAID system really had lost its WHQL stamp by my previous modification.
Reason: I only had modified the TXTSETUP.OEM (which is not used by Vista) and the INF file of the Intel S-ATA driver, which is needed for the SATA AHCI Controller, whereas the INF file for the RAID driver has not been modified at all.
After having loaded the modified driver, Vista has shown the "Intel(R) ICH9R SATA RAID Controller" as compatible device, which is just managed by the - maybe "untouched" - Intel RAID driver.
This might be an explanation for the different behaviour of our Vista SP1 DVD's.
I will test it once more with a fully "modded" driver and will let you know the result.

UPDATE 1:
It happened, what I already had expected:
After having modified the INF file of the Intel RAID driver, I got a blank window. Now Vista SP1 Setup couldn't find any compatible device (=Controller).
Then I tried to disable the driver integrity check by hitting F8 and choosing the option "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement".
Result: No change, no hardware device has been detected by Vista SP1 Setup.

Conclusion:
1. Drago's DVD is ok.
2. Drago was right. It obviously is not possible to load any modified textmode drivers at the beginning of the Vista SP1 installation by booting off DVD. The behaviour of Vista SP1 regarding unsigned textmode drivers might be different if started from within XP (for Vista x86) or XP x64 (for Vista x64).

@ Drago:

I'm sorry about the confusion because of my first test results.
Nevertheless we have learned something: The WHQL stamp is not broken by each INF file modification.

Update 2:
Because of Drago's report, which now has been certified, I have just updated my "sticky" Vista installation guide for nForce RAID users.

[Drago]

Altough this is bad news for us all I am quite happy that my Vista x64 SP1 DVD is indeed working as it should.

Furthermore it is good that I haven't wasted your time and that my report maybe will help a few other users with this... strange issue.
I am really shocked, that it isn't related to nVidia drivers but to all available unsigned drivers.

Maybe the following KB of Microsoft is responsable for this behavior: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/932596.mspx If I am right, then only x64 operating systems could or would suffer this problem (not x32 SP1 DVDs).

Side note: With KB932596 Microsoft decided to disallow any whql drivers from being loaded using the (until then working) switch DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS. After that on x64 systems with KB932596 it was and is (still) only possible to load unsigned drivers using the "disable driver signature enforcement" option in the F8 boot options screen.

So MS really has forgotten the DVD... and this is clearly a bug, which came (most likely) with KB932596. Because using the option "disable driver signature enforcement" should allow unsigned drivers even on the dvd.

Thanks Fernando and again sorry for this misunderstanding the whole time.

[Fernando 1]

@ Drago:

Thanks for your additional comment. I totally agree with you.


@ all:

NVIDIA and Micriosoft had already forgotten the owners of LEGACY mode nForce2-4 RAID systems, when they published Vista RTM, but since the release of the Service Pack it's even worse.

What all nForce chipset mainboard users need are good WHQL signed nForce IDE drivers, which are compatible with all NF4-7 chipsets (and - if possible - with NF2-3 too). It wouldn't be that difficult: The IDE drivers v9.99.09 are fine, NVIDIA has just to add the HardwareID's (for example by copying the content of my "modded" INF files ) und to let MS give their WHQL stamp.

CU
Fernando