Vista & nVRaid - Installation Guide

[Fernando 1]

@ Calab:
Welcome at nForcersHQ Forum!

I doubt, that you really followed my instructions and that your problems were caused by my guide.
You forgot to mention the Vista version (32/64bit) you are running and the details about what you have done.
Further questions:
1. Are you sure, that the NVIDIA nForce RAID Controllers of your mainboard do support RAID5 arrays at all?
2. Was it a fresh OS installation? If yes, which nForce SATA and RAID drivers did you load during the Setup?

My current device mangler looks like this:

The main issue is the fact, that no NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller has been installed. That is the reason why your OS doesn't see your nForce SataRAID arrays.
Other question:
How did you get the "DELL PERC 5/i integrated RAID Controller" and the "MagicISO SCSI Host Controller" installed?

One of my issues is that I ran the included registry cleaner:

This is no problem, if you have followed my guide.

Is there any way to get back to the default Windows drivers?

The default Windows drivers are still present within the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS directory.

Regards
Fernando

[Calab]

I doubt, that you really followed my instructions and that your problems were caused by my guide.

I did follow your guide. It was pretty straightforward. There was only one point that I found vague, and it was in the optional registry cleaner that was included by you, but from someone else:

Code: Select all

2. Look into the Device Manager (>"View">"Show hidden devices") and make sure, that the drivers of all listed NVIDIA nForce S-ATA and RAID devices really have been successfully updated (especially drivers with customized INF files might not be updated by the installer).

...just what do you look for to verify that all was successful?

You forgot to mention the Vista version (32/64bit) you are running and the details about what you have done.
Further questions:
1. Are you sure, that the NVIDIA nForce RAID Controllers of your mainboard do support RAID5 arrays at all?
2. Was it a fresh OS installation? If yes, which nForce SATA and RAID drivers did you load during the Setup?

I didn't mention my version of Vista because this is a Windows 7 guide that I'm following. The file I unzipped was named "Fernandos_Vista_Win7_64bit_Actual_NF4-7_Driverpack_v7.2"

Up until I did a clean install of Windows 7 a few days ago, I was using the nvidia RAID5 array under Windows Server 2003 without any problems.

Windows 7 64bit was done on a clean hard drive just a few days ago. Windows updates applied. Then I tried installing your drivers.

Your guide did not create the mess that was in my screenshot eailier. That was from me trying to undo the installation done by your guide.

Calab wrote:
My current device mangler looks like this:

I was able to get my device mangler cleaned up. I ended up using the nVidia legacy VISTA drivers from the nVidia website. The SATA controller driver that is working is 10.3.0.42, for example.

Unfortunately, I don't see a single drive for my RAID5 array. I see three individual 1TB drives. The BIOS does show a valid RAID5 array though. Also, there is no nVidia RAID tool installed either.

The main issue is the fact, that no NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller has been installed. That is the reason why your OS doesn't see your nForce SataRAID arrays.

That's why I think the reegistry cleaner is involved. Windows isn't trying to install the default drive any more.

Other question:
How did you get the "DELL PERC 5/i integrated RAID Controller" and the "MagicISO SCSI Host Controller" installed?

The PERC driver is the Windows 7 driver from Windows Update. MagicISO was a simple download and install from the web. Nothing special there.

The PERC has seven 500GB drives attached into a singlele RAID 5 array. Other than having LOTS of problems with bad Seagate drives, it's working fine.

One of my issues is that I ran the included registry cleaner:This is no problem, if you have followed my guide.

I didn't know what a successful attempt would look like, and assumed that it was fine. My fault for moving too fast, I know.

Anyhow, at this point, the device manager "looks" normal, but I still have a few issues/questions...

- RAID is enabled on all four SATA ports in the BIOS. RAID BIOS shows two arrays - a three drive 1.8TB RAID 5 array (three 1TB drives), and a single drive 1.8TB JBOD array (2TB drive).
- Device manager shows "NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller" twice under IDE/ATA controllers.
- Device manager shows "NVIDIA nForce RAID controller" under Storage Controllers.
- Device manager shows my array drives as individual drives under Disk Drives.
- Disk Manager shows the 1TB drives as individual drives instead of a single large drive.
- No nV RAID tool has been installed.
- How do I get Windows to see the array and how do I install the NVIDIA RAID tool?

[Calab]

...delete. Duplicate.

[Calab]

... one thing I forgot to mention.

Originally, one of the SATA ports did NOT have RAID enabled. It was for my single 2TB drive. This worked under Window 2003 Server, but seemed to interfere with the RAID detection under Windows 7. I faintly recall having issues tried to get it working before, but don't remember the details.

Anyhow, it wasn't until after I ended up with a mangled device manager that I realized how the BIOS was set up and enabled RAID on that final port.... Hence the 1.8TB JBOD array I now have.

EDIT...

It looks like the "fix" was using Windows Update drivers and NOT the Legacy drivers from nVidia. I tried disabling RAID and then reloading drivers, enabling RAID and creating new arrays. None of the drivers I downloaded would successfully start for the SATA controllers. If Iet the driver update search online, I get all my working controllers back.

[Fernando 1]

I did follow your guide. It was pretty straightforward. There was only one point that I found vague, and it was in the optional registry cleaner that was included by you, but from someone else:

Code: Select all

2. Look into the Device Manager (>"View">"Show hidden devices") and make sure, that the drivers of all listed NVIDIA nForce S-ATA and RAID devices really have been successfully updated (especially drivers with customized INF files might not be updated by the installer).

...just what do you look for to verify that all was successful?

The installation has been successful, if
a) you see no yellow marks within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" and "Storage Controllers" sections of the Device Manager and
b) all NVIDIA nForce SATA and RAID devices are definitively using the loaded driver version (right click onto the device > "Properties" > "Driver" > "Driver Details")

I didn't mention my version of Vista because this is a Windows 7 guide that I'm following. The file I unzipped was named "Fernandos_Vista_Win7_64bit_Actual_NF4-7_Driverpack_v7.2"

This verifies, that you didnt follow my guides. Where did you get the recommendation to take this driverpack? , which doesn't work at all with nForce4 chipsets?

- How do I get Windows to see the array and how do I install the NVIDIA RAID tool?

Windows is only able to see any NVIDIA SATARAID array, if the suitable "NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller" has been properly installed. No "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller" is able manage a SATA Controller, which is running in RAID Mode.
Regarding the installation of the NVIDIA RAIDTOOL (= MediaShield) application you should just look into the start post of this thread (you will find the instruction within Annex II).

[Calab]

didn't mention my version of Vista because this is a Windows 7 guide that I'm following. The file I unzipped was named "Fernandos_Vista_Win7_64bit_Actual_NF4-7_Driverpack_v7.2"

This verifies, that you didnt follow my guides. Where did you get the recommendation to take this driverpack? , which doesn't work at all with nForce4 chipsets?

Huh? The file name has "NF4-7" right in the title... as well as Win7 and 64bit... How could that file NOT support nForce4 chipsets on 64bit Windows 7?

I started at this thread: http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/windows-7-nvraid-installation-guide-t72447.html ... which brought me to the current thread.

Anyhow... What driver pack should I be looking for?

Thanks

[Fernando 1]

Huh? The file name has "NF4-7" right in the title... as well as Win7 and 64bit... How could that file NOT support nForce4 chipsets on 64bit Windows 7?

"NF4-7" within the title of my driverpacks means, that the included drivers have been customized by me for being usable with nearly all nForce 4xx, nForce 5xx, nForce 6xx and nForce 7xx series chipsets, but does not mean, that they really do work with all of them.
This is what I have written within the first post of >this< thead, where you got the download link, about the compatibility of the "NF4-7 Actual Driverpacks":

Compatibility:
The drivers of these actual Driverpacks have been customized by me to make them usable with all NF4-7 chipsets. Nevertheless the included nForce IDE drivers will not work with nForce4 AMD/Intel systems.
Note: Only users with an nForce4 AMD/Intel or similar chipset are affected by this issue, the nForce IDE drivers v11.1.0.33 of my Actual Driverpacks will work fine with nForce 430/410/405/400 chipsets! This issue has nothing to do with my work, but with the structure of the new nForce IDE drivers v10.x.x.xx and v11.x.x.xx series, which obviously are not compatible with nForce4 (AMD/Intel) systems. Affected users should take the modded "NF4-7 Performance Pack" or the "Special NF4 RAID WHQL Driverpack" (for nForce4 RAID users, who are planning a fresh install of Vista/Win7).

Now to your other question:

Anyhow... What driver pack should I be looking for?

See above.
My advice: You should read more carefully all informations I gave within the start post of the related threads.

Regards
Fernando

[Calab]

My advice: You should read more carefully all informations I gave within the start post of the related threads.

In other words, you don't know.

v9.8 and v9.9 drivers will not install. They report that they are not for my system.

v10+ install, but give me a yellow exclamation point. Obviously they do not work.

[Fernando 1]

My advice: You should read more carefully all informations I gave within the start post of the related threads.

In other words, you don't know.

That is your interpretation.
I gave you the advice, because you obviously didn't read the start posts of my "sticky" threads carefully before you started your nForce SataRAID driver installation experiments.

v9.8 and v9.9 drivers will not install.

There are no NVIDIA nForce IDE drivers v9.9 available. Please try to give us exact informations.
Where did you get these drivers from? For which OS are they designed? How did you try to install them?

They report that they are not for my system.

This message may be caused by your previous driver installation experiments.

This is what I recommend for you:

1. Do a backup of your important files.
2. Unplug your internet connection and all hdd's except the ones, which are parts of the NVIDIA nForce RAID array where you want to get Windows 7 x64 installed.
3. Reinstall Win7 x64 onto the RAID array by following my guide.
4. At the point, where Windows Setup sees your RAID and the previously installed OS, do a quick format of this partition.
5. Once the OS is up, you can reconnect all other hdd's and their RAID arrays.
6. If the Win7 x64 Explorer doesn't see the other RAID arrays, you should run the Device Manager, open the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section and search for the "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controllers", which are currently managing the hdd's of the not detected RAID arrays.
7. Do a right click onto the related "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controllers" one after the other, choose the "Update Driver Software" option and load the appropriate Vista x64 nForce SATA driver from the suitable SATA_IDE driver folder.
8. After having completed the replacements of all wrongly listed "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controllers" by the compatible "NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controllers", you can reboot.
9. Before you reinsert your internet connection cable, you should disable the automatic Windows Update option.
10. Do not download and install any nForce SATA or RAID driver, which is and will be offered by Windows Update.

[Calab]

I was able to clean everything up and get it all working last night.

Windows refused to simply install these drivers doing a driver update from the device manager and these drivers did not come with any Setup software or RAID tool, etc.

The version 11.1.0.33 drivers that are in the v7.2 driver pack do not work on the NF4 chipset (no idea why NF4 is mentioned in the title) but include the setup software.

What finally worked for me was to replace the 11.1.0.33 drivers with the 9.99.0.0 drivers in the setup package:
- download "Fernandos_Vista_Win7_64bit_Actual_NF4-7_Driverpack_v7.2.rar".
- Unpack the download
- download "nForce_IDE_998_WHQL_for_Vista_64bit_packed_by_Fernando.zip"
- Unpack the second download
- Copy the contents of the second download over top of the corresponding folders in the first download.
- Ran the Setup that was included in the first download.

So, right now driver version on all controllers is 9.99.0.9.

The nVidia control panel reports versions as follows:
NvRaidServer.dll 11.1.0.30
nvraidservice.exe 11.1.0.30

I'm not happy about the "hacked in" nvRaid tool software, but at least it works.



And for anyone wanting to know about the machine. It's our media player/file server for the rest of the PC's in the house.

- DFI LanParty nf4 Ultra-D mainboard
- Opteron 165 dual core 64 bit CPU
- 3gig memory
- Perc 5/i eight port SATA RAID controller
- 1gig Radeon 5750 video card
- Seven 500gig SATA drives, connected to the Perc in a RAID5 array (#8 is out for RMA - DO NOT BUY SEAGATE DRIVES!)
- Three 1gig SATA drives, connected to the nVRaid in a RAID5 array
- One 2gig SATA drive, connected to the remaining nV SATA port
- One 500gig PATA drive running the OS
- AOpen DUW1616 PATA DVDRW drive