Selecting the right SCSI Adapter - installing RAID drivers

[jfish1000]

So I just bought an ASUS P5B Deluxe motherboard and an Intel Core 2 Duo 64 bit processor.

I am trying to use the on board RAID. I apparently have to install the drivers during the installation of Windows XP.

I don't have a floppy disk, so I'm trying to slipstream the drivers onto the installation CD.

To do this, I am following these instructions:
http://www.maximumpc.com/2005/01/how_to_slipstre.html

However, I am getting stuck on selecting the right SCSI Adapter. These instructions indicate I have to make sure to select the right one during Windows install. The drivers I got on the Asus support CD, or that I get from Intel, do not include the SCSI Adapter that the Asus Support Manual says to use.

My Asus manual says to use:
Intel(R) 82801GH/GM SATA RAID Controller (Desktop ICH8R)

The adapters present in the .ini files in the drivers are:
"Intel(R) 82801FR SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801GR/GH SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801GHM SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) ICH8R/DO/DH SATA RAID Controller"

Intel's site says only these are compatible with the Intel Matrix Storage Manager software to control your RAID from windows:
"Note: Intel® RAID Technology requires the Intel® 82801HR I/O controller hub (ICH8R), Intel® 631xESB/632xESB I/O controller hub, Intel® 82801GR/GH I/O controller hub (ICH7R/DH), Intel® 82801FR I/O controller hub (ICH6R)."

So which one do I pick? Do I use GR/GH? Does it matter? I have no idea how to move forward.

As a second question, do I use the 64-bit drivers since my board and chip are 64bit, even though I will be using 32 bit Windows XP? Or should I use the 32 bit drivers?

 

[muckshifter]

32 bit OS = 32 bit drivers

As for the RAID setup ... borrow, beg or buy a Floppy drive ... 2min to fit ... shame XP has not kept up with the times.

 

[jfish1000]

Okay, cool on the 32bit driver, but, according to the installation instructions, I will still have to select a SCSI Adapter along the lines I've described above, whether or not I use a floppy or not, so the problem I pose will still be an issue either way. And I really don't want to get a floppy, I'd rather try the slipstream first, which re: the link I posted, should work.

question still remains, which SCSI adapter do I choose?

 

[muckshifter]

Okay, cool on the 32bit driver, but, according to the installation instructions, I will still have to select a SCSI Adapter along the lines I've described above, whether or not I use a floppy or not, so the problem I pose will still be an issue either way. And I really don't want to get a floppy, I'd rather try the slipstream first, which re: the link I posted, should work.

question still remains, which SCSI adapter do I choose?

Nope, using a floppy XP will pick the right one for you ... you just need to tap that F6 key when asked, nothing will happen at that time, but eventually the Xp will finish and all will be done.

You could just bung all the drivers you have on the slipstream CD, you never know, it just may work.


"The Floppy is Dead" ... err, not quite.

 

[jfish1000]

Well, according to Intel's website, it's gonna ask me which RAID controller I have (which SCSI Adapter to use). This is the answer I need, and I don't have. The one my motherboard manual says to use isn't there.

Take a look here under the F6 floppy install method:
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-021701.htm

F6 Installation Method

Perform the following steps to install the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager driver during operating system setup:

1. Press the F6 key when prompted in the status line with the Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver message. This message appears at the beginning of Windows* XP setup (during text-mode phase).
Note: Nothing will happen immediately after pressing F6. Setup will temporarily continue loading drivers. You will then be prompted with a screen asking you to load support for mass storage device(s).
2. Press the S key to Specify Additional Device.
3. You will be prompted to Please insert the disk labeled Manufacturer-supplied hardware support disk into Drive A: When prompted, insert the floppy disk containing the following files: IAAHCI.INF, IAAHCI.CAT, IASTOR.INF, IASTOR.CAT, IASTOR.SYS, and TXTSETUP.OEM and press the Enter key.
4. After pressing Enter, you should be presented with a list of available SCSI Adapters. Select your controller from the list. The up and down arrow keys can be used to scroll through the list as all controllers may not be visible. The list may include:
* Intel® 82801ER SATA RAID Controller
* Intel® 82801FR SATA RAID Controller
* Intel® 82801GR/GH SATA RAID Controller
* Intel® 82801GHM SATA RAID Controller
* Intel® 631xESB/632xESB SATA RAID Controller
* Intel® 82801R/DO/DH SATA RAID Controller
5. The next screen should confirm your selected controller. Press the Enter key again to continue.
6. At this point, you have successfully F6'ed in the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager driver and Windows setup should continue. Leave the floppy disk in the floppy drive until the system reboots. Windows setup will need to copy the files from the floppy again to the Windows installation folders. Once Windows setup has copied these files again, you should then remove the floppy diskette so that Windows setup can reboot as needed.
7. During Windows setup, create a partition and file system on the RAID volume as you would on any physical disk.

 

[muckshifter]

Sorry, best you ask Inhell what they gonna do ... or better still, ask whoever built the PC, they supplied you with a raid MB, but don't tell you what controller they fitted that needs a floppy drive and wish to use RAID

Why not just copy all the drivers to your slipstream CD, and just try it, you ain't gonna kill anything ... even Win ME was intelligent enough not to load the wrong drivers.

 

[jfish1000]

re: Intel, here's the one I should be selecting:

Intel(R) ICH8R/DO/DH SATA RAID Controller

I think this matches the southbridge chipset on my board.

and they confirm the 32bits are the drivers i want.

however, the slipstream instructions to install from CD didn't work - when I got to the choos partition screen, it informed it didn't see any of the SATA RAID drives on my system.

Had to order a new floppy drive on ebay for 15 bucks. unbelievable.

Tried installing using the floppy and the slilpstreamed XP disc, and it confirmed it already had the driver I was trying to add with the floppy, I told it to use the one on the floppy anyway, and it gave me a unique blue screen of death later on in the process before reaching the choose partition screen!

Perhaps loading all those drivers in slipstream doesn't work - you do have to choose the right one...dunno.

Anyway, tried it on my regular XP install disk, using the F6 floppy, and it worked, but in fact I *did* have to select the correct driver from a list of options.

Then got to choose partition, and windows could this time see all my SATA drives, the RAID 0 and the RAID 1 partitions. Selected the RAID 0 for performance on the OS, and voila.

Thanks for your help...a bummer the slipstream didn't work. Hopefully VISTA will come with all this crap natively. It's so funny using a 1.44MB floppy disk and drive! I can place a tiny 2cmx2cm SD 1GB disk in my mobile phone or camera!

 

[muckshifter]

Well thanks for the update

... you was robbed on the price of the Floppy drive.


This was a great little program ...
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562
... alas, it has gone by the wayside, shame.

Never mind ... Vista will bring its own headaches.