Hi Fernando,
I’m actually using this motherboard as a small iSCSI target for a VMware infrastructure, and wanted to keep the OS drive (IDE) totally seperate from the iSCSI volume (RAID0 on the SSDs).
I could live without RAID0 through the MediaShield, but I’d end up with two 128GB volumes instead of one 256GB volume.
Of course, I could use Windows software RAID and have a dynamic volume striped across both disks, but I was worried that it could use a lot more CPU than the “hardware” RAID on the motherboard.
Now if, from your experience, the Mediaquest RAID 0 is no faster / consumes no less CPU than a OS-based RAID via dynamic disks, then I can abandon the nVidia RAID feature and just use the Windows one.
@ Unholy:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
No, the "Special nForce2-4 LEGACY Driverpacks", which I am offering for Win7Vista, do not contain any Gart driver, because NVIDIA has never published any Gart driver for Vista, Win7 and Win8.
These are the options for you:
- a) Try to manually install the NVIDIA nForce Gart driver, which has been designed for XP, from within the Device Manager (the installation has to be forced by hitting the "Have Disk" button). You can find my "Special nForce LEGACY Remix Driverpacks for XP 32bit/64bit" within the start post of >this< thread.
- b) Try a NVIDIA AGP graphics card (I have read somewhere, that they may work without a Gart driver).
- c) buy a newer motherboard without a NVIDIA nForce chipset.
Regards
Fernando
@ tfboy:
It seems to me, that the OS is not able to see your nForce RAID array, because it may have installed the wrong SATA driver (the generic MS IDE driver instead of the NVIDIA nForce SATA one.
Please check the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section of the Device Manager for a device named "Standard PCI IDE Controller" or similar. Then do a right click onto it and look for the "Drivers" and "Driver Details". What do you see there?
There are two "Standard Dual Channel PCE IDE Controller" entries, but I’m pretty sure they’re for the IDE controller my Maxtor OS boot drive is hanging off. The driver is the Microsoft one dating to 21/06/2006 version 6.1.7601.17514.
There are also four other entries for the ATA Channels: two for "ATA Channel 0" and two for "ATA Chanel 1" (one for Ultra DMA 6 and one for Ultra DMA 5).
The NVIDIA nForce RAID Controller is dated 06/08/2010 and is driver version 10.6.0.19.
Ignore the StarPort entry, that’s for the iSCSI stuff.
Any further ideas?
Thanks 
Please check the HardwareIDs of both listed "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controllers" (right click onto it > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs".
I suspect, that one of them is the NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller.
Please check the HardwareIDs of both listed "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controllers" (right click onto it > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs".
I suspect, that one of them is the NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller.
Your hunch was right
Although the first time, I did it the wrong way round and of course everything was fine until I rebooted when I would systematically get a BSOD. Rebooted in last known good config and did the other and it’s now OK.
It did strike me strange how it was picked up as UDMA-5 and UDMA-6 when the Maxtor drive runs at UDMA-6 speeds. Went into the BIOS and noticed that the SSDs were picked up as UDMA-5 devices, so that confirmed the tieing up with the driver.
I now need to do some testing to see if performance using the nVidia RAID is better than a Windows striped dynamic volume: initial testing on the nVidia one shows relatively high CPU usage, so might not be worth it after all.
In the meantime, a bit thank you and a virtual coffee is on its way to you.
Danke!
Hello world
I Need help
i have a Tyan Thunder K8WE (S2895) motherboard (see here http://www.tyan.com/product_board_spec.aspx?pid=151)
with nforce 2200 pro and nforce 2050 (CK08-04)
there’s no option AHCI in the bios
I have install seven x64 ultimate,the first time microsoft install me a nforce 4 driver but after one or two minute i have a bsod 0x000007B error after several try with different driver (BSOD 
) i finally i’ve put this vista nforce driver x64 (ftp://12.230.196.227/joel_drivers/Tyan%2…sta_64.zip)then my computer work but there’s no audio ac97 (i use the graphic card instead)
My question is that the good one for me
64bit Special nForce3-4 LEGACY Driverpack v9.0 for Vista/Win7 x64 and if yes can i update my driver witout data loss under seven
thank to reply
@ webmat:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
You will find suitable driverpacks within the start post of >this< thread.
These are the options for your hardware configuration:
- a) 64bit nForce4 WHQL Driverpack v9.0 for Vista/Win7 x64 (with Realtek Audio AC’97 driver)
- b) 64bit non-AHCI nForce Performance Pack v9.0 for Vista/Win7 x64
- c) 64bit Special nForce3-4 LEGACY Driverpack v9.0 for Vista/Win7 x64 (with Realtek Audio AC’97 driver)
If I were you, I would prefer the first package, because all drivers are WHQL certified.
Before you are going to install any new NVIDIA nForce Chipset Driver Set, you should uninstall the previously used one. This is very important regarding the NVIDIA nForce Ethernet driver.
There is no risk to loose data by changing the nForce chipset drivers, but there is a risk to be unable to boot into the OS, if it has been installed onto an nForce4 RAID array and you do not pay attention.
If you should have created a NVIDIA nForce RAID array, you should make sure from within the Device Manager (hit "View"and choose "Show hidden Devices"), that all NVIDIA nForce related SATA and RAID devices and drivers have been properly installed, before you are going to reboot. If you are not familiar with that procedure, please ask me.
Regards
Fernando
ok i’ll try thanks for reply i’ll try the solution a instead of the non-ahci.As i had a on ahci legacy moterboard thinked that it was the good one.
that damn computer…i hope that’s good this time
best regards
so i’ve updated the drivers without any troubles.i ve uninstall the nvidia vista drivers from the manager because there was no entry in add remove program i have delete everything called nforce or umbus/smbus and reboot.When i started to install the optimized driver there was no choice to check the ac97 driver so i’ve done the install of nforce compements reboot and then install the realteck manualy with the device manager because there was no setup exe in the ac97 directory reboot again an test nothing sound out even if the driver seems to be well installed.i have check the parameters ,my sound is on no mic no line actived and 100% vol and i have tested with different speakers. there’s also a numeric ouptut but doesn’t work too (may be defective material) so i prepare a usb linux boot drive to test that.So thanks for the drivers and the advise i return to my fight… damned computer…if it work on linux i certainly try the standalone driver realteck you’ll publish in the non-ahci part
That is fine.
Yes, the NVIDIA installer software doesn’t include the Realtek driver installation. I just have added this third party Realtek driver to the package, because the nForce3/4 chipset mainboards need this special AC’97 Codec driver.
If you should still see 1 or 2 devices with yellow marks within the Device Manager, you should enter the BIOS and disable the NVIDIA Game and Midi ports. Both are not supported at all by Windows 7.
Hello
First of all thanks for any help you can provide
I am trying to set up a raid 5 NAS with things I have laying around:
MOBO abit an-am2hd (nForce 630a)
1 IDE HD just for windows 7 x64 installation (already installed and running)
4 sata drives on ports 0 1 2 3 just for data as RAID 5
I am able to add the sata drives to the array on the bios (F10) at boot up (required prior setting BIOS SATA mode as RAID).
I have installed the latest NVIDIA drivers from NVIDIA website with no luck. Uninstalled everything.
Then I installed (manually, have disk…) the pack Special MCP65-67 from this site. I can see on the device manager 2 NVIDIA storage controllers: nForce RAID and nForce Serial ATA, all showing driver version 10.3.0.46. Double clicking on the Serial ATA one actually shows a properties window with one tab per SATA port, where it looks all the HD drives are being detected and recognized by model number.
But that’s it: No HD drives / array visible in Windows disks management, nothing. I tried running the .BAT file inside the raidtool cab that comes with the Special MCP65-67 package and then tried to launch the nvCplUI.exe, which I was expecting would open the NVIDIA control panel. But it does not open anything. By the way there is no NVIDIA control panel icon inside Windows Control Panel.
So I am stuck. What do I need to do so that I can use my RAID 5?
Thank you!!
Pedro
@ Pedro:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
I suspect, that the OS has not installed the required nForce SATA and RAID drivers for all NVIDIA nForce SATA and RAID devices.
This is what I recommend to do:
- Open the "Device Manager", select "View" and check the "Show hidden devices" option.
- Open the "Storage Controllers" section and update - one after the other - ALL listed "NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller", "NVIDIA RAID Controller" devices and ALL listed devices named "NVIDIA RAID DEVICE" by loading the SATARAID driver folder of your prepared "Special MCP65-67 nForce Driverpack for Win7Vista 64bit v9.0". DO NOT REBOOT!
- Check the driver version of all previous mentioned devices to verify, that all of them are using the same nForce SATA/RAID driver version.
NOW YOU CAN REBOOT.
I hope, that you will succeed this way.
Regards
Fernando
Thank you - I think I made some progress: I installed the following form NVIDIA site:
nForce 15.24 for Vista x64 - I read on some forum that some guy with my same mobo managed to make it work.
Now I have a new problem: Nvidia control panel has the storage section showing my drives and I can create the array (RAID 5) BUT the drives are only being recognized as 1.64TB each while they are supposed to be 4 TB each!!!
I thought my Win 7 was able to use >2TB drives. Also, in the RAID BIOS (F10…) the drives show as 4TB each!!!
Any ideas what I could do?
Thanks for your help
Pedro
Win7 is able to recognize >2 TB sized volumes, but obviously not the NVIDIA nForce RAID Controller of your mainboard.
The only thing which may help is an update of the NVIDIA MediaShield RAID ROM, which is within your mainboard BIOS.
At first step you should check the currently active RAID ROM version. Depending on the BIOS type (AMI or Award/Phoenix) of your mainboard , you can find an appropriate guide >here< or >here<.
Hi Fernando. I signed up because reading your thread is very helpful. I dont know if I skipped over it but I am having a problem.
I have an nvidia nforce 650i ultra lga 775 socket board. I just updated to windows 7 and tried to upgrade my video car to an nvidia 760gtx. I keep geeting error 12 saying there isnt enough resources to work. Though the basic video shows up. I cant update or install my gpu because I get an I stall error saying there is no nvidia gefore card to install. I havent updated my bios because everyone tells me that an actual "nvidia manufacturered board exists, therefore no driver updates. Can you help me find a bios update before I return this card?
@ magrant:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
I don’t believe, that your video card needs a new BIOS or has to be changed.
According to >this< site the problem may be caused by a wrong PCI Express filter driver, which can be found within the "System Devices" section of the Device Manager.
Good luck!
Fernando
Thank you for the warm welcome and the helpful information. I will see if those instructions will solve my problem and I will get back to you with my results.
im still a little stumped about this. Its weird that windows 7 would install an amd pci device filter when the previous vudeo card nvidia 650gtx was installed when I was installing the new operating system. I never got that confirmation that my video drivers were installed. When I swapped in the 760gtx. It works. But just basic, no drivers can install and I get the error. I removed the 760gtx and reinstall the 650gtx, then that one installs with no problem. When I opened the box. It says to make sure the bios on your motherboard is up to date to get the full experience. But yeah… thats very hard to do. So looking forward to changing the filter settings.
Hello guys and Hello Fernando
first of all thanks for a very complete guide for this whole nforce drivers topic
I have a Compaq Presario F754LA with a NVIDIA nForce 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet and it has never worked, only a few times but they’re very isolated cases, it always says “No Network Access” even connecting it directly to another computer.
When i go through its specifications on the device manager and get the hardware ids and get such info on PCIdatabase.com it shows me this:
Device Id Chip Description Vendor Id Vendor Name
0x054c MCP67 Ethernet Vista 0x10DE NVIDIA
so I installed the x64 version on this
3. "Special MCP65-67 nForce Driverpacks for Vista/Win7"
but it still shows "No Network Access"
I have windows 7 x64
I don’t know if AHCI is activated and I think it’s not, cuz I’ve tried to get this info on the BIOS menu but there was no such option available, and my BIOS is updated according to HP.
any extra info just ask me, and thanks in advance for all the help =D
@ LuisStupignan:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
Please post the exact DeviceID (DEV_XXXX) of your Ethernet Controller.
Question: Have you uninstalled the previously running Ethernet driver before you installed the "64bit Special MCP65-67 nForce Driverpack for Vista/Win7"?
Regards
Fernando
Thanks for the answer Fernando
No, I didn’t uninstall the previous drivers, so there’s that =/
under Matching Device Id it says
pci\ven_10de&dev_054c
under Hardware IDs
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_054C&SUBSYS_30EA103C&REV_A2
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_054C&SUBSYS_30EA103C
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_054C&CC_020000
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_054C&CC_0200
thanks a lot.