…"The Win7 x64 Setup will not detect your nForce4 RAID array unless you have loaded the nForce SATA_IDE driver v9.98 WHQL. The needed driver folder is attached.
Once the OS is up and running, you can install the “Performance Driverpack”."
Thanks again for your promptitude!
I will install “Non-AHCI nForce Performance Packs for Vista/Win7”.
About detecting the raid array by win7 x64 I successfully solved the problem because I already gave a try with 2 SSDs, and now I will try with 3.
So, I was desperate few weeks ago because I haven’t discover yet your site and no one could give me an answer about RAID array under Windows7 x64. After many reasearches I discovered “the hidden” old DFI support site and I tryed ALL the RAID drivers from there. Guess what? Finally it worked with the RAID driver for Vista x64!!! If you want I can post it here - just ask.
I have no ideea what is an SATA IDE driver. I have no ideea what is IDE mode in BIOS or how to access it. Could you please give me some details about this IDE thing and how could I boost (as much as possible in the given conditions of very old motherboard) the performance?
Here are the answers to your 3 questions:
- The SATA_IDE driver folder is part of nearly all nForce chipset driverpacks and contains the nForce SATA driver and its related INF file, which manages the installation of the driver.
Let me explain: NVIDIA nForce chipset RAID systems need at least 2 storage drivers for the creation of a RAID array: a) the nForce SATA and b) the nForce RAID driver. LEGACY mode nForce chipsets (with the option to support P-ATA-RAID and S-ATA-RAID simultaneously) cannot use the nForce SATA driver, which is within the SATARAID folder of the chipset driverpacks, because the needed INF file for SATA drivers is missing there. For a proper installation of the nForce S-ATA driver the SATA_IDE driver folder is absolutely required. The SATA_IDE driver folder contains just the nForce SATA driver and the related INF file.
Windows 7 has usable nForce SATA and RAID drivers on board, but the OS-own nForce SATA driver cannot be used, because the related INF file is missing. That is why you have to load the SATA_IDE driver folder, which contains the required INF file to get the absolutely needed nForce SATA driver installed. An additional loading of the SATARAID driver folder is not required, because Win7 Setup will take the on-board nForce RAID driver. - The NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controllers of nForce4 chipset mainboards can either been set to IDE or to RAID mode. As long as the NVIDIA nForce SATA Controller is running in "IDE mode", you can either use the generic MS IDE driver named PCIIDE.SYS or the suitable NVIDIA nForce SATA driver, but if you have set the Controller to "RAID mode", the installation of the NVIDIA nForce SATA driver is a must-have!
- The performance of SSDs is very limited, when they are working within a NVIDIA nForce chipset system. If you want to go to the speed limits of the SSDs, you should buy a mainboard with another chipset (best choice is Intel).
Thanks for details, but now I am even more confused because you just said I had to install that SATA IDE driver, but my clean install of win7 x64 on an array formed by 2 SSDs Samsung Evo 1TB worked perfectly with a driver takken from here:
http://www.dfi.com/DFI-Lanparty/support/…riveritemId=463
What was usefull from there is in the middle of the page (more or less) in the section RAID DRIVER and has the following description:
Revision: 001
Description: Nforce 4 RAID Driver for Windows Vista 64bit.
File: NF4_RAID_VistaX64.zip
Size: 198 KB
OS:
Maybe that driver contains what you were talking about also? From what I remember, when I opened the driver with LOAD command during of the install of win7 x64 there were two lines and i selected both to install…
Do you think your driver will insure a better performance?
May I dare to ask you for help for an overclocking procedure also?
I get an error message, when I try to join the site.
Yes, I am nearly sure, that your used driverpack contained exactly the same nForce SATA driver v9.98 WHQL, but you obviously loaded additionally the RAID driver from the SATARAID folder.
Please read, what I have written >here<.
As long as I had my DFI NF4 Lanparty Ultra-D board configured as RAID0 system, I have never tried overclocking. RAID systems are very sensitive regarding OCing.
Try the next link to the general download page:
http://www.dfi.com/DFI-Lanparty/
but you have to choose the model of the motherboard.
Few more questions if I may:
1. I saw a big difference between nF4 WHQL driver pack (28,1 MB) and the non-AHCI performance pack (19,7 MB). Is there something on the first one which is not on the other ( I mean should I install only the non-AHCI performance or should I install both - WHQL firstly)?
2. The driver pack will install everithing automaticly or is there something to install manually also?
Thanks again and I promiss to stop bother you (at least for today) . 
It may be a good idea to download them both, because both of them contain different driver versions, which are usable with your nForce4 system. Nevertheless you should only run the installer of one of the driverpacks (my recommendation was to install the Performance Pack). The other package may help you to have alternative drivers, which can be manually installed once the OS is up and running (for example the missing Audio driver).
The size difference between both driverpacks is caused by the Realtek AC’97 Codec Audio Driver v63.05 WHQL, which I have put additionally into the NF4 WHQL package (although it is not from NVIDIA and will not been offered and automaticly installed by NVIDIA’s installer.
The installer will detect, which components of the set are needed or useful, and will ask you, which of them you want to get installed. When you highlight all of them, there should not be anything left regarding the NVIDIA nForce chipset drivers.
The only missing driver will be the Audio one, but this Realtek AC’97 Codec Audio driver can be manually installed by navigating the Device Manager to the related folder of my "nForce4 WHQL Driverpack".
Hello again!
When I created the RAID array the only instructions I found were from the manual "ForceWare Software MediaShield User’s Guide". I also found in that manual other instructions for using:
NVIDIA MEDIASHIELD RAID MANAGEMENT UTILITY. The purpose was to create arrays under windows, add a disk to array, remove a disk from array, migrate one type of RAID into another type of RAID, create different partitions WITH DIFFERENT STRIPE SIZE on the array!!! That last mentioned function being what I am interested in. Unfortunately that software is impossible to use under Windows 7. Is there a compatible version with Win 7 or some other software for the array management under Windows?
Thank you!
@ Patrixus:
NVIDIA has stopped the development of chipsets and the related drivers/utilities before Wndows 7 was out. This is why Win7 may not be fully supported by NVIDIA’s RAID software.
No alternative (from other source than NVidia) ?
I don’t know anyone, who tried to make NVIDIA nForce chipset products compatible with the latest Operating Systems.
I am so grateful to have found this forum! First of all, great work Fernando - and thank you for your time and effort!
My System is an Asus P5N73-AM MB, w/ Intel Core Duo Quad Q6600 and Geforce 7050/n610i chipset, running Windows 7 32bit. I recently upgraded my HDD to a Kingston SSD and here’s where I need help on the optimal configuration.
My goal is 1) stability (as it’s a mainly a server runing 24/7), and 2) performance (NCQ, TRIM support, etc.)
In almost all configurations I’ve tried below, I’ve experienced at least one BSOD, which was not something I experienced at all before the SSD migration, which is why I am on the hunt for the most "stable " configuration (and then performance).
1st configuration: running in PCIIDE mode. Pro - seems stable, with TRIM support (so I read). Cons - it’s the slowest of all configurations - let’s call this 1.0x (using AS SSD test result as benchmark).
2nd configuration: running w/ generic MSFT AHCI driver (w/ AHCI enabled in the BIOS). Pros - it’s the default setup, with TRIM support, and it seems stable. Cons - there seems to be some incompatibilities b/c 1) all internal SATA drives (including SDD) are showing up “ejectable” under HW devices (but it’s a fairly easy fix via regedit, nevertheless I feel that’s just masking the real incompatibilities. 2) Performance wise it’s only 1.1x, and I have reasons to doubt that NCQ is not working, although I have no way to DIRECTLY confirm it one way or the other (more below).
3rd configuration: running w/ the latest Nvidia driver for my chipset 7050/610i (4/9/2010, 11.1.0.43). Pros: It’s fast - about 1.5x (specifically on the read operations), and it’s configurable - as a matter of fact, once I disabled the NCQ in windows for the SSD controller, the performance, specifically the read, resembles configuration two above. And btw., via the fsutil command, I confirmed that TRIM is working, which is something contrary to what I read on this board?!? Cons - I’ve experienced 1 BSOD, and here’s a big one - AS SSD fails 1/3 of the time on sequential read w/ the following message:
System.IO.IOException: The processs cannot access the file ‘G:\AS-SSD-Test42\test.bin’ because it is being used by another process.
at System.IO._Error.WinIOError(Int32erreCode, String MaybeFullPath(at …
This leads me to believe perhaps this driver is not as stable as it should be under stress situations? Another cons of 3rd config is all my SATA devices show up as SCSI drives now. Not the biggest of all deals but none of my previous Acronis incremental backup works now.
4th Configuration: just out of curiosity, I tried an Intel Rapid Storage AHCI driver. Pros: none. Cons. - can’t get past windows loading.
5th Configuration: Fernando Nvidia custom driver (11.1.0.44) almost exactly the same as 3rd configuration. As far as I can tell, I am not able to spot any differences, with the same pros, and same cons (the only difference seems to be AS SSD craps out even more often, like 80% of the time).
I would love to use Config 5 (your custom driver), but due to the AS SSD error and the ATA shows up as SCSI situation, I am sticking w/ Config 2 for now.
Any thoughts/comments/tips?
@ alertipo:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
I am sorry about my late reply, but I was on the road since yesterday morning.
With this configuration you definitively don’t have TRIM activity within your SSD. The fsutil command only verifies, if TRIM commands are sent by the OS, but does not verify, that the TRIM commands pass through the NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller into your SSD - and it will not pass, because none of the NVIDIA nForce SATA drivers does support TRIM.
This issue may have been caused by an uncompleted/interrupted AS_SSD benchmark test.
Solution: Delete the complete folder named "AS-SSD-Test42" and run the tool named "Anvil’s Storage Utilities" instead, if you want to do any benchmark test in the future.
Regards
Fernando
Hola Fernando,
First of all thank you for your work
I have a problem with my pc running win 8.1, recently updated and since that day have been having BSOD DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION all refers first to nvstor.sys and later to nvstor64.sys, my mobo is a nforce 790i ultra sli and downloaded your drivers from here and installed ethernet and sata drivers , there is a lot of hdd activity and after a few minutes get the BSOD.
Have no clue what else to do, would you be so kind to give me some advice?
Thanks,
@ martipe1:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
With which SATA mode are you running your NVIDIA nForce SATA ports?
If is should be AHCI or IDE mode, I recommend to replace the nForce SATA driver by the generic MS IDE resp. AHCI one.
Run the Device Manager, open the section "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers", right click onto the listed NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller, choose the options "Update Driver Software" > "Browse my computer…" > "Let me pick…" and enable the option "Show compatible devices".
Now you should see a device named "Standard AHCI Controller" or "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller". Choose the related, which is shown and click "OK".
After the next reboot your OS will use the generic MS AHCI or IDE driver.
Please report here, if the SATA driver replacement has solved your problem.
Regards
Fernando
Thanks
In Device Manager NVIDIA nForce Raid Controller has an exclamation mark with the error Unable to load device driver
When I enter into Update Software Driver NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller and show compatible hardware only selected displays only: NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller Version: 10.6.0.22 [12-Sep-11] and Version: 11.1.0.43 [09-Apr-10]
First I chose version 11.1.0.43 (odd that this version has an older date than the other one) and boot my pc, it was very slow and a lot of hdd activity for over 10 mins, then used version 10.6.0.22 and was waaay faster and not so much hdd activity.
After about 30 minutes in use (10.6.0.22) again BSOD 
The Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller is not available from the list without the hardware compatible selected, and from this list if click have disk and look for your drive, get the error message “The folder you specified, doesn’t contain a compatible software driver for your device. If the folder contains a driver, make sure is designed to work with Windows for x64-based systems”, tried with SATA-IDE for Win764 and WinVista64
@ martipe1:
As I have written within my last post, my advice was only valid for an nForce system, where the NVIDIA nForce SATA Controller is running in AHCI or IDE mode, but yours is obviously running in RAID mode.
That is why you get a BSOD, when you try to replace the nForce SATA driver by any MS SATA driver.
Question: Why are the NVIDIA nForce SATA ports set to "RAID"? Did you create and use an nForce RAID array?
thanks
No, use to have RAID not anymore
will disable RAID in BIOS and let you know
If you simply change the SATA mode from "RAID" to "IDE" or "AHCI" within the BIOS, you will get a BSOD at next reboot.
I recommed to do a fresh OS installation in AHCI or IDE mode.
A couple of years ago had RAID, disabled the RAID discs but forgot to disable RAID, which just did and so far is working fine, for over an hour without BSOD.
Windows is in one hdd and all my data in another, but was so frustrated about BSOD that couldn’t read the the RAID part, thank you!!
Why do you think was going to get a BSOD?
Thanks
Because an nForce RAID system needs another nForce SATA driver combination than an nForce SATA (IDE or AHCI) system. Maybe you didn’t get the expected BSOD, because the nForce RAID driver hasn’t really been loaded by the OS (that may have been the reason for your yellow mark at the NVIDIA nForce RAID Controller).