RAID Controller

[Vladimir]

After my computer was returned from being upgraded one of the problems is that I don't have an RAID controller installed. I think this is causing the problem with my CD/DVD where I can't get it to run .exe/autorun type files.

I have a Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, CRX320AE. I think the proper software is on the CD but I can't get it to launch the autorun file. Is there a way to install the proper driver to get my CD player working? Motherboard info: P4S800D-X. I'm able to install programs in safe mode but they don't run properly once in normal mode. How do I find my RAID controller info to select the proper driver?

After getting this thing upgraded I noticed that A LOT of information/ files etc are missing from my hard drives (to include a very good NWN campaign ). It's a major annoyance.

[Husar]

What sort of RAID controller is that? SATA RAID or a "normal" RAID? How many HDDs do you have?
Maybe your HDD has a problem, if files are missing and programs not running.

[Vladimir]

What sort of RAID controller is that? SATA RAID or a "normal" RAID? How many HDDs do you have?
Maybe your HDD has a problem, if files are missing and programs not running.

I have no idea what type of controller it is. I'll try searching my computer for the exact type. If I find exactly what model it is I'm hoping that I can find the software for it.

I should have two hard drives, C: and D:.

[Husar]

I have no idea what type of controller it is. I'll try searching my computer for the exact type. If I find exactly what model it is I'm hoping that I can find the software for it.

If it's on the mainboard, the drivers should be in the mainboard driver package.

I should have two hard drives, C: and D:.

That could just be two partitions on one harddrive.
If you do not have a special configuration we are probably talking about the SATA RAID built into your mainboard, so you might want to look on the website of the mainboard manufacturer, or the NVidia site if it's an NForce board. Don't know about Intel or AMD chipsets and whether they have unified drivers or not.

[Blodrast]

After my computer was returned from being upgraded one of the problems is that I don't have an RAID controller installed. I think this is causing the problem with my CD/DVD where I can't get it to run .exe/autorun type files.

I have a Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, CRX320AE. I think the proper software is on the CD but I can't get it to launch the autorun file. Is there a way to install the proper driver to get my CD player working? Motherboard info: P4S800D-X. I'm able to install programs in safe mode but they don't run properly once in normal mode. How do I find my RAID controller info to select the proper driver?

After getting this thing upgraded I noticed that A LOT of information/ files etc are missing from my hard drives (to include a very good NWN campaign ). It's a major annoyance.

1. What makes you think it's a problem with the controller ? I'm also puzzled as to what RAID has to do with anything, or why you'd need one, unless, like Husar pointed out, they put RAID controllers by default in some machines these days. What can I say, my hardware knowledge is more than a bit rusty.
2. Ok, help me out here, I have a sucky memory, and I don't recall you posting a thread where you explained what the problem with running autorun files... Can you point me to it, or elaborate a bit ?
IIRC, this is also a windoze setting - you can enable autoplay or not. Did you check that ? Or is there more to it than just not running autorun stuff ?

3. Can you install the driver from the command line ? i.e. a:\blah\mydriver.exe ?
Also, you don't need to be able to run the autorun thing to install something. You can just double-click on the setup.exe or whatever the executable is called from the CD.

4. The missing files - now that's a more serious problem, and it's not clear to me if it has to do anything with the above issues. Did they change your hdd ? Did they reinstall windoze ?
Can you give a few more examples of what kind of files are missing ?
For instance, I dunno where NWN keeps its savegames and whatnot, but a lot of games save "character/profile" info and savegames in My Documents\etc... So, if, for whatever reason, that got deleted, you may have lost them.
Are you still using the same "user" in windows as before your machine was upgraded ? If you switched to a different user, that user may not have the data in *their* My Documents folder, so that's why it looks like it's missing.

Eh, lots of guesses here, but you didn't give us much to go on with, either.

[Vladimir]

I'm hoping that this should be simple:

For some reason Device Manager says I don't have RAID software installed. RAID software may have some affect on controlling drives be it hard, external, etc. I looked for RAID controllers on the Pentium site and they have them, all I lack is the software. How do I find out which RAID controller I have so I can install the proper software? Device Manager likes being general and won't give me the specifics.

I posted a thread earlier about my CD player not working and Lemur gave me good advice which unfortunately didn't solve the problem. Autorun, exe files, etc won't run in less I'm in safe mode.

Reinstalled windows: check

Purchased a new CD player: check

Installed the software that came with the player: Yes, in safe mode. *No .exe files work in normal mode*

During a simple google search I found sites that offered controller software but I have no idea what I should download.

Another strange example: I reinstalled Neverwinter Nights in safe mode and played it in normal mode as a test. Running similar settings from when my processor was half as fast as it is now resulted in dramatically reduced frame rates with 100% CPU usage.

I'm sure all I need is to find out which controller was installed then I can fix the problem but I can't find it.

Something to add: When I insert a CD like MTW NWN, etc...It reads the drive for a second then the cooling fans start up like it's launching the autorun but nothing happens.

[Blodrast]

Did you try Sisoft's Sandra ? It might tell you what hardware you have - I am not sure, since last time I used it was ages ago, and I don't remember what it can and what it can't do.
I'm guessing opening your box is a no-no ? 'cause if you can, you might be able to google some of the numbers on the chipsets... but I guess you already thought of that.
Yeah, other than that, no ideas. Is it unfeasible to take it back to the guys who upgraded it and ask them to fix it ?

edit: now that you mention it, I vaguely remember your older thread. Btw, somewhat unrelated question, if no .exe files run in normal mode, how did you play NWN in normal mode ? Sorry if I misunderstood you...

[Vladimir]

edit: now that you mention it, I vaguely remember your older thread. Btw, somewhat unrelated question, if no .exe files run in normal mode, how did you play NWN in normal mode ? Sorry if I misunderstood you...

Refer back to my post. They don't run off the CD and I have to install programs in safe mode. I'll try cracking the case open. I'm pretty good at hardware but software kills me. Thanks for your suggestions. I'll try them.

[Xiahou]

Belarc can do a pretty good job of telling you what's in your system- might be worth a try.

Although, if it really is RAID, it should say something during boot.

[Vladimir]

Thanks for the help. I found a ghettofabulous way to get around the funky CD problem. RAID is working fine.

Edit: after I downloaded and installed the drivers from the site.

[Blodrast]

Thanks for the help. I found a ghettofabulous way to get around the funky CD problem. RAID is working fine.

You're kidding me, you mean we all struggled here and in the other thread, and you're just dropping the bomb without telling us what your solution was ?!
*explodes*

[Vladimir]

You'll all laugh at me.



While in safe mode I copy the cd from the drive to a folder on my desktop. I then restart in normal mode and install from the folder. I did it with NWN2 last night, didn't even have to chance CDs during the install . Unfortunately my video card isn't up to the task of playing the game so I'll try to get one today.

Wait, you weren't refering to the RAID controller were you?

[Blodrast]

Ah, I see. Good stuff :)
As for the RAID controller, you said it was working fine, so I take it no more problems about that ?

[Vladimir]

Well besides:

Progress I guess. It's populating the list of programs in the Add/Remove programs section that it wasn't before.

There hasn't been any noticeable improvement. I'll try to see how M2 runs after I funkyinstall it. The problem with NWN causing 100% cpu usage with severely reduced frames per second is troubling. I may know more after upgrading my graphics card eventually. I take it an NVIDIA 440 (something like that) isn’t great. Hopefully one of the cards recommended on the NWN2 site will do the trick.