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.

[Husar]

Did you install some sort of mainboard driver? SATA-RAID drivers are usually somewhere on the website of the mainboard developer.

[BlackAxe3001]

http://support.asus.com/download/dow...odel=P4S800D-X

Drivers ^^

I don't see how RAID drivers would affect anything, especially an IDE drive. Well, unless the IDE is running off the RAID controller, in RAID mode, which is highly unlikely in this case as that would require special configuration.

Also, are you sure you are an administrator? Do you get a message when trying to install stuff that you don't have permissions or does it just not work at all.

Also, if you aren't using RAID turn it off in the BIOS. I am guessing that you aren't using it for obvious reasons.

-BA

[Vladimir]

The error messages I receive when attempting to launch programs from the CD are either: 1) Only part of a Read Process Memory or Write Process Memory request was completed. May be out of memory...which is BS, and 2) E:[something] is not a valid Win32 application.

The Belarc summary is:

too damn big to be contained by spoiler or table tags apparently...let me know what information may be needed. I am the administrator.

Just installed what I hope to be the correct drivers. I'll restart and see what's changed.

EDIT: Progress I guess. It's populating the list of programs in the Add/Remove programs section that it wasn't before. Still getting that weird Process Memory message.

[BlackAxe3001]

Virus? Sure sounds like it... who knows really. Format and start over. That's what I would do. It's easier and faster imo than trying to figure out what the weird ass problem is, unless you have like 500GB+ of stuff like me, then its easier to fix the problem. Unless you have lots of data I would backup any personal data that you might need and format that beast and start fresh.

[Husar]

Wouldn't it be a bit weird to have 500GB of stuff on a fresh install? And if it's not fresh, then how did that driver get lost?
You said you had your computer upgraded, so if they did not reinstall Windows after upgrading the mainboard etc, I'd highly recommend you do that now instead of engaging in some patchworking that may cost you performance and stability until the next clean reinstall.

[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.

[Husar]

I'd call that a burden rather than a fix, but if you can live happily with that burden...

[Blodrast]

btw, have you tried virtual drive things, like Nero, or Alcohol 120% ?
I'm thinking that instead of booting into safe mode and then installing, say, a game (or something that reads most of a CD/DVD), you could just stay in normal mode, copy the CD/DVD to your hdd, and mount it as a virtual drive.

Why do this ? If it works, it might be faster - if enough of the CD/DVD's contents are read to make it worthwhile; it will especially be useful if you intend to use it several times - as is usually the case with a game.

[BlackAxe3001]

btw, have you tried virtual drive things, like Nero, or Alcohol 120% ?
I'm thinking that instead of booting into safe mode and then installing, say, a game (or something that reads most of a CD/DVD), you could just stay in normal mode, copy the CD/DVD to your hdd, and mount it as a virtual drive.

Why do this ? If it works, it might be faster - if enough of the CD/DVD's contents are read to make it worthwhile; it will especially be useful if you intend to use it several times - as is usually the case with a game.

I do believe that this violates the forum rules. Piracy potential. You might want to edit it out before a mod catches you.

[Blodrast]

Virtual Drives ? No, I don't think they are against the forum rules.
I mean, I know what you're saying, and thank you for the warning.
I guess I'll clarify a bit, although it shouldn't be necessary, imo... It gets tiring and annoying to have to say after every phrase "I'm not condoning piracy... I'm not encouraging piracy..."... meh.
However, it should be obvious that this has nothing to do with piracy or whatever: you simply copy the contents of a CD/DVD that you already own on the hdd. It doesn't relate in any way to how you acquired that CD. Also, this doesn't refer to games exclusively - it applies to absolutely anything you may have on a CD/DVD.

Vladimir, don't do illegal stuff!!!

[Husar]

Wow, a bunch of workarounds, how about a proper reinstall of Windows to get the CD drivers straight again?
Or just take the PC to whoever upgraded it and tell him/her/them what's wrong with it, he/she/they should be responsible, at least in a moral way.
Creating a big mess of workarounds just because some drivers are messed up isn't something I would do after upgrading my computer.

[Vladimir]

Wow, a bunch of workarounds, how about a proper reinstall of Windows to get the CD drivers straight again?
Or just take the PC to whoever upgraded it and tell him/her/them what's wrong with it, he/she/they should be responsible, at least in a moral way.
Creating a big mess of workarounds just because some drivers are messed up isn't something I would do after upgrading my computer.

Well I almost killed the guy who I took it to for the "upgrade", and as Blodrast (Should be Bloodrast ) said, that would be illegal, and wrong .

The Sony CD-RW did come with Nero software which I installed but I'm hesitant to attempt that as it seems that windows doesn't *recognize* .exe files properly. I'm pretty sure the icons change from normal to safe mode.

I may eventually reinstall windows. The less that legit copy that my "friend" put on here had to go (because having it would be illegal and that would be wrong ), I bought the last copy of XP home edition (found it under a shelf or something) and could do the reinstall.

PS

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Don't get caught!

[Blodrast]

@ Vladimir: LOL!

[Husar]

I may eventually reinstall windows. The less that legit copy that my "friend" put on here had to go (because having it would be illegal and that would be wrong ), I bought the last copy of XP home edition (found it under a shelf or something) and could do the reinstall.

Aren't you studying at a university/college?
If you are, check whether it is member of MSDNAA and get XP Pro SP2 and/or Vista Business for free without searching under shelves or in wastebins.

Now that I had a look, I still have a few yellow exclamation marks in Vista, but since it doesn't tell me what exactly the missing driver is for (something called isatap{a long hex number} next to my properly installed and working network adapter[maybe firewire driver?], two unknown devices and my TV card which does not support Vista) and everything runs fine and smooth, I couldn't care less(which, in my case means I still care a little bit ).

[Vladimir]

Right now I have similar thoughts towards my computer. The only thing I need to finish up is finding and installing a multimedia audio controller. Sometimes the sound does weird things but it's not much of a bother.