Win7 x86 needs 32bit drivers

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@ all customers with the nForce2, nForce3 or nForce4 RAID system:
Preliminary notes
The now officially accessible final edition of Windows 7 appears to be the top Windows OS yet and has plenty of true drivers in-the-box, which makes it quite simple for the large vast majority of consumers to get it set up without any issue onto practically every hardware configuration with an nForce chipset.
Nevertheless there are tons of nForce chipset mainboard proprietors Office Home And Student 2010 Key, who ran already or will run into issues, if they attempt to get Win7 (32bit or 64bit) set up by booting off the OS DVD:
NForce2/3/4 RAID systems usually are not supported by Win7 (32/64bit).
Win7 Setup will not likely detect the RAID by just booting off the DVD!
Important Update (dated sixteenth March 2011):
The lately printed SP1 versions of Windows 7 do have up to date in-box nForce SATA and RAID drivers v10.six.0.eighteen, which seem to assistance some or perhaps all nForce4 RAID programs from scratch. In line with the report created by nForcersHQ Forum member Milhouse his nForce4 RAID array has become detected automaticly through the Win7 SP1 Setup (for details you may investigate >this< thread.)
Since we don't but know, which special nForce4 chipsets now are completely compatible with the updated Win7 SP1 in-box nForce SATA and RAID drivers v10.six.0.eighteen, we need more feedback from nForce4 RAID customers. Please report your experience into this thread.
Meanwhile some nForce4 RAID users have reported in different threads of this Forum about their experience with the installation of Win7 and gave some essential informations about how they succeeded at least. The test results submitted by HHawk, mydian, StickmanOMG, Shadohd, jonathantompson, Phorze, Nohope, Ludo1701, 1337phreak, frustrated, trax, nightwing, greig2000_uk and Poser were the basis of this new guide. Thanx for their efforts and interesting findings!
Since nobody else has done it yet, I have started this new thread. My intention wasto concentrate all nForce RAID related Win7 installation problems and their possible solution into 1 single thread (makes it easier for your users and the "helpers") andto present somewhere an true guide about how to obtain Win7 set up onto an nForce RAID method, which is not detected automaticly through the Win7 Setup.Although I am the starter of this thread, I don't want to assist it for a longer period, because I don't have an nForce RAID system myself anymore. As soon as someone else is willing to overtake this task, please let me know it.
General infomations
Here are some informations regarding the support of the various nForce Raid programs by Win7:Both ultimate Win7 versions (x86 and x64) have new in-box nForce S-ATA and RAID drivers v10.6.0.16 dated 05/12/2009, which do fully help all actual nForce chipsets and nForce SataRAID techniques. Consequently practically all end users with an nForce4xx/5xx/6xx/7xx SataRaid technique don't need to load any separate nForce IDE driver or patch to acquire Win7 installed onto their program by booting off the OS DVD.nForce2 Raid, nForce3 Raid and nForce4 PataRaid methods are not supported at all from the in-box nForce IDE drivers of Win7 (the same as with Vista). Nonetheless there might be a (painful) way to have Win7 x86 and even Win7 x64 set up onto nForce2/3 SataRaid and nForce4 PataRaid programs (for particulars you may consider part I point c of this guide).nForce SataRaid methods on mainboards with the option to create S-ATA and P-ATA RAID arrays simultaneously (=LEGACY mode nForce SataRaid methods) aren't fully supported from the Win7 in-box nForce IDE drivers. Affected users will realize that, when the Win7 Setup routine won't detect the RAID devices/partitions automaticly. These customers have to load either a special nForce IDE driver or a patch (for details see below).Only WHQL certified nForce IDE drivers, which are designed for Win7 or Vista, can be successfully loaded during the installation of Win7. Other drivers will not likely be accepted by the Win7 Setup routine.Critical for newbies:
Before you continue reading this guide, you should verify, if you really have an nForce RAID system. There are plenty of nForce chipset mainboards with different RAID controllers (mostly from NVIDIA and Silicon Image). Assure yourself, that your S-ATA hdd's are connected to the nForce RAID ports and not to other RAID connectors as Sil3112/3114, otherwise your RAID won't be detected by loading any nForce SataRaid driver mentioned within this guide.
Guide for a clean install of Win7 (32/64bit)
Last update: 07/19/2010
I. Installation onto an nForce RAID array
(especially for "LEGACY mode" nForce SataRaid methods)
Preconditions:Win7 can be set up onto every obtainable spacious partition, but the active boot partition (normally on drive C) has to become within the nForce RAID array and should have the NTFS file technique.The RAID has to be set as bootable (within the RAID configuration tool) and as first bootable HDD (within the mainboard BIOS option "HARD DISK BOOT PRIORITY"). Since the nVRaid BIOS (newer name: MediaShield IDE ROM) is part of the mainboard BIOS, you should check, if you have flashed the latest obtainable mainboard BIOS edition. Win7 Setup needs a rock stable system during the installation. If you have an overclocked system or critical RAM sticks, you will get BSOD's, missing files or sudden reboots during the Win7 installation.Users reported about problems during the Win7 installation, when the Setup routine detected other storage devices (RAIDed or non-RAIDed hdd's, USB devices, card readers etc.) outside the RAID array.
Suggestion: Unplug all storage devices outside the active RAID array and disable all unneeded controllers within BIOS before you begin with the installation of Win7.
Preparations:
Since none of the currently vailable Win7 versions has nForce SataRaid drivers "in the box", which are suitable for all nForce chipsets, users with an old (= Legacy type) nForce Raid system should do the following preparations:Creation of the "LEGACY Patch Boot Floppy/CD"
Download the small Patch file package from >here<, unzip it and burn the ISO file as bootable CD. Alternatively you can create a bootable floppy disk with the patch by running the make_floppy.bat file, which is within the package too.
This "LEGACY Patch Boot Floppy/CD" can be used with Win7 x86 and Win7 x64.
Notice:
The LEGACY Patch method continues to be developed and printed by nForcersHQ Forum member hwti in November 2006.Preparation of special WHQL signed nForce SATA and RAID driversfor the 32bit edition of Win7 (x86)nForce4 SataRAID techniques:
Users with such system should download the 32bit Vista SATA_IDE and SATARAID drivers v9.98 dated 08/09/2007 from >here<.nForce2-3 Sata/PataRAID and nForce4 PataRAID programs:
These end users could download the last WHQL signed XP nForce 2-4 IDE drivers v5.21 dated 03/14/2005 from >here<. for that 64bit edition of Win7 (x64)nForce4 SataRAID systems:
The suitable 64bit Vista SATA_IDE and SATARAID drivers v9.98 can be downloaded from >here<.nForce3 SataPataRAID and nForce4 PataRAID:
Unfortunately you'll find no suitable 64bit WHQL certified drivers obtainable. End users with such configuration probably is not going to be able to acquire Win7 x64 installed this way.Unzip the downloaded driverpack (don't mix the 32/64bit version!) and copy the complete driver folders onto an empty USB stick. Alternatively you can copy the material of the appropriate driver folder(s) onto a separate floppy disk.Now you are hopefully well prepared for a successful Win7 installation.

Additional preparation tips:Please explore the tips, which were given by the nForcersHQ member DabHand. You will find them on top of >this< page.It is a good idea to prepare an empty partition of your Raid array for that later Win7 installation before beginning with the Win7 Setup by booting off the DVD. This preparation is not really needed, but it causes it to be easier for you. (You can create, delete and format any RAID partition during the Vista installation too. You will get these options when the Vista Setup shows the correct list of your existing partitions and you have hit the "Advanced" button).
Run any OS of your Raid and create a new partition (minimal space requirement: 25 GB, better are 50-80 GB) or do a quick format of an equivalent and not needed existing partition. Be aware to format the designed Win7 installation place with NTFS file technique.
Different Win7 Installation methods:
a) NForce4 RAID standard installation procedure
(adopted from nForcersHQ member Poser)Boot off the WIN7 DVD.When you are asked where you want to get Win7 put in and you won't see your RAID array(s) and RAID partitions, plug in the prepared USB stick or floppy disk with the SATA_IDE driver v9.98.Hit the "load driver" button.
Attention: Be aware of loading the correct driver package (Win7 x86 needs 32bit drivers Windows 7 Professional Key, Win7 x64 needs 64bit ones!).Point to your SATA_IDE driver folder material of your prepared USB stick or floppy disk. You will get a popup window, where the "NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller" is shown as compatible device.Select the compatible device and let Win7 Setup load the prepared driver.After having loaded the driver (maybe you have to hit the "Refresh" button), you should see all hard disk devices and RAID partitions of your computer (if not, you could possibly have to restart the Win7 installation by booting off the prepared "LEGACY Patch Boot Floppy/CD", for facts see below).REMOVE YOUR USB STICK /FLOPPY DISK BEFORE PROCEEDING.Use the "Advanced options" button and format the partition, where you want Win7 to acquire installed.
Important: You should use the "format" option at this point even if you have done it previously before by using another OS or a tool like Acronis Disk Director Suite, because Win7 has a slightly different NTFS file method.Select the just formatted partition and let Win7 install onto it.The rest will Win7 Setup do by its own. Even the restarts should not induce any issue.Once Win7 is up Microsoft Office 2007 Product Key, you should do a investigate the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" and "Storage Controllers" sections of the Device Manager (choose the "View" > "Show hidden devices" option):
You will see the following devices:"NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller(s)" using the nForce SATA driver v9.98 and"NVIDIA nForce RAID Controller(s)" and "NVIDIA RAID Devices" (maybe with the names of the RAIDed hdds) using the in-box nForce RAID driver v10.six.0.xx.Although at the end of this installation method Win7 is using different nForce SATA and RAID driver variations, you should be able to work with this new OS nonetheless.
b) Special LEGACY Patch method for nForce4 RAID programs:
(detected and reported by the nForcersHQ members aksal and crisao23)Boot off the "LEGACY Patch Boot Floppy or CD" you have prepared (see above).When prompted, remove the Patch Boot Floppy/CD, insert the Win7 DVD and press any key.
The computer will now boot Win7 Setup from DVD similar to a non-LEGACY mode nForce RAID system. Although the RAID and its partitions will by now been detected, you should hit the "load driver" button.
Attention: Be aware of loading the correct driver package (Win7 x86 needs 32bit drivers, Win7 x64 needs 64bit ones!).Point towards the SATARAID driver folder content material of your prepared USB stick or floppy disk. You will get a popup window, where all compatible NVIDIA RAID and SATA are shown.
Select all compatible devices and let Win7 Setup load the prepared SATARAID drivers.If the device named "NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller" won't been shown as compatible while loading the subject material of the SATARAID folder, you need to load additionally the content material of the prepared SATA_IDE driver folder. Choose the device Microsoft Office 2010 Pro Plus, which is shown as compatible. It should be the NVIDIA nForce S-ATA Controller. After having loaded the drivers you should still see all hard disk devices and RAID partitions of your computer.REMOVE YOUR USB STICK /FLOPPY DISK BEFORE PROCEEDING.Use the "Advanced options" button and format the partition, where you want Win7 to have put in. Choose the partition where you want to obtain Vista installed.The Win7 installation hopefully will finalize with no problem. In accordance with aksal there is no need to insert the LEGACY Patch Boot Foppy/CD again, when the computer is going to reboot.At the end you have a Win7 installation, which will use the v9.98 instead of the in-box nForce SATA and RAID drivers. Contrary for the easier "Standard installation procedure" you will be able to update the v9.98 nForce IDE drivers for the customized v9.99.09, which seem to be to become the best choice for NF4 chipsets.
c) Last option: Installation of Win7 by using XP drivers:
(not but certified for each configuration, but this method might work with all NF2-4 Sata/PataRAID methods)
Since the normal Setup of Windows seven (32/64bit) does not accept any XP (32/64bit) drivers, you have to start the Win7 (32/64bit) installation from within a running Windows XP (for Win7 x86) resp. Windows XP x64 (for Win7 x64). So you additionally will need a Windows XP or XP x64 CD (depending on the Win7 edition you want to get set up at least).
Here is the procedure:Install Windows XP resp. XP x64 by using an OS CD with integated WHQL certified nForce SATA/PATA and RAID drivers. I recommend to use a tool like nLite. For details of the exact integration procedure you may seem here. Once XP (32/64bit) is up, yo can start the Win7 (32/64bit) installation by running the SETUP.EXE of the DVD.Although your RAID array and its partitions will be detected by Win7 Setup, you have to load the original WHQL certified XP nForce SATA/PATA and RAID drivers (otherwise you will get a BSOD at next reboot). Choose all devices, which are shown to be compatible. End users with an nForce4 SataRAID program should let Win7 Setup load at first the SATARAID and then the SATA_IDE driver folder.If the XP drivers have been accepted by Win7 Setup, the rest of the Win7 (32/64bit) installation will run by its own.
II. Installation outside the nForce RAID array
Users, who want to install Win7 outside the nForce RAID array Microsoft Office Pro 2010, should be able to obtain Win7 up without any issues and without the need to load any drivers, but they is not going to see the RAID partitions and datas within their Windows Explorer and Disk Management.
The dilemma can be solved by installing the needed and appropriate nForce SATA and RAID drivers from within Win7. This can be done either by running the installer of a suitable Vista/Win7 nForce chipset driver set or manually from within the Device Manager.
The facts about the installation/update of nForce SataRAID drivers are layed down within the start post of >this< thread.

As always: Any feedback is much appreciated!
Have fun with Win7 Beta!
CU
Fernando