In order to avoid the need to press F6 during Windows installation in order to install onto your SATA/RAID Mass Storage Device (MSD), you may slipstream the drivers needed into the Windows Distribution. Following is a step by step example of slipstreaming the Silicon Image 3112 SATALink Driver. This example assumes that you are familar with Windows Distribution CD Creation, and certain key files involved in the setup process. The steps are similar for all MSDs, and can be easily transposed to other MSD drivers.

Most of these ideas have been posted in various places, both in the MSFN forums, and out on the Internet. The only part that can be remotly considered original, is the simple addition of one single block of text to TXTSETUP.SIF, as oppossed to finding the correct, existing header for each section.

Step One - Edit TXTSETUP.SIF

In the I386 directory or your Windows Source Directory, open the TXTSETUP.SIF file in your favorite text editor. Copy the following text into the TXTSETUP.SIF file, at the end of the file, just before the (sometimes invisible) end of file marker:

CODE

[SourceDisksFiles] si3112.sys = 1,,,,,,3_,4,1 [HardwareIdsDatabase] PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_31121095 = "Si3112" PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_34238086 = "Si3112" PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_311215D9 = "Si3112" PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_B0021458 = "Si3112" PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_01661028 = "Si3112" PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3112&SUBSYS_82141033 = "Si3112" PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3512&SUBSYS_35121095 = "Si3112" PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_3512&SUBSYS_01661028 = "Si3112" [SCSI.load] si3112 = si3112.sys,4 [SCSI] si3112 = "Silicon Image SiI 3112 SATALink Controller"

Step Two - Copy Drivers

Add your SATA drivers to the appropriate XP Distribution Directory.
In this example the directory $OEM$\$1\DRIVERS\006\SI3112 is used.

Directory Listing

Directory of E:\XPCD\$OEM$\$1\DRIVERS\006\SI3112 23.09.2003 11:05      10,236      si3112.cat 16.09.2003 10:43      11,094      SI3112.inf 04.09.2003 12:45      55,144      Si3112.mpd 04.09.2003 12:45      55,144      Si3112.sys 30.04.2003 08:35      20,560      SiiSupp.vxd 31.07.2003 09:01      69,120      SilSupp.cpl 09.06.2003 17:56      10,112      SiWinAcc.sys       7 File(s)      231,410 bytes

Step Three - Update WINNT.SIF

Your WINNT.SIF file must contain the at least the following information:

WINNT.SIF

[Unattended]    OemPreinstall=Yes    OemPnPDriversPath="Drivers\006\SI3112"

Step Four - Compress Driver to I386

In order to make the driver available in the text based portion of setup, we must add it to the I386 directory.

Command Prompt

MAKECAB E:\XPCD\$OEM$\$1\DRIVERS\006\SI3112\SI3112.SYS E:\XPCD\i386\SI3112.SY_

You are now ready to use your SATA drive from your XP CD, without pressing F6, or using a Floppy Driver Disk.

All hardware specific information has been set in bold type.

In Step One, the text was added as is: there is no need to add each line to the existing, corresponding header.

In Step Two, your actual listing will vary, depending on drivers installed.

In Step Three, this is only a small portion of what your WINNT.SIF should include, but only these lines are rellevent to XPCREATE.

In Step Four, though it is not necessary to compress the new driver, I do so for consistency sake.

The use of the TXTSETUP.OEM file is not needed, nor are the MassStorageDevices entries int WINNT.SIF. I have removed the TXTSETUP.OEM file from my installations. The use of the TEXTMODE directory is not needed either.

Most of this information can be derived from the .INF file name of your driver. Replace Si3112 with the that name (less the extension) in the example above. The remaining information, the PCI strings and the Driver Name, can be found in your TXTSETUP.OEM file.

A collection of information needed for TXTSETUP.SIF for certain drivers can be found HERE. If your driver is not currently supported, and you wish to help in incorporating this driver, please do the following:

1. Find the latest, digitally signed drivers for your hardware.
2. Test these drivers on an attended Windows Installation, using the "Press F6" method to install additional drivers.
3. Once the driver compatablility has been proven, e.g. a successfull installation, mail your drivers to xpcreate@wanadoo.fr.