Retrospect not compatible with NForce 3 systems?

[BonerFide]

I'm using a Plextor PX-708A DVD-Writer on the Secondary IDE channel of my MSI K8N Neo2 motherboard, with 4 x Seagate 160GB SATA drives in a RAID 0,1 array. I also have an LG GSA-4120B DVD-Writer on the same channel as the Plextor. Doesn't matter what I do (install ASPI, move drives between master and slave, working on their own, even placing them on the primary IDE channel), Retrospect cannot see them. Every other CD/DVD writing program I've used can, just not this one.

 

Is this a known problem? Thankfully, I haven't bought it, just installed the trial, or I'd be out for blood!!

 

I'd like to use Retrospect, as I have good experiences of it as a sysadmin when I had to back Macs up onto CD, but why it won't work when the devices are seen by every other utility known to man, I have no idea. I'm using XPSP2, and have tried installing clean to a spare partition, and using standard windows drivers for the parallel IDE controllers, with no other software installed, still no joy.

 

Anyone got any ideas? I'm clean out.

[awnews]

Shot in the dark..

 

Try CTRL-ALT-P-P and check "use NT SCSI Passthrough". Close Retrospect and restart (may want to reboot), and see if Retro will see your stuff.

 

BTW, are those DVD-Writers on the "Supported" list for Retro? Can Retro see other stuff (e.g. any other the harddrives) in your system?

 

From occasional comments in this forum, I don't thing Retrospect has a great track record with RAID.

[BonerFide]

Hi, thanks for the reply - tried the Ctrl-P-P too - no joy.

 

 

 

The Plextor is on the official list, the LG isn't, but even if it's not supported it should SEE it? Retrospect can see all three partitions on my RAID system, but as it's using O/S calls for that in all likelihood, that isn't a surprise. Why they don't use O/S calls to the DVD-Writers, only they know. Nero (including InCD), XP CD Wizard both work fine. I've got an OS install without Nero installed b4 I get any posts about that. ;o)

 

 

 

 

 

The NVidia SATA RAID controller seems to be inextricably linked to the Parallel ATA controller and maybe that's what's causing this issue, but Dantz probably need to try and find a way to fix this as I suspect there will be a lot of people using NForce systems in the very near future - both P4 and AMD.

 

 

 

The reason I say the RAID is linked to the PATA, is that if you disable the PATA controllers, SATA RAID no longer works either. The secondary PATA channel can be disabled OK, but the SATA seems to be linked to the primary.

[natew]

Hi

 

If you haven't already, make sure to get the latest chipset drivers directly from Nvidia. That often helps.

[BonerFide]

Yeah, done all that - all the drivers in the system are the latest and all firmwares are the latest too.

 

Guess it's just one of those problems that Dantz's approach will throw up, although the fact that it's been around for the last two versions to my certain knowledge means I think NForce users using NVRAID will have to go elsewhere for backup software - they seem unable to resolve the issue, whatever it is.

 

Thanks for your helpful advice anyway.

[jelenko]

FWIW, I'm using a Gigabyte K8NSC-939 [nVidia nforce 3] with two SATA drives in RAID 0. The DVD drive [Tosh SD-5372] is visible/useable by Retro 7 but only with ASPI installed and checked in Preferences.

 

At the same time, the DR CD hangs when trying to load the ide and raid drivers.

[natew]

Bonerfide,

 

We have encountered this issue before with NVidia RAID drivers. They work a bit differently than everyone elses.

 

Please send me your contact information at pacrimsupport@dantz.com . I may be able to get this sorted for you.

 

Thanks

nate