HighPoint HPT370/370A/372/372A/372N/302/302N ATA RAID Controller BIOS & Device Drivers 2.351

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HighPoint HPT370/370A/372/372A/372N/302/302N ATA RAID Controller BIOS & Device Drivers 2.351

This document provides essential information regarding the BIOS and device drivers, specifically version 2.351, for the HighPoint HPT370, HPT370A, HPT372, HPT372A, HPT372N, HPT302, and HPT302N ATA RAID controllers. It addresses compatibility issues and operational nuances discovered after the original product manuals were published. This document serves as the most up-to-date resource, superseding any conflicting information found elsewhere in the documentation set.

Important Note: While this document provides valuable information, the latest firmware and product documentation are available for download at the official HighPoint website: https://www.highpoint-tech.com

You can also download the drivers from https://www.techspot.com/drivers/driver/file/information/11738/.

Here are some alternative download links for the HighPoint HPT370/370A/372/372A/372N/302/302N ATA RAID Controller BIOS & Device Drivers:

1. Software Version

This section details the specific versions of the BIOS and drivers covered in this document.

  • BIOS Version: v2.351
  • Driver Version: v2.351

Supported Operating Systems:

The drivers included in this package are compatible with the following Microsoft Windows operating systems:

  • Windows 98/ME
  • Windows NT 4.0
  • Windows 2000
  • Windows XP
  • Windows Server 2003

Version Compatibility:

This BIOS and driver package (version 2.351) is designed to work seamlessly with HighPoint RAID Management Software version 2.32 and later. Using older versions of the management software may result in compatibility issues and unexpected behavior.

2. Files Listing

This section provides a comprehensive list of the files included in the driver package and their respective locations. Understanding the file structure is crucial for proper installation and troubleshooting.

  • Readme.txt: The document you are currently reading, containing vital information about the drivers and BIOS.

  • BIOS Directory: Contains the BIOS loading utility and the BIOS images for various HighPoint controllers.

    • load.exe: The HighPoint BIOS loading utility, used to flash the BIOS onto the RAID controller.
    • 3xxv235.p4e: BIOS image specifically for HPT370/370A/372/372N (DID4) controllers.
    • 3xxv235.p5e: BIOS image specifically for HPT372A/HPT372N (DID5) controllers.
    • 3xxv235.p6e: BIOS image specifically for HPT302/HPT302N controllers.

  • win98_me Directory: Contains the driver files for Windows 98 and Windows ME operating systems.

    • hpt3xx.inf: Information file used by Windows to install the driver.
    • hpt3xx.mpd: Miniport driver file.
    • hptpwr.vxd: Virtual device driver for power management.
    • hptwrap.vxd: Virtual device driver wrapper.

  • win_nt Directory: Contains the driver files for Windows NT 4.0.

    • hpt3xx.inf: Information file used by Windows to install the driver.
    • hpt3xx4.inf: Additional information file.
    • hpt3xx6.inf: Additional information file.
    • hpt3xx.sys: System driver file.

  • win_2k Directory: Contains the driver files for Windows 2000.

    • hpt3xx.inf: Information file used by Windows to install the driver.
    • hpt3xx.cat: Catalog file for driver signing.
    • hpt3xx.sys: System driver file.
    • hptpro.sys: Enhanced driver file.

  • win_xp Directory: Contains the driver files for Windows XP.

    • hpt3xx.inf: Information file used by Windows to install the driver.
    • hpt3xx.cat: Catalog file for driver signing.
    • hpt3xx.sys: System driver file.
    • hptpro.sys: Enhanced driver file.

  • win_2003 Directory: Contains the driver files for Windows Server 2003.

    • hpt3xx.inf: Information file used by Windows to install the driver.
    • hpt3xx.cat: Catalog file for driver signing.
    • hpt3xx.sys: System driver file.
    • hptpro.sys: Enhanced driver file.

  • disk1 Directory: Contains the driver disk label.

  • txtsetup.oem: Windows NT/2000/XP setup file, used during the operating system installation process when prompted to load a third-party driver.

3. Revision History

This section outlines the changes and improvements implemented in each version of the BIOS and drivers. Understanding the revision history helps determine if upgrading is necessary to address specific issues or take advantage of new features.

  • v2.351 (01/05/2004)

    • Added a "use private stack" option in the BIOS to resolve booting failures in DOS 6.22.
    • Improved support for 66MHz PCI clock speeds.

  • v2.35 (08/04/2003)

    • Added support for HPT302 and HPT302N controllers.

  • v2.345 (05/09/2003)

    • Addressed compatibility issues with Intel SATA RAID BIOS.
    • Fixed a Windows "LDM configuration disk write error."

  • v2.344 (04/11/2003)

    • Corrected clock calculation inaccuracies.
    • Resolved a driver compatibility issue on SOYO SY-P4IP mainboards.

  • v2.342 (03/24/2003)

    • Improved timing for HPT370A controllers.
    • Introduced support for RAID 1.5 configurations.

  • v2.34 (10/17/2002)

    • Added support for the HPT372N controller.
    • Fixed a compatibility issue between hptpro.sys and NIS2003 on FAT partitions.

  • v2.33 (09/17/2002)

    • Improved compatibility with 48-bit LBA (Large Block Addressing).
    • Added RocketMate support.

  • v2.32 (07/01/2002)

    • Fixed a formatting issue related to 48-bit LBA.
    • Resolved an issue with hptpro.sys during Windows XP system restore and with sparse files.
    • Implemented PMM (Protected Mode Memory) to allocate BIOS memory.
    • Disabled BIOS EBDA (Extended BIOS Data Area) reallocation by default.

  • v2.31 (01/09/2002)

    • Improved overall performance.
    • Fixed a BIOS compatibility issue with Adaptec SCSI adapters.
    • Forced Seagate Barracuda III and IV drives to operate in ATA100 mode.
    • Changed the capacity display to show 1GB as 1,000,000,000 bytes.
    • Fixed a BIOS bug that caused incorrect drive capacity display after deleting a broken array.

  • v2.3 (12/20/2001)

    • Added support for stripe sizes ranging from 128KB to 2MB.
    • Enabled support for multiple controllers.
    • Modified the driver for improved compatibility with HPT370 and HPT370A controllers.
    • Fixed an error that prevented reading ATA/133 disks when the PCI clock was lower than 33MHz.
    • Resolved a compatibility problem with the Intel IAA driver under Windows ME.
    • Fixed a BIOS compatibility issue with MSI845 mainboards.

  • v2.2 (12/08/2001)

    • Improved performance.
    • Fixed a GUI re-open bug that occurred when rebuilding an array.

  • v2.1 (11/15/2001)

    • Added 48-bit LBA (Big Drive) support.
    • Fixed a BIOS display problem with S3 display adapters.
    • Fixed BIOS BBS (BIOS Boot Specification) support.
    • Fixed a Windows ME hibernating problem.

4. BIOS Update

This section provides instructions on how to update the BIOS for the HighPoint HPT370/370A/372/372A/372N/302/302N ATA RAID controllers. The update process varies depending on whether the controller is integrated into the motherboard or installed as an adapter card.

  • Onboard Controllers: For updating the BIOS of an onboard HPT3xx controller, consult your motherboard manual or contact the hardware vendor for specific instructions.

  • Adapter Cards: To update the BIOS for an HPT3xx adapter card, you can utilize the HighPoint BIOS loading utility (load.exe), included in this package.

    • Important Notes for BIOS Updates from v2.0.xxxx on Adapters with Auto-Load Enabled:

      If your HPT370/370A adapter has the auto-load feature enabled, updating the BIOS may alter the PCI configuration header. This change can prevent Windows 2000/XP from booting from the controller. To avoid this issue, use the BIOS loading utility version 2.1.12.22 or later and specify the following parameters during the update:

      load bios372.231 /e 408=1800003,42c=51103

5. Known Problems

This section lists known issues and workarounds related to the HighPoint HPT370/370A/372/372A/372N/302/302N ATA RAID controllers. Reviewing these problems before installation can help prevent potential conflicts and ensure a smoother experience.

  • Installing the Operating System to Devices Attached to the HPT3xx Controller:

    Before installing an operating system to drives connected to the HPT3xx controller, temporarily disconnect any drives connected to other controllers in your system. After the operating system installation is complete, you can reconnect the other drives.

  • Windows XP Upgrade Installation:

    When performing an upgrade installation of Windows XP (before Service Pack 1) with an HPT3xx controller, Windows XP might use the built-in HPT370 driver, preventing you from specifying the new driver. To work around this issue, follow these steps:

    1. Run the Windows XP upgrade program in a running system.
    2. After the setup program finishes copying files and prompts for a reboot, DO NOT reboot.
    3. Open the WinXP temporary installation folder ($WIN_NT$.~BT) and locate the txtsetup.sif file.
    4. Open txtsetup.sif with Notepad and comment out the line "hpt3xx=hpt3xx.sys,4" under the [scsi.load] section by adding a semicolon (;) at the beginning of the line.
    5. Save the file and reboot.
    6. Start the Windows XP setup as normal. When prompted to "Press F6 to add SCSI driver," press F6 and specify the new driver to be loaded.
    7. During the text-mode setup, Windows XP might still copy the built-in HPT370 driver to the final Windows installation’s System32Drivers directory. To ensure the new driver is used, replace the old one before continuing into the graphic-mode setup. This can be done by booting from a DOS floppy if you are using FAT or FAT32 file systems. If you are using NTFS, you will need to use an alternative method to replace the built-in driver.

    More information about this issue can be found on the Microsoft support site:

  • Installing an HPT370/370A Controller on an Existing Windows XP System:

    When installing an HPT370/370A controller on an existing Windows XP system, Windows XP might attempt to install its built-in HPT370 driver first. This can cause the system to hang if you are using new features that the built-in driver does not support. To avoid this issue, update the driver first without any drives attached to the HPT370/370A controller. Then, shut down the system, attach the drives, and restart the system.

  • Compatibility Issue with Adaptec SCSI Adapters:

    If you experience compatibility problems when using an HPT3xx controller alongside an Adaptec SCSI adapter, try disabling EBDA reallocation in the Adaptec SCSI BIOS or enabling "EBDA reallocation" in the HPT3xx BIOS. You can use the BIOS loading utility version 2.2.07.01 or later to enable this feature (e.g., load /c bios372.232).

  • Moving Disks to Other IDE Controllers:

    Before using disks that were previously attached to an HPT370/370A/372 controller on other IDE controllers, first delete any array information stored on the disks. Failure to do so may result in data loss if you attempt to reattach the disks to the HPT3xx controller later.

  • Rescanning Disks:

    The refresh function in the RAID Management Software has a limitation. If you remove a disk from the controller and the software does not detect this event, it will also fail to recognize the event when you plug another disk back into the same location. You must manually force a refresh action before changing the disk.

  • Problem on Two Disks with the Same Signature under Windows 98/ME:

    If you break a RAID 1 array into two single disks without destroying the data and then use both disks under Windows 98/ME, Windows will behave abnormally because there will be two volumes with the same Windows signature. To resolve this issue, boot into MS-DOS mode and run fdisk /mbr.

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