Everything on the same IRQ (???)

[p linnane]

Like the Subject says...

IRQ Number Device
9 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
9 Matrox Millennium G400 DualHead - English
9 VIA USB Universal Host Controller
9 VIA USB Universal Host Controller
9 Creative SB Live! series(WDM)
9 Macronix MX98715 Family Fast Ethernet Adapter (ACPI)
8 System CMOS/real time clock
13 Numeric data processor
6 Standard floppy disk controller
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
12 Logitech-compatible Mouse PS/2
14 Primary IDE Channel
15 Secondary IDE Channel
3 Communications Port (COM1)


Everything had its own when I was running WinME (last week), and when I
originally installed the hardware way back when, I *did* actually pay
attention to what was going in which slot.

Asus CuV4X (via apollo pro) p-iii667 512mb

Thanks

Rick

 

[Dan Seur]

Win2000 can be set (and yours is set that way) to handle interrupt
assignments itself. In simpler operating systems, this is handled by the
BIOS. Win2000 does a very good job of it, too; it's the way to go as
long as the BIOS and the peripherals are 'plug n play' compliant.

WinME likely leaves IRQ assignment to BIOS (which attempts to assign
unique IRQs to each device) - but I'm not certain of that, actually.
Although ME was released after Win2000, however, it is a much simpler
(and many say less stable) operating system, not nearly as robust as 2000.

Since you don't say you have a problem (other than this seemingly
unusual interrupt-sharing arrangement, which is actually normal), I'd
suspect your system is running just the way it should.

Please post back if indeed you do have some sort of problem...

 

[p linnane]

I'm sorry, I can't parse your post into anything that makes sense to me.
Your saying it's some ACPI crap?

The reason I looked up IRQ assignments in the first place was...

Lockups when the firewall pops up a query when I'm in the middle of a
videogame.


(I get occasional freezes as well but they have the flavour of skewed
priority).

 

[Dan Seur]

Perhaps the web page below will help. In some cases (specific hardware
peripheral configs), the PnP (Plug and Play) BIOS setting doesn't work
quite right. It doesn't resolve IRQ conflicts well enough. That may be
your problem (my impression is that lots of games and gamers push PCs
close to the edge of capability

Basically, a PnP-capable OS like W2k is able to handle and resolve IRQ
assignments itself, as long as all devices are PnP-capable. Non-PnP
devices are called "Legacy"; an example might be an older dial modem
that is itself set to require a certain IRQ. PnP motherboard BIOSes
generally enable you to "dedicate" a certain IRQ - make it non-PnP - to
handle such devices while allowing the OS to handle the rest.

This brief webpage suggests that when things aren't working right, it's
a good idea to try turning off the "PnP Compatible Op Sys" BIOS setting.
This forces the BIOS to handle IRQs itself, the way it used to before
PnP became common. Your mileage may vary, and I hope this note is easier
to parse. It's not the ACPI, by the way, it's the PnP.

<http://www.pctech.com/show/bios/343/>

 

[Rick T]

(my impression is that lots of games and gamers push PCs
close to the edge of capability

I imagine they do, however I am trying to set up Win2k as a home-based
computer (minus all the goodies); gaming isn't very high on the priority
list, but still on the list.

My MB and cards are all PnP (except as you noted the modem which has it's
own dedicated IRQ/ports)

it's a good idea to try turning off the "PnP Compatible Op Sys" BIOS
setting. This forces the BIOS to handle IRQs itself, the way it used
to before PnP became common.

I've done that, Windows just resets them. Is there a toggle somewhere?

I hope this
note is easier to parse.

much, thanks

It's not the ACPI, by the way, it's the PnP.

reason I noted ACPI was I thought it might be grabbing all the cards which
have PnP for power-control purposes (though some of my drivers don't
respond well to suspend/hibernate)

<http://www.pctech.com/show/bios/343/>

I'll look into it.


Rick

 

[Rick T]

(my impression is that lots of games and gamers push PCs
close to the edge of capability

I imagine they do, however I am trying to set up Win2k as a home-based
computer (minus all the bus/network goodies); gaming isn't very high on
the priority list, but still on the list.

My MB and cards are all PnP (except as you noted the modem which has it's
own dedicated IRQ/ports)

it's a good idea to try turning off the "PnP Compatible Op Sys" BIOS
setting. This forces the BIOS to handle IRQs itself, the way it used
to before PnP became common.

I've done that, Windows just resets them. Is there a toggle somewhere?

I hope this
note is easier to parse.

much, thanks

It's not the ACPI, by the way, it's the PnP.

reason I noted ACPI was I thought it might be grabbing all the cards which
have PnP for power-control purposes (though some of my drivers don't
respond well to suspend/hibernate)

<http://www.pctech.com/show/bios/343/>

404


Rick

 

[Dan Seur]

Rick - in the BIOS there should be a page where you can set individual
IRQs as PnP or Legacy. See what happens if you set that modem's IRQ as
Legacy. That (speculating here) takes that particular interrupt off the
list the OS is allowed to share by itself.

Sorry, I can't recall offhand what that BIOS page is typically called.
But you should see a long list of IRQs, each settable as above.

FWIW, some of the older modems had floppy utilities that could reset the
IRQ on the modem card. If the above doesn't clear the problem, maybe
some modem-IRQ change would help.

And if you're wealthy there are PnP dialup modems around. In fact,
you can probably pick one up for $10 or so at a small PC fixit shop
within driving distance. I've lost count of the times I've done that
over the years. Those people have bins full of used gear from tradeins
and throwaways; they know the value of a buck.