[ The PC Guide | System
Optimization and Enhancement Guide | System Optimizations and
Enhancements | System Resource (IRQ, DMA, I/O, COM) Conservation and
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Free Up an ISA/VLB/PCI Expansion Card Slot
Many modern PCs have relatively few expansion slots; some have as few as three. Many of
the smaller boxes that have few slots do not need as many in the first place because they
have built-in components such as video cards; even still, expansion and adding peripherals
can be difficult when there are few slots in the system. Even PCs with a number of slots
can run out when you start adding a number of devices. Furthermore, modern PCs typically
have a limited number of PCI and ISA slots, and depending on how you use your system, you
may find that you have plenty of one type but not nearly enough of the other.
Here are a few ideas for freeing up an expansion slot, if this is an issue for you:
- Free Up Slots Blocked by Port Connectors: Many PCs run out of expansion slots for
a silly reason: the slots are being wasted because they are blocked by the connectors for
the serial and parallel ports. While ATX form
factor motherboards have these ports built into the motherboard itself, the
conventional AT or baby-AT style motherboard
uses ports that connect to the motherboard with a ribbon cable. These come with the
motherboard installed into a piece of metal that fits into an expansion slot, to make
assembling the PC faster (and cheaper). However, most modern cases have punch-out holes in
the back of the case itself for these connectors. By unscrewing the connectors from the
slot insert and screwing them into the holes in the back of the case, you can remove the
inserts and free up a potentially wasted expansion slot--sometimes even two.
- Remove Unnecessary Devices: You'd be surprised how often I find devices in PCs
that were installed a long time ago but are no longer being used. Removing these unneeded
cards will of course free up the slots they are using, if this is an option for you.
- Make Optimal Use of VESA Local Bus (VLB) Slots: VLB slots are physically an
extension of the ISA slot; the VLB slot is an ISA slot with two extra connectors on the
end. ISA slots will therefore work in a VLB slot; if your ISA slots are all filled and
there is a VLB slot free, you can use it. However, there are usually very few VLB slots on
a VLB motherboard, so only put ISA cards there if you are out of ISA slots.
- Optimize Shared Slots: Many PCI motherboards have a "shared" PCI/ISA
slot. This is a slot that can either hold an ISA or a PCI card, but not both. It is
possible because of how PCI cards are mounted "upside-down" to their slot
inserts compared to how ISA cards are. If you have a board like this and you are out of
ISA slots but have a free PCI slot, see if you have a PCI device in the shared slot, and
if so, move it to the free PCI slot. Similarly if you are out of PCI slots but have a free
ISA slot and an ISA card in the shared position.
 Tip: IRQ conflicts can sometimes
result from changing the slot a PCI card uses, due to how these devices are
assigned IRQs.
 Next: Free Up an IRQ by Combining IDE channels and Disabling Unused Ones
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