Hello all,
Have a problem with IRQ assignments. Both my soundcard and my USB are sharing IRQ 12 amd causing all sorts of problems. With what I have read, my soundcard should not be using that IRQ. I cannot seem to change it in windows. Any suggestions as of what to do? IS this something that I should be changing in the BIOS? SOmeone took a look at it for me, and they changed it to automatically detect and he had it fixed for a while. THen it reverted back to sharing the same IRQ. Thanks in advance!

We could help you more if we knew what operating system, what motherboard and what sound card (onboard or pci card) you are using. IRQ problems can be either very simple to solve (change card to another pci slot) or a real pain (manually assigning IRQs).

Please post back with detailed system specifications, and also what sort of problems are you experiencing.

I am running 98Se. The soundcard is a pci AudioPCI 64v. I had a real hard time finding the drivers for the card at the time. Apparently it was bought out by Creative Sound, and there seems to be some discrepancy with drivers. HOwever, I do believe I have the lastest driver for this card. My USB hub is a VIatech 3038. There are three things sharing IRQ 12. THe soundcard, the USB and the IRQ holder for PCI steering. IRQ 5 is free, which should be where the soundcard is...right? Not sure what the motherboard is. Can't remember how to get that information. If you need it, just let me know. Computer is a 333 mhz.

What you could try doing is: With computer off (i.e. unplugged, you grounded, push in and hold power button to discharge capacitors) remove the sound card... reconnect power and boot, shut down, (i.e. same power off drill before reinserting the card), reinsert the card, reboot...and let Windoze relocate and load the drivers...

It might relocate it to a different IRQ...sound cards usually do like IRQ 5 :confused:

Thanks Whyzman, I tried what you suggested....but alas...it assigned it to 12 again. When I go to system device manager, and try to change it manually, it won't let me. IRQ 5 is supposedly free. In the bios, it says it is assigned to legacy isa. The name of my soundcard is legacy. I am confused. Is this a driver issue? THe card I had problems with in the past. The card was bought out at some point by creative, and there seems to be discreptancies with the drivers...thanks,

Is your sound card PCI or ISA??

If it is PCI and no other device is using IRQ5, if you check in the BIOS again, you may be able to opt to set it to PCI (save and exit) and then perhaps it will be able to lock on to it...

Hi there,
Okay, what is the difference between PCI and ISA. PCI is newer...right?

PCI devices were designed with the idea of being able to share the limited number of IRQs available...

Because, ISA (legacy devices) were not "fond" of sharing anything...

Many of todays motherboards have excluded ISA slots altogether. I think Pete has a picture of an ISA slot in a pinned thread dealing with computer components...

Anyway, in most motherboards that incorporate ISA slots there is the ability in the BIOS to set aside specific IRQs for legacy device duties...it may be that one or two of these are reserved by default. So, if you have no ISA devices, you would want to change them to PCI which would free up the IRQs.