Shared IRQ's

[bnsrr]

Hello PC Guidelings! I have recently upgraded my PC and was doing just fine piling through my problems till now. Aaaack. I give. This is what I have in my system -
A DFI model CA64-BN mainboard, an NVIDIA GeForce2 MX video card (AGP), a Creative SB 16 sound card, a CNet PRO200 PCI Fast Ethernet card for my CableModem (RoadRunner). I think that'll be enough for now. I performed all these upgrades so I could play this New massive-multiplayer game (EverQuest). Everyhting was going peaches till one night I got booted from the game and permanently disconnected from the net. I had to call RR and they had to re-ping me to give me my connection back. I did this three times and RR sent me out a new modem. Through all that I came to realize that my ethercard and my video card are sharing IRQ 10 ( along with about a dozen other things..hehe) and It occured to me that this is most likely my problem even though windows senses no conflicts and the tech that changed my modem out said that it didnt matter. I tried going into device mnger to manipulate my IRQ's and windows won't let me do it from there. How do I set up my IRQ's for peek performance? Could you suggest any shareware to do this? I am going to contact all parties involved till I can resolve this but I started here with you guys. Anyway I have become completely paralyzed and cant bring myself to try and play EQ again after spending 3 days off the www teet. (ooooo momma) Here are my IRQ settings.
0 System timer
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
2 Programmable interrupt controller
3 Communications Port (COM2)
4 Communications Port (COM1)
4 Communications Port (COM3)
5 Creative Sound Blaster 16 Plug and Play
6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7 Printer Port (LPT1)
8 System CMOS/real time clock
9 SCI IRQ used by ACPI bus
10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
10 NVIDIA GeForce2 MX
10 CNet PRO200 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
10 VIA VT83C572/VT82C586 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
10 Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
11 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
12 WheelMouse2 (PS/2)
13 Numeric data processor
14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
14 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
15 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller

This is new ground for me screwing with the bios so I came here for your help. PLease Help! I've been drooling to play EQ ever since it came out. This is just pure torture. I got to taste it for about 3 hours or so and now this! Think I'll just sit here and stare at the computer till I get a reply. I've come to far to give up. Thank you! ----bnsrr----



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Greenhorn Galore!

[wiltrot]

I had a similar problem with my ATI TV Tuner card sharing an IRQ with my
ethernet card. I too have RoadRunner, and when ever I turn on my ATI TV
it would disable my ethernet card. As you can see to devices that make a
continual request cannot share the same IRQ line. Simple solution is USB.
USB doesn't require an IRQ. So I changed out my Ethernet card and replaced
it with an external USB Ethernet adapter, end of problem.

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What's up with that?

[bunk]

IRQs

0 this is always system timer

1 always keyboard

2 any system with more than 8 irqs this is normal

3 com 2 and 4 will share this

4 com 1 and 3 will share this

5 16 bit sound cards love this slot,, other devices will use also

6 floppy controller

7 lpt 1 prefered spot

8 cmos clock

9 can be used for other devices

10 usuall problem spot,, AGP slot and the first PCI slot usually share this irq or 11. Since it is wired into mother boards that the AGP and first pci slot share an irq you could move your ethernet card from the first pci slot into another slot. It is common for the USB host to grab this slot also. Move ethernet card to another slot and let the USB and the video card share this spot. The PCI irq for steering is what allows the devises to share so this will be here automatically.

11 Huh???? floppy again I havent seen floppy drive use a irq this high before, and havent seen a computer use more one irq for floppies. Something doesnt seem right with a floppy drive using this, it should be used for other devices.

12 ps/2 mouse uses this always

13 normal usage here.

14 and 15 normal for ide drives to grab both of these.

My suggestion is to move the ethernet card out of slot one to cut down on devices using irq 10. Find out why floppy drive is using irq 11,, would be best if ethernet card was using this. Some motherboard bios will allow you to force a pci slot to use a specific irq. If so set pci slot 2 to irq 11 and put ethernet card in slot 2. Trying to change the irq for the first pci slot will also change the irq for the usb host and the agp slot at the same time and you will still have the same pile up you have on irq 10, just on a different irq.

[Paleo Pete]

Methinks some housecleaning is in order as well. 2 floppy controllers is not normal...

Boot into Safe Mode and check Device Manager. I'm betting you'll see two floppy controllers. Remove both. Check everything else, remove any other duplicates. With a serial mouse, COM 1 and COM 3 are probably not being used. Remove them.

Move the network card to a different PCI Slot, bunk is on target there, chances are good it will pick up a diferent IRQ. Check Device Manager and change it to an open IRQ if necessary. You might even have to remove it from Device Manager (in Safe Mode), shut down and remove it physically, boot without it, shut down and replace it, in a different slot.

That might seem like a lot of trouble, but it often works. Rebooting in between gives Windows a chance to reset configuration without it, then it has a valid list of open IRQ addresses when you install it again.

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[bnsrr]

Thanks Paleo Pete. That was it. (I think) Anyway I think I got my IRQ's straight now.....for your viewing pleasure....
0 System timer
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
2 Programmable interrupt controller
3 Communications Port (COM2)
4 Communications Port (COM1)
5 Creative Sound Blaster 16 Plug and Play
6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7 Printer Port (LPT1)
8 System CMOS/real time clock
9 SCI IRQ used by ACPI bus
10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
10 NVIDIA GeForce2 MX
11 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
11 CNet PRO200 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
11 VIA VT83C572/VT82C586 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
11 Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
12 WheelMouse2 (PS/2)
13 Numeric data processor
14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
14 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
15 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
I have yet to put this configuration to the test but just being able to finally straighten out my IRQ's has sent me into jubilation!! All Hail Paleo Pete!..Big Thanks.

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Greenhorn Galore!

[fraelorn]

Your playing a 'new' online game, Everquest? Hehe, thas' been out for 2+ years. I used to be an Evercrack-head once myself. Perhaps take this topic to the After-Hours board and we can talk bout it.

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Übergamer: He who dies with the most frags wins.