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**Bixler** · 21 February 2000, 12:11

Post back with IRQ listings for each device on your system. Also any relevant BIOS settings related to video. Aperature size, shadowing, etc.

Bios Version would be necessary information too.

**Jorden** · 21 February 2000, 12:28

Have you uninstalled the banshee drivers thoroughly? Are you sure there are no remnands of it somewhere on your harddrive, in DirectX or the registry?

Jorden.

**TSDible** · 21 February 2000, 16:29

The banshee drivers were completely uninstalled. However, I wasn't convinced, so I did do a clean install of my OS.

All my bios files are up to date for the motherbard and G400. All accounts of Video Bios Caching/Shadow are disabled. I have tried setting the AGP Aperature to 64, 128, and 256.

Upon further investigation, I found that one of my Realtek NICs are sharing an IRQ with the card. (IRQ 11). However, it will not let me change the setting? Any suggestions?

[This message has been edited by TSDible (edited 21 February 2000).]

**derah** · 21 February 2000, 18:11

Did you have the Diamond Fusion PCI Banshee?
Diamond now has an excellent uninstall utility that removes its and Voodoo reference drivers.

Shared NIC/G400 IRQ is not a good thing. Did you install SB16 emulation? If you disable this in Device Manager, it will free up an IRQ and the NIC might grab it.

I don't know how comfortable you are working in your MB BIOS but I found the following information to be useful (from Creative):

CHANGING THE INTERRUPT REQUEST (IRQ) SETTING

============================================

If you want to change an IRQ setting for a PCI card, it is best to do so from the BIOS
setup screen.
The reason: PCI cards are configured differently from ISA cards; unlike ISA cards, it is usually not possible to change the IRQ for a PCI card from the operating system.

---------------------------------------------
CAUTION: Do not change the BIOS settings unnecessarily unless you are skilled in it, as meddling with the BIOS settings may hang the system or slow down the system
performance. Record all BIOS settings prior to making any changes to ensure you can
return to your original settings.

---------------------------------------------

To access the BIOS setup screen:

a). At system startup, press the key or key combination (often just the Delete or Esc key) as required by your motherboard.

NOTE: For more directions on entering your BIOS and an explanation about what each BIOS setting means, refer to your motherboard manual.

The IRQ resource is typically found in the PNP/PCI Configuration Setup section.

Under this section, there is an option to assign PCI slots to "Auto" or "Manual" to set an IRQ. This option is typically
called Resources Controlled By or PNP/PCI BIOS Auto-Config.

To change an IRQ, you need to set this option to "Manual" or "Disabled".

Some BIOSes only allow you to define which IRQs are not to be used and will in turn assign another available IRQ automatically, while some BIOSes allow you to select the IRQs to be used for a particular PCI slot.

Example 1, with a certain type of BIOS:

To change the IRQ setting for your PCI card from the current IRQ 11:

a) At Resource Controlled By option, switch to "Manual".

b). Change the setting in IRQ-11 option to "Legacy ISA".

This means that the BIOS will assign an available IRQ other than IRQ 11 to the PCI
audio card.

c). Save these new settings and exit the BIOS.

Example 2 on a different type of BIOS:

If your PCI audio card is plugged into slot 1, your PCI video card in slot 3, and both cards are using IRQ 11, to change the IRQ setting for your PCI audio card from current IRQ 11:

a). At the BIOS Auto-Config option, switch to "Disabled".

b). Change the setting in slot 1 option to another available interrupt.

c). Save these new settings and exit the BIOS.

NOTE: For more information on BIOS setting or Slot 1 location, refer to your BIOS or motherboard manual.

Good luck!

------------------
ASUS P3BF 440BX MB,Intel PIII 500 Mhz, 128MB RAM,Fujitsu 13 GB HD, Creative 48X CDROM, Matrox G400 Max Bios 1.5.22, IRQ10, (ver 5.41), SB Live MP3+, IRQ5(ver 4.06.711) sound card with Liveware3.0, DX7.0, Linksys 16bit ISA ethernet/cable internet, Viewsonic E790 19"

**TSDible** · 21 February 2000, 21:25

I have tried to adjust the IRQs manually through the bios. However, it would appear that for some reason, my bios forces PCI slot 1, 5 and the AGP slot to use the same IRQ!! Talk about frustrating. I have disabled everything I'm not using, so I have plenty of IRQs availible. Until now, I thought the Soyo 6BA +III was a good board.

**Bixler** · 21 February 2000, 22:09

Next step if Bios won't allow IRQ changes is the old card swap routine. Many PCI buses hardwire the IRQ to a particular slot on your mobo.

Move the offending NIC to another PCI slot and reboot. Take notes on what happens to your IRQ's as you move things around.

Yeah, I know it's a pain, but it DOES work, and 99% of IRQ conflicts will be solved in this way.

Also: Check to see if you have "Assign IRQ to VGA in your BIOS options. This will sometimes solve the problem.

Get that NIC away from your G400 and I bet you'll be fine.

**Mark F** · 22 February 2000, 00:16

What about a PS issue?

What kind of Power Suply?

Mark F.

------------------
OH NO, my retractable cup holder swallowed a DVD...
and burped out a movie

**TSDible** · 22 February 2000, 19:21

The PS is a good one. Addtronics 300W. I have had no problems with it.

I have gotten the NICs away from the G400 and things seem to be a bit more stable. We will have to see.

Thanks for all of the help. I guess I will just have to find a card that is happy with the G400.

Thanks.

**ph0rk** · 22 February 2000, 21:05

Bixler is right. On BX-based motherboards such as the Soyo you are using, the AGP slot and first PCI slot share an IRQ. The 4th and 5th PCI slots should also share and IRQ, and that IRQ is usually also shared with the USB controller.

IRQ sharing is not normally a problem, unless the drivers for any of your hardware do not share nicely. This is actually typical, thus the myth that sharing IRQ's is a bad thing in and of itself. This is simply not that case.

If you are running low on PCI slots, you just have to find one of your devices that will play nice when sharing an IRQ with your G400. If you have a PCI modem, that is often a good candidate.

I see that you have 4 PCI cards. You could try having the Live! and a NIC in slots 2 and 3, so they have their own IRQ's, and the WinTV and the other NIC in 4 and 5 sharing an IRQ. I think the WinTV will probably share nicely.

Or, you could put the Live! and WinTV in 2 and 3, and the NIC's in 4 and 5 and let them share an IRQ. Notice that the Live! is a bad candidate for sharing. Most modern 3D sound cards I've used are, with the exception of the original PCI soundcard, the Ensoniq AudioPCI, which has the honour of being the best behaved PCI sound card I've ever used

Anyway, just get PCI slot 1 empty so you're G400 doesn't have to share anymore.

That is assuming that it is an IRQ problem

------------------
------------------------
"The iMac is for conformists who think they are non-conformists. They are also for morons."
John Misak

**Bixler** · 24 February 2000, 08:07

PhOrk has given you a very well-worded and more detailed explanation of the IRQ/Graphics card problem with the G400. A bit of explanation if you are confused about why the G400 may seem buggy to you, and why your older card wasn't.

Simple explanation is; high performance has it's drawbacks, and the G400 is a bandwidth hog. Thus the need (not all the time) for it's own IRQ. Bandwidth=performance. That's why the graphics are so much better, but cards such as this need more tender loving care in order to achieve the performance they are designed for.

That's why your G400 seems buggy, and your old card did not.

Kinda like the difference between a diesel and a race-car engine. Both have their advantages, but high performance means more care.

Hope this helps. Enjoy!!!

**Targon** · 24 February 2000, 09:41

You may also want to check if power management is turned on or off. I ALWAYS turn off power saving stuff in the CMOS and in Win95/98. I don't believe in the GARBAGE that came out with the "Green PC". Power saveing may be good for a laptop, but it tends to cause more problems than it's worth.

**amoore** · 24 February 2000, 10:36

Philosophically, I would prefer a "Green PC", but power management gave my Athlon 500 serious indigestion. Since I turned off PM, the instability problems I was having (BSODs, system hangs, inability to read the hard drive on boot up, screen trash, plaid screen, etc) have essentially disappeared.

Perhaps the manufacturers of computer components could take a cue from the manufacturers of cassette players and personal CD players, and design their devices to be more energy-efficient from the outset.

**birdy** · 24 February 2000, 13:04

The first thing i would do is force AGP1x. I have found that even though my card shared IRQs with ive other devices it was still stable with AGP1x.

Not forgetting to make sure the card is fully inserted into the slot.

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G400 System Lockup (Please Help)

G400 System Lockup (Please Help)

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