Solve : PCIslot/IRQ?

1.	Solve : PCIslot/IRQ?
Answer» DELL XPS model WHL O/S XP-Pro. Recently i had occasion to DESIRE to install an Airlink wireless PCI 300n model AWLH6090 adapter into the above computer. I used a VACANT PCI slot that had been used by some earlier hardware installation (unknown to me). After appropriate software installation and hardware a point arose after the required reboot that the computer froze at the XP loading window. A discussion with Airlnk tech resolved the issue. They claimed that the problem was caused by the IRQ of that particular slot remaining associated with whatever previous device had been in it and therefore would not recognize the new hardware i had installed. That problem was overcome by changing the PCI slot to another that had never been used.However if indeed that was the cause then i am now left with only one remaining PCI slot (the one that wouldn't work) that is vacant. Is there some way to "clear" or whatever the proper term is the IRQ association for that particular slot? How can i identify it (other than physically) in a way that i am certain i am changing the correct slot?My own research has found the following: Re: can I change irq values in xp? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you experincing any issues with your machine? Motherboards and Windows XP these days are mature enough to handle IRQ assignments efficiently. It's common for Windows systems (later than 98SE) to display more than one device on the same IRQ. If your rig is not PCI Express, check in BIOS that you have the following options enabled: - ACPI - APIC - PNP Aware OS If they're enabled, and the PnP service in Windows is functioning properly, IRQ's shouldn't be a worry - even if there's more than one device on an IRQ. __________________ Is this the right way to go or is there a different/better way to proceed. While i have no immediate need for the remaining PCI slot that may change in the future. truenorthI've never had a problem like this but some BIOS allow you to sort of reassign or 'reset' IRQ's. Raptor, Yes i saw a reference to a BIOS approach in addition to the one in my original post. However it was less than specific as to how to accomplish it specifically for the PCI slot involved. I have often done this before on many computers (add/change hardware) and also have never had a problem. But it seems that under some conditions of certain computers it can occur.I don't know if it was the specific device i was trying to install or will all hardware devices create that problem when i try to use that slot? Time will tell if/when i try to use it. However if I can resolve it now rather than wait i would prefer that. thank you for the input.truenorthSorry, no clue. I do know some devices are picky about the slot that they're in. I did some searching on Google; Quote Windows XP cannot rebalance resources in the same way that Microsoft Windows 98 does. After PCI resources are set, they generally cannot be changed. If you change to an incorrect IRQ setting or I/O range for the bus that a device is on, Windows XP cannot compensate by rebalancing the resource that was assigned to that bus. Quote The Plug and Play operating system settings in the computer BIOS do not generally affect how Windows XP handles the hardware. However, Microsoft recommends that you set the Plug and Play operating system setting to No or Disabled in the computer BIOS. Quote Manually assigning IRQs to PCI slots in the system BIOS as a troubleshooting method may work on some non-ACPI systems that use a standard PC hardware abstraction layer (HAL), but these settings are ignored by Plug and Play in Windows if ACPI support is enabled. If you MUST manually assign IRQ addresses through the BIOS to a device on an ACPI motherboard, you must reinstall Windows to force the installation to use a Standard PC HAL. Raptor, Again I thank you and all of what you display is the same kind of info i found during my search prior to the post. It pretty much says it cannot be done except in one limited case and even then a change does not seem to be guarantied. One day when i can find some spare time i will stick something into that slot and see how it behaves.Then i will at least have an idea if it is hardware type specific (as in the current case of the wireless adapter) or if it is universal. Best of the season to you. truenorthI'd try it in a different slot with more up to date (or out of date) drivers and if the card doesn't support WPA2, get something more modern. have you read this... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314068 fgdn17, Thank you for your input.While i had not seen that particular article pretty much all of the content did appear on the other sites i did check. The one additional bit of info that i had not seen before is the reference to the BIOS "disable the plug and play". When time permits i shall check the BIOS and see what the current setting is and if a change as suggested is required i shall do so. As you saw from the original post the tech support at Airlink 101 were the providers of the info that resulted in the question. From that i assume this is a known problem to them in the XP O/S and their suggested remedy did work. As to the viability of that particular (now vacant) slot to recognize any other devices (than theirs that did not work) remains to be determined.My curiosity will have me testing that when time permits. truenorth P.S. I must say though that the DISABLING of the plug and play function i suspect will bring on it's own set of problems if it literally means what it says. Best of the season to you.No, I think they're just talking about NOT enabling "Plug and play OS" in the BIOS so that the BIOS can deal with the resource assignment rather than the OS. That is preferable for some reason. I forgot why. Raptor, Distinction acknowledged,thanks,truenorth

Answer» DELL XPS model WHL O/S XP-Pro. Recently i had occasion to DESIRE to install an Airlink wireless PCI 300n model AWLH6090 adapter into the above computer. I used a VACANT PCI slot that had been used by some earlier hardware installation (unknown to me). After appropriate software installation and hardware a point arose after the required reboot that the computer froze at the XP loading window. A discussion with Airlnk tech resolved the issue. They claimed that the problem was caused by the IRQ of that particular slot remaining associated with whatever previous device had been in it and therefore would not recognize the new hardware i had installed. That problem was overcome by changing the PCI slot to another that had never been used.However if indeed that was the cause then i am now left with only one remaining PCI slot (the one that wouldn't work) that is vacant. Is there some way to "clear" or whatever the proper term is the IRQ association for that particular slot? How can i identify it (other than physically) in a way that i am certain i am changing the correct slot?My own research has found the following:

Re: can I change irq values in xp?

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

Are you experincing any issues with your machine? Motherboards and Windows XP these days are mature enough to handle IRQ assignments efficiently. It's common for Windows systems (later than 98SE) to display more than one device on the same IRQ. If your rig is not PCI Express, check in BIOS that you have the following options enabled:
- ACPI
- APIC
- PNP Aware OS

If they're enabled, and the PnP service in Windows is functioning properly, IRQ's shouldn't be a worry - even if there's more than one device on an IRQ.
__________________

Is this the right way to go or is there a different/better way to proceed. While i have no immediate need for the remaining PCI slot that may change in the future.
truenorthI've never had a problem like this but some BIOS allow you to sort of reassign or 'reset' IRQ's.
Raptor, Yes i saw a reference to a BIOS approach in addition to the one in my original post. However it was less than specific as to how to accomplish it specifically for the PCI slot involved. I have often done this before on many computers (add/change hardware) and also have never had a problem. But it seems that under some conditions of certain computers it can occur.I don't know if it was the specific device i was trying to install or will all hardware devices create that problem when i try to use that slot? Time will tell if/when i try to use it. However if I can resolve it now rather than wait i would prefer that. thank you for the input.truenorthSorry, no clue. I do know some devices are picky about the slot that they're in.

I did some searching on Google;

Quote

Windows XP cannot rebalance resources in the same way that Microsoft Windows 98 does. After PCI resources are set, they generally cannot be changed. If you change to an incorrect IRQ setting or I/O range for the bus that a device is on, Windows XP cannot compensate by rebalancing the resource that was assigned to that bus.

Quote

The Plug and Play operating system settings in the computer BIOS do not generally affect how Windows XP handles the hardware. However, Microsoft recommends that you set the Plug and Play operating system setting to No or Disabled in the computer BIOS.

Quote

Manually assigning IRQs to PCI slots in the system BIOS as a troubleshooting method may work on some non-ACPI systems that use a standard PC hardware abstraction layer (HAL), but these settings are ignored by Plug and Play in Windows if ACPI support is enabled. If you MUST manually assign IRQ addresses through the BIOS to a device on an ACPI motherboard, you must reinstall Windows to force the installation to use a Standard PC HAL.

Raptor, Again I thank you and all of what you display is the same kind of info i found during my search prior to the post. It pretty much says it cannot be done except in one limited case and even then a change does not seem to be guarantied. One day when i can find some spare time i will stick something into that slot and see how it behaves.Then i will at least have an idea if it is hardware type specific (as in the current case of the wireless adapter) or if it is universal. Best of the season to you. truenorthI'd try it in a different slot with more up to date (or out of date) drivers and if the card doesn't support WPA2, get something more modern. have you read this...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314068

fgdn17, Thank you for your input.While i had not seen that particular article pretty much all of the content did appear on the other sites i did check. The one additional bit of info that i had not seen before is the reference to the BIOS "disable the plug and play". When time permits i shall check the BIOS and see what the current setting is and if a change as suggested is required i shall do so. As you saw from the original post the tech support at Airlink 101 were the providers of the info that resulted in the question. From that i assume this is a known problem to them in the XP O/S and their suggested remedy did work. As to the viability of that particular (now vacant) slot to recognize any other devices (than theirs that did not work) remains to be determined.My curiosity will have me testing that when time permits. truenorth
P.S. I must say though that the DISABLING of the plug and play function i suspect will bring on it's own set of problems if it literally means what it says.
Best of the season to you.No, I think they're just talking about NOT enabling "Plug and play OS" in the BIOS so that the BIOS can deal with the resource assignment rather than the OS.

That is preferable for some reason. I forgot why.
Raptor, Distinction acknowledged,thanks,truenorth

Solve : PCIslot/IRQ?

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