Multiple devices using same IRQ

On the Resources Tab of these devices on IRQ 11, try to set the settings manually, uncheck "use automatic settings, looking of course for NO Conflicts.

PCI devices like your modem and NIC auto config. with PNP bios...so you cannot change the IRQ. Sharing is fine but when they do not work then you have 2 options..
1. change the slot of the card..it may pick up another irq that wil not conflict.
Or: some bios' will allow you to assign an irq to a particular slot..go into the setup (bios) of the pc and search for the options..they are differnt with every bios so I can't tell you exactly where to click..but if it is there you will eventually find it.

Windows 98 uses IRQ steering to allow multiple devises to use the same IRQ. However, conflicts can still arise.

What you need to do, is disable IRQ steering so that Windows can reset the IRQ table, and dynamically assign the open IRQs.

Checkout WKB article Q182604 for a discussion of IRQ steering.
There is another article that discusses disableing IRQ steering in further detail, but, I don't have the number. My file says the keywords are kbonv win 98.

I would also enter BIOS setup, and on the PCI configuration settings change the reset configuration / escd to yes. This way the BIOS will report the need for multiple IRQs to Windows.

After you have booted with IRQ steering disabled, you can then re-enable IRQ steering, and reboot.

You should look at the Device manager or Systems Information file and see what IRQs are available. You may be able to resolve conflicts by changing jumpers on the cards in question. Modems are usually on IRQ 3 or 4 (COM 2,4 and COM 1,3). NICs work well on 10. USB can be on whatever is available.

Easiest thing in my mind to do is disable the hardware in bios that you don't use. In my case I have a USB modem and USB printer. Therefore I disabled the LPT and serial ports in the BIOS and then had 3 more IRQ's free. Usually if windows assignsIRQ sharing it is because there are no more free IRQ's.

You can also try disabling devices in the device manager that you don't use. The SB16 emulation on a sound card requires a free IRQ and if you don't play DOS games why have DOS sound enabled.

If your system has ACPI enabled in the bios it allows windows to override any manual settings it wants, and supposedly allows mutiple devices to use the same IRQ with no conflicts. I would probally guess that the problem is not an IRQ one but probally drivers. Download the newest drivers for your hardware and try reinstalling them.

The solution is quite simple.

Present NICs and modems should comply with PNP requirements. So, what you would have to do is to go to BIOS.

Find something like: Windows 95 [Yes/No] (or, in newer machine: Plug and Play OS [Yes/No]). Set this BIOS parameter to Yes, it should resolve your problem.

Whenever BIOS is set to PNP, it doesn't matter whether there are multiple cards using the same IRQ. Windows will handle that gracefully, as long as all these card are PCI and not ISA.

Hope that would help.

vh_s

Try this look at the mainboard manual or get it on line. write down all the setting or print them out for the bios. Then Short the cmos or clear it the manual will tell you how. Then set the bios to ether default or best results. Then reboot your computer if everything goes ok you should be able to use everthing.

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