From: "Patti Gates" :Sent: Monday, September 04, 2000 7:01 AM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] Help! Windows 2000/bios mode
> Thank you for the help. Created a boot disk from a Win 98 machine. works
> fine. :-) I'm still not quite sure which bios file to use. It appears that
> I can use the latest version, but the list of descriptions has me a little
> confused. (do I download the version that says it includes my processor or
> the one that has the latest date? eg, are the additions / modifications
> sequential?)
> Problem 2, If I disable COM2 in BIOS, COM 4 is no longer available, then
my
> modem won't work. If I uninstall COM2 through device manager, the modem
> still works, but the next time I boot, COM2 is re-installed. There is
still
> something I don't understand here??? :-(
>
Patti,
You should install the latest version of the BIOS as they include previous
additions, modifications, etc.
Com 2 and Com 4 share an IRQ as do Com 1 and Com 3. Originally there were
only 2 com ports, Com1 and Com2 which were the designated serial ports.
Because there was a need for more serial ports Com3 and Com4 were also
designated as serial ports with unused I/O addresses but they shared IRQ's
with Com1 and Com2. The standard settings for the Com ports are as follows:
Com1 IRQ4 I/O 03F8
Com2 IRQ3 I/O 02F8
Com3 IRQ4 I/O 03E8
Com4 IRQ3 I/O 02E8
Because of the way com ports are set up if you disable Com2 in the BIOS, Com
4 will disappear from Device Manager also. If your BIOS supports it you may
be able to change the IRQ of Com2 to a non standard IRQ that is free in your
system, such as IRQ 9, 10 or 11. This should allow your modem to install on
Com4 without a conflict, but you must have a free IRQ to do this. If you do
not have a free IRQ then you can install the modem on Com2 as you do not
seem to need that com port for another reason.
Hope this helps.
Mary Wolden
Hope this helps.
Mary Wolden
PCBUILD's List Owner's:
Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>
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