----- Original Message -----
Max Timchenko:


> Hello PCBuild,
>
>   I've got a problem. On friend's PC, his Sound Blaster Live! and
>   Rockwell PCI WinModem both take IRQ 12 and I can't change it (the
>   Settings window shows Can't change this resource).
>

Hi, I just had a similar issue this morning involving a
STB display adapter and a 3Com NIC. They were
both sharing IRQ 11 and did not allow maual configuring
of the settings in Device Manager. These cards also lacked
jumpers for on-board settings.

My fix was as follows:
     1.) I disabled(not removed) the STB in device manager,
          ( by disabling your device you can still save the settings.)
     2.) I removed the 3Com from device manager to be
          redetected.
     3.) After rebooting, I enabled plug & play in BIOS
          and reserved IRQ11 to get Windows to place
          the 3Com elsewhere.
     4.)Plug and Play placed the 3Com on IRQ10
     5.)I re-enabled the STB on its current settings
         which was IRQ11
     6.)One more reboot completed it.

This won't work if you don't have any free IRQ's.
And if you're using a newer BIOS you may be
able to assign IRQ's as opposed to reserving them
like I did.

This conflict may have occured because plug & play
was disabled in BIOS. I've read Windows can
not properly recognize what settings are being
allocated in such a situation.

On a final note you can always remove the cards
and reinstall them one by one. I usually, install
in this order: video, sound, modem, nic to ensure
favorite settings are allocated. And of course this
method works best on a mb/BIOS which has
plug & play enabled.

-yui shin

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