From: Christopher Jones :Subject: [PCBUILD] SCSI Card and NIC - IRQ Problems


> I recently installed an Adaptec 2930U2 SCSI adapter.  When I got it up and
> running, my Linksys 10/100 NIC would no longer see the network.  It seems
to be
> an IRQ conflict.  The SCSI card is insisting on IRQ 9.  If I go into safe
mode
> and change the IRQ of the NIC, reboot into normal mode and enable it, my
system
> locks up.  I have tried deleting the NIC in the device manager (Win 98)
and
> letting PnP reinstall it.  No luck.  If anyone has any suggestions, I
would be
> grateful.
>
> TIA,
> Chris
>
Chris,

The PCI slot determines the IRQ that the card  will have.  Depending on the
motherboard you have, you can change the IRQ for a PCI slot in the Bios.  On
the Abit BX6 the AGP slot and the first PCI slot share the same IRQ.  The
2nd and 3rd PCI slots each have their own IRQ.  The 4th and if you have a
5th PCI slots share an IRQ.  If I were to put cards in the 4th and 5th PCI
slots and they could not share an IRQ, like a SCSI card and a NIC then I
would have to move the cards to slots on my motherboard that do not share
IRQ's, like PCI slot 2 and 3.  Be aware that your Bios can list the PCI
slots starting from 0 instead of one.  I have counted the slots and then
changed the wrong slot in the Bios because it started from 0 not 1.  You
will have to check your motherboard documentation to see how the IRQs are
assigned to the PCI slots.  If your motherboard won't let you change IRQs in
the Bios then you will have to try moving the cards around in the PCI slots
based on your motherboard documentation to find which slots will let both
cards work on separate IRQs.  I have not had any trouble with video and
sound sharing IRQs so far, so maybe they could be in PCI slots that share
IRQs.  Good Luck

Mary Wolden

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