IRQs question

[InFluX]

Hi all

You guys always ask for irq info, so I gonna start by givin it!

0 System timer
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
2 Programmable interrupt controller
3 Communications Port (COM2)
4 Communications Port (COM1)
5 (free)
6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7 ECP Printer Port (LPT1)
8 System CMOS/real time clock
9 (free)
10 AMD 756 PCI to USB Open Host Controller
10 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11 Creative SB Live! Value
11 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11 Matrox Millennium G400 DualHead - English
12 PS2 Scroll Mouse V1.10
13 Numeric data processor
14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
14 AMD 756 PCI Bus Master Dual IDE Controller
15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
15 AMD 756 PCI Bus Master Dual IDE Controller

Now Ive been reading stuff, and people have said that the g400 shouldnt share with anything except steering. However I have 9 free and my g400 is sharing with my sb live!

Everything seems to be working ok, but could this be inhibiting performance? and if so can I change it?

Also Im not exactly sure what my m'board is, but I think its a ms-6167 atx ir1 mainboard... with an Athlon 500. Can anyone tell me what the latest drivers/bios/mini port I should have for this combo? and more importantly where I can get them?

Ill just mention that I have recently done a fresh reinstall of windows, so all my computer's factory defaults have gone.

Id be very grateful if any1 could help. Thanks in advance!
Rich

[Greebe]

InFluX, what OS and cpu are you running? Also what do you normally score in 3Dfarq?

I have an MSI MS-6167 IR1 MB and the only way to change the IRQ's is to swap the pci cards around.

[TnT]

I have a Marvel G200 and mine is also sharing an IRQ between the G200 and an SB Live. I haven't had any problems at all. When I didn't have the SB Live in, there was no speed increase, on my computer any ways. I'm no expert on the IRQ sharing, but if there isn't any problems, it should be okay. If you really want to change it though, just try moving the SB Live to different PCI slots. Although everytime you start up, Windows will want to install the drivers again.

[ayoub_ibrahim]

looking at your irqs, it seems that you have your sb live in slot 1. change its slot position & leave slot 1 free as AGP & slot 1 share same irq!

[Greebe]

ayoub_ibrahim, that's an incorrect assumption. The 6167 has this particular oddness to it.

My setup has a G400Max (currently) Hauppauge WinTV, Nic and a SB Live installed and the Max sits on IRQ3(!, by itself) without any problems or proformance degredation.

Having the graphics card on a high IRQ while preferable, is only a suggestion, as many MB's have issues working properly on a low IRQ. MB's like the 6167 do not exhibit this problem.

[InFluX]

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

My os is Win 98 and my processor is an Athlon 500&128MBit RAM. TBH it sounds like everything is ok....Im not particularly keen to start moving my cards around unless someone says I will definantly yield a performance advantage.....Ive had enough of that already :E ! Unfortunately since my reinstall, my copy of 3d mark 2000 + all benchmarks have gone the way of the Dodo, so I cant compare results.

Thanks anyway for the help!

One last thing...does anyone know where I can get the latest drivers/bios/mini port for my system?

[exciton]

you could try getting a copy of Sisoft Sandra, this should be able to tell you what your mobo is, and from there you could go to your manufacterers web site where they will probably have links for the files you need.

[Greebe]

exciton, I own Sandra Pro 2001 and can tell you it's mostly worthless. We have very similar systems and Wombat and I know exactly what he needs and how to do it.

[InFluX]

Hi

errrrm....just what do I need to do and how do I get it?

Thx for your time!

Cya
Rich

[Greebe]

Sandra 2001

[InFluX]

thank you!

the only reason I asked was that I thought you said it was mostly worthless?