IRQ sharing, for ASUS P4PE (how?)

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 2:54 pm

I would just like to be sure I’m not sharing Pulsar with anything else, to maximize bandwidth.

In the hardware information page, the Pulsar IRQ is the number 23, but I’ve seen that the WinXP Promise FastTrack 376 controller “also” has IRQ 23…

I went to the BIOS setup and in the PCI configuration, changed the Slot 3 (where I have my Pulsar card installed), from Auto mode to number 3, the same as where it is installed.

Then in the PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion, I have put the “IRQ 3 Reserved” to yes, i.e., for cards that requires a unique IRQ and are not using ICU.

Am I doing something wrong or this is the correct configuration? I’m not sure I’m not sharing IRQs. Cheers.

jea · Post by **jea** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 6:49 am

No, but I don't know tha IRQ table for that board...

I think that the controller shares the irq on the mainboard, not in the bios. It's probably hardwired.

So it wouldn't help to change a bios setting then.

Look at the IRQ sharing table for your card in the manual.

Find one that is not shared and put the card there.

Regards, jea

darkrezin · Post by **darkrezin** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 8:40 am

Hi Nestor,

I am successfully using 2 pulsar1's in my P4PE box with no shared IRQs (except with each other!).. I can't remember which slots they're in right now, but I can tell you later after I check.

dbmac · Post by **dbmac** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:57 am

If you're setup is ACPI (it should be), then you can't influence IRQ assignments in BIOS, they're controlled by XP.

I think PCI slots 1 & 5 are what you want for CW cards - they only share IRQ's with each other, no other hardware.

Check the Asus web site for the manual:
http://www.asus.com/support/download/it ... 0%20Deluxe

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 6:05 pm

So I guess I am in the same situation as Ken with the P4800, not having the possibility to change it through the BIOS.

Should I put those parameters I moved back so?

Dark, that would be nice if you could tell me which slots you are using in your P4PE, cheers.

You’re right Dbmac, I’m using ACPI. I understand that in this mode you cannot use the BIOS to control IRQs, ok, I thought this would depend on motherboards specifications, but you let me understand that this is a general thing with ACPI, am I understanding well? Thanks for the link, I already have the manual, the problem is that the information for IRQs is small, I don’t see any specific explanation about slots 1 and 5.

Here you have what the manual tells you about IRQ:

4.4.3 PCI Configuration
Slot 1/5, slot 2, slot 3, slot 4, slot 6 IRQ {auto}
These fields automatically assign the IRQ for each PCI slot. The default setting for eadch field is [auto, which utilizes auto-routing to determine IRQ assignments. Configuration options: {auto}, {NA} {3}, {4}, {5}, {7}, {9}, {10}, {11}, {12}, {14}, {15}.

+

4.4.3.1 PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion
IRQ xx Reserved {No/ICU}
These fields indicate whether or not the displayed IRQ for each field is being used by a legacy (non-PnP) ISA card. The setting {No/ICUÇ for an IRQ field indicates that you are using the ISA Configuration Utility {ICU}, and that this particular IRQ is NOT required by a legacy ISA card. Set the IRQ field to {Yes} if you install a legacy ISA card that requires a unique IRQ and you are NOT using ICU. Configuration options {No/ICU} {Yes}.

SAnd · Post by **SAnd** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 3:46 am

Someone tell me that the right slot for audio card on the Asus is the second one (number two), because don't share nothing with other peripherical... You can assign an IRQ too by bios, and install/set the XP in standard mode...

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:14 pm

I'll try number two then, and will see what happens... Cheers.

arela · Post by **arela** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:37 pm

hi
In my user guide for the P4PE it says:
(page 2-14)
PCI slot 1 share IRQ with slot 5
PCI slot 2 share IRQ with 1394 (firewire)
PCI slot 3 share IRQ with USB 2.0 and RAID
PCI slot 4 share IRQ with LAN

slot 1 and/or 5 should fit well, but is this right, after all my cards (slot 1 and 5)
share IRQ with the gigaLAN

...i dont know (but it works)

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 3:07 pm

Thanks Arela, I'm getting crazy about slots, my Pulsar card has become a foreigner and me, an emigration officer, from slot to slot...

Well, So I'll see which would be the best for me, thank you!

arela · Post by **arela** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 3:30 pm

i'm to lazy to shuffle cards around

Post by **hubird** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:28 pm

krizrox · Post by **krizrox** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:55 pm

On 2004-02-09 15:07, Nestor wrote:
Thanks Arela, I'm getting crazy about slots, my Pulsar card has become a foreigner and me, an emigration officer, from slot to slot...

Well, So I'll see which would be the best for me, thank you!

I laughed out loud when I read this.

I feel the same way. I have an ASUS P4T533-C mobo with Win XP in ACPI mode. Pulsar 2 and an XTC board installed. I've never gotten a handle on this issue either. I'll have to look again but I am sure one of the boards is free and clear and the other is sharing an IRQ with something else. I'm not aware of any problems (no pops or clicks or anything like that). Assuming I'm not noticing a problem, is there some reason to be worried?

In the user manual, I see the interrupt table but I don't understand it. There are columns across the top labeled A thru I. Each row (slot 1 through 5) corresponds to these lettered columns with either shared or used or open. What does that mean exactly? What do these lettered columns represent? Anyone know?

update:

I went and took a closer look at my setup.

It doesn't look like my cards are sharing an IRQ with other things.

One card is listed as (PCI) 18
The other is listed as (PCI) 22

There is something called (ISA) 22 Microsoft ACPI - Compliant System. Is this being shared with (PCI) 22? If not, then I guess I have no problem

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: krizrox on 2004-04-21 15:27 ]</font>