Install Expansion Cards Tips:
Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards:
Some expansion cards need to use an IRQ to operate. Generally an IRQ
must be exclusively assigned to one use. In a standard design there are 16
IRQs available but most of them are already in use, leaving 6 IRQs free for
expansion cards.
Both ISA and PCI expansion cards may require to use IRQs. System IRQs
are available to cards installed in the ISA expansion bus first, then any
remaining IRQs are available to PCI cards. Currently, there are two types of
ISA cards. The original ISA expansion card design, now referred to as
legacy ISA cards, requires that you configure the card's jumpers manually
and then install it in any available slot on the ISA bus. You may use
Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD.EXE) utility located in the Windows directory to
see a map of your used and free IRQs. If you use Windows 95/98, the
Resources tab under Device Manager displays the resource settings being
used by a particular device (to gain access, double-click the System icon
under the Control Panel program). Ensure that no two devices share the
ame IRQs or your computer will experience problems when those two
devices are in use at the same time. The original ISA expansion card
design, now referred to as "Legacy" ISA cards, requires that you configure
the card's jumpers manually and then install it in any available slot on the
ISA bus. You may use Microsoft's Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) utility included in
the Windows directory to see a map of your used and free IRQs. For
Windows 95/98 users, the "Control Panel" icon in "My Computer," contains
a "System" icon which gives you a "Device Manager" tab. Double clicking
on a specific device give you "Resources" tab which shows the Interrupt
number and address. Make sure that no two devices use the same IRQs or
your computer will experience problems when those two devices are in use
at the same time. To simplify this process this motherboard has complied
with the Plug and Play (PnP) specification which was developed to allow
automatic system configuration whenever a PnP-compliant card is added to
the system. For PnP cards, IRQs are assigned automatically from those
available. If the system has both Legacy and PnP ISA cards installed, IRQs
are assigned to PnP cards from those not used by Legacy cards. The PCI
and PnP configuration of the BIOS setup utility can be used to indicate
which IRQs are being used by Legacy cards. For older Legacy cards that
do not work with the BIOS, you can contact your vendor for an ISA
Configuration Utility. An IRQ number is automatically assigned to PCI
expansion cards after those used by Legacy and PnP ISA cards. In the PCI
bus design, the BIOS automatically assigns an IRQ to a PCI slot that has a
card in it that requires an IRQ. To install a PCI card, you need to set
something called the INT (interrupt) assignment. Since all the PCI slots on
