Shared IRQ 16 3

[KlondikeMike]

Howdy all,
First off, my system:
Win2k Pro (SP 2), Intel OR840G mobo (latest BIOS) with dual P-III 933's, 512-MB PC800 RDRAM, a 3dLabs Oxygen GVX1 graphics card, NetLine 10/100 PCI NIC, Sound Blaster Live!, Adaptec 2930cu PCI SCSI w/HP 9200i CD-RW, Panasonic DVD/CD-ROM, 2 Western Digital EIDE HD's running thru the integrated ATA66 controller on the mobo.
All drivers are the latest versions.
Page file size is set to 766-MB (min) 2000-MB (max) and is located on C:.
System resouces never drop below 76% from a start of 85% (according to AnalogX's MaxMem).
Also using IE 5.5 (SP1) and Zone Alarm.
My problem:
I've got a slight stability issue with one of my programs.
It's a 3D modeling/animation application. Lots of users of this program have crashes, while others can use the heck out of it for months without failures.
Sometimes it will totally freeze the system, while other times it will cause a reboot. It never happens while I'm doing the same operation (ie: very random)
Some user-reported crashes are caused by user error (ie: doing something that the program doesn't like), and other crashes are truly hardware related.
I have recently checked Device Manager to see if there were any hardware conficts and none were indicated, but I noticed that my graphics card and my NIC are sharing IRQ 16.
I know that in itself isn't a big deal, but since this program demands a lot from the hardware (especially the graphics card), I'm wondering if this could be the root cause of my crashes and, if it is, how do I go about reassigning the IRQ's?
My current IRQ assignments are:
1- keyboard
2- not listed
3- not listed
4- com1,
5- Intel 82801AA SMBus Controller
6- Floppy disk controller
7- not listed
8- System CMOS/Realtime Clock
9- Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
10- not listed
11- not listed
12- Mouse
13- Numeric data processor
14- Primary IDE Channel
15- Secondary IDE Channel
16- 3dLabs Gamma Processor for Oxygen GVX1
16- 3dLabs Oxygen GVX1
16- NetLine 10/100 PCI Card
17- Creative SB Live! series(WDM)
18- Adaptec AHA-2930CU PCI SCSI
19- Intel 82891AA USB Universal Host Controller
There aren't any jumpers on the cards or mobo, and I don't think the Intel mobo let's you assign IRQ's with the BIOS.
This program is the only one that crashes on my system. I also use Photshop 5.5 and Painter 5 to create/manipulate large graphics files (90+ megabyte images, with unlimited Undo's) up to 8-12 hours a day without any problems ever. But they are 2D apps, and not nearly as stressful to the graphics card as the 3D one is.
I'm not adverse to changing to a different brand graphics card or NIC (a LOT cheaper than a new grahics card) if it will do me any good. Any ideas?
Michael Comeaux
michael_comeaux@hotmail.com

 

[Speccie]

Well James, I have to put my fourpence in. I have worked in ISA and microchannel architecture and IRQ 15 is max to my current knowledge. It is electrical lines on the bus, but not 16 (0-15) it is 4. The IRQ's are counted in binary so its 1/2 a byte. An IRQ is an interrupt in old currency and devices that can share, ship an address along with the interrupt, devices that dont ship an address can't share....Its as I know it. I also know that in Win9x IRQ's can be altered for devices that share, for instance I have busmasters on IRQ 14 and IRQ 15 and if I open device manager and select hard disk controller and properties, click on resources, I have a choice of selecting another configuration. I am using a thinkpad 770 and I have so many shared devices I have to close ones I dont use. Attaching the machine to a docking station adds a 3rd busmaster. This has to be shared with IRQ 15. In win9x, start, run, type in msconfig and IRQ's and other resources can be investigated. Below a copy of my current active IRQ's.

0 System timer
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
2 Programmable interrupt controller
3 (free)
4 Communications Port (COM1)
5 Crystal PnP Audio System CODEC
6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7 Printer Port (LPT1)
8 System CMOS/real time clock
9 Crystal PnP Audio System MPU-401 Compatible
10 D-Link DWL-650 11Mbps WLAN Adapter
11 IBM CD1M MPEG-2 Decoder Card
11 IBM ThinkPad 770/770E/770ED (Cyber9397)
11 Texas Instruments PCI-1250 CardBus Controller
11 Texas Instruments PCI-1250 CardBus Controller
11 Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
11 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
12 IBM PS/2 TrackPoint
13 Numeric data processor
14 Standard Bus Mastering IDE Hard Disk Controller
15 Standard Bus Mastering IDE Hard Disk Controller

The above is a copy and paste from msconfig, if I got this wrong, I need re-educating, I also did a search with no hits.

regards Michael.

 

[MA5]

Hi all
What an interesting thread so let me confuse the issue a little bit and that might through a light on IRQ16 (if it exists).
On the original IBM PC architecture, the IRQ coordination was handled by a chip capable of up to 8 interrupt lines (in case of IBM, it was Intel 8259 controller chip).
As demand for IRQs excided the numbers available. IBM added another Controller chip in their IBM PC/AT design. To maintain compatibility levels, they piggybacked the new chip to the original and hard wired the new IRQ9 to the original IRQ2, so all the IRQ 8~15 requests were and still are handled by IRQ2 (that is why it is an interrupt request controller) and hence higher priority of IRQ8 to 15 over 3 to 7.

Now, is it possible that a manufacturer has added a third controller chip! In effect creating IRQ 16 to 23!
If so BIOS and the OS used must be IRQ 16 to 23 aware.

Regards

 

[CitrixEngineer]

I haven't read all of this yet - there's far too much of it - but it covers this in incredible detail, including interrupt vector mapping, chaining of controllers and how interrupts are assigned. It also distinguishes hardware interrupts from software INTs, and discusses how latency is handled.

http://oopweb.com/Assembly/Document...s/ArtOfAssembly/Volume/Chapter_17/CH17-1.html

...you can also brush up on your assembly programming while you're there...

There's another good document here (which is a bit easier to read!);

http://www.ziatech.com/support/appn8.pdf

This is more from the angle of the processor support (for up to 255 interrupts). Be careful to distinguish between x86 and 8259 processors!

Finally, here's a presentation style document that covers how IRQs are handled by Windows 2000 (it looks like it might be a research paper);

http://os.inf.tu-dresden.de/Studium/AusgewaehlteBS/Win2KInterrupts.pdf

Enjoy! CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk