IRQ conflicts from hell

[AxemanFU]

OK, just built a new system, with the following component combo giving me trouble in win98SE:
Epox 8KHA+ AWARD bios
Geforce2 GTS
SBlive Val
10/100 PCI nic

They all install, and all work, but either win98 or the bios are lumping all of these devices PLUS my 3 usb controllers onto IRQ 11. The mobo seems to handle it until I fire up a game, and then they keep fighting for the IRQ, and the SBLive appears to be winning, since the mouse gets choppy and my frames drop to about 1/3 of what they should be.

I have tried all the normal things like trying different PCI slots, installing the devices in different order, installing them all at once, etc.
Now I have to go into the BIOS and try the PNP-OS, NON-PNP-OS settings where I can (attempt) to reserve an IRQ for these devices. Is there a chance I can get some IRQ conflict tips or a system for approaching this. I never have had a really good grasp about how this PNP-nonPNP thing works in the bios for setting IRQs. I must have been lucky with past systems, as they usually worked when I installed all the new hardware at once...

If you need to know, IRQ 12 and IRQ 7 show to be unused in win98's system properties, while all these devices are lumped on 11.

The only thing I have thought of that might work is to reserve IRQ11 for the SBLive, (since it seems to demand it every time), and try to get the other devices on other IRQ's.
Also, does a Geforce2 really need an IRQ for VGA? Thanks.

 

[Nothinman]

IRQ contention would not cause the type of slowdowns you're talking about unless a driver was really, really poorly written.

 

[mattyrug]

Your problems don't sound IRQ Related, but here's a few pointers to relieve your IRQ sharing woes.....

I have the same board. In short - I know that the AGP SLot and 1st Slot are shared, Slots 4 & 6 are shared together, Slot 2 is Independent, and Slots 3 & 5 Share together and with the USB. So you'll have to choose wisely for your INT Pin assignments in the BIOS.
Also disable ANYTHING you're not using, like COM ports, Parallel Ports, PS/2 Mouse Port (if u got a USB Mouse).
These are Legacy Devices that are reserved by default in the BIOS-
IRQ 12 by Default is the PS/2 Mouse port,
IRQ 7 is usually your Paralell Port
IRQ 6 is usually your Floppy Disk Controller
IRQ's 3&4 are usually COM Ports.
I personally like to use a PS/2 Mouse. but I disable everything else in that list, and have just enough IRQ's left so nothing is sharing.
I have 2 Video Cards, Sound Card (I disabled the onboard), Network Card, Firewire Card (Shared w/the USB Onboard), and my 2nd Video Card (Voodoo 3 2k PCI) is using the IRQ that my Parallel Port would've used (which was a little tricky to make work).
I rarely use the Floppy drive anymore, in fact I don't even have one in there, so it's disabled as well.
Also in Device Mangler, check under the 'PCI Bus' setting and check the 'Use BIOS' setting, this will use the APCI call from the BIOS to use the IRQ that the BIOS has assigned, and not one that Windows wants the Hardware to have, kinda.......

Anyway, hope this helps you out a little. I have the same Board, and like it so far (same quirkyness as with any VIA based board).

 

[AxemanFU]

well, i disabled a com port i wasnt using, put the bios back in sharge of IRQ's, and they all fell in line on different irq.. I also discovered that the irq conflict was not the problem with UT, detonator XP drivers were...