Could my Modem on IRQ3 be causing lockups ???

[rc23]

I've been having this odd problem with my PC. Every so often programs will lock-up, usually it's Internet Explorer. When the PC lock-ups I can still move the mouse. Ctrl-alt-del brings up the close program window, but the close prog window just locks-up if I try to "end task". Sometimes I can start other programs but they just lock-up immeadiately or after a few minutes. This doesn't always happen though. Usually my PC seems to run fine. This happens maybe 1 of 10 times I boot up.

Now I'm a bit of an amatuer in fixing PCs I really didn't know what was wrong. Eventually I checked SYSINFO and found my modem was on IRQ3 along with my VIA/USB controllers. Having 4 devices on IRQ3 seemed odd.

[Stuff on IRQ3 - exported from sysinfo]
Resource Device
IRQ 3 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
IRQ 3 VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 3 VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 3 U.S. Robotics 56K Voice PCI

So I thought I'd try and change my modem to a different IRQ. My modem doesn't have any jumpers for COM port or IRQ, so I just changed it's PCI slot. The modem moved to IRQ5.

[Stuff on IRQ5 - exported from sysinfo]
Resource Device
IRQ 5 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
IRQ 5 U.S. Robotics 56K Voice PCI
IRQ 5 PCI OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller

Here's my question. Could having my modem sharing IRQ3 be the cause of my problem ?

I know IRQ conflicts can cause lock-ups, but I haven't had to deal with assigning IRQ's since I had a 486. I'm pretty sure it's not a heat or power problem. Asus probe doesn't show my CPU overheating and I have a Enermax 430w PSU. Since this problem didn't always happen I don't know if moving my modem to another slot fixed the problem. I just want to know if the 4 things on IRQ3 could of been the cause. Since the prolem usually showed up in Internet Explorer while I was using the modem it seems plausible to me.


-rc23







*My PC*
Athlon1400
512mb ram
Radeon9500p
O/S: WinME

[Some current info from SYSINFO]
[IRQs] *sorted devices by IRQ*

Resource Device Status
IRQ 0 System timer OK
IRQ 1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard OK
IRQ 2 Programmable interrupt controller OK
IRQ 3 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 3 VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller OK
IRQ 3 VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller OK
IRQ 5 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 5 U.S. Robotics 56K Voice PCI OK
IRQ 5 PCI OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller OK
IRQ 6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller OK
IRQ 7 ECP Printer Port (LPT1) OK
IRQ 8 System CMOS/real time clock OK
IRQ 9 SCI IRQ used by ACPI bus OK
IRQ 10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 10 Creative SB Audigy OK
IRQ 11 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 11 RADEON 9500 PRO / 9700 OK
IRQ 12 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port OK
IRQ 13 Numeric data processor OK
IRQ 14 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller OK
IRQ 14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo) OK
IRQ 15 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller OK
IRQ 15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo) OK

[Hardware Resources]
[Conflicts/Sharing]

Resource Device
IRQ 3 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
IRQ 3 VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 3 VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller

Memory Address 0xD7000000-0xD7FFFFFF PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridge
Memory Address 0xD7000000-0xD7FFFFFF RADEON 9500 PRO / 9700 - Secondary

IRQ 5 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
IRQ 5 U.S. Robotics 56K Voice PCI
IRQ 5 PCI OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller

IRQ 10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
IRQ 10 Creative SB Audigy

I/O Port 0x03F6-0x03F6 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
I/O Port 0x03F6-0x03F6 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)

I/O Port 0x01F0-0x01F7 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
I/O Port 0x01F0-0x01F7 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)

Memory Address 0xD8000000-0xF77FFFFF PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridge
Memory Address 0xD8000000-0xF77FFFFF RADEON 9500 PRO / 9700 - Secondary

IRQ 11 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
IRQ 11 RADEON 9500 PRO / 9700

I/O Port 0xB800-0xB80F VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
I/O Port 0xB800-0xB80F Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)

IRQ 14 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
IRQ 14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)

IRQ 15 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
IRQ 15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)

I/O Port 0x0376-0x0376 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
I/O Port 0x0376-0x0376 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)

I/O Port 0x0170-0x0177 VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
I/O Port 0x0170-0x0177 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)

 

[MacaroneePenguin]

Are you using a PS/2 or USB Mouse?

If your mouse and modem are sharing the same IRQ, you're going to run into lock-ups whenever they are both used such as what you said, when you're on the internet and using the mouse.

 

[rc23]

My mouse is connected via the PS/2 port. System Info says the PS/2 port is IRQ 12 and my modem is now on IRQ 5.

My little error popped up again, so moving my modem to another IRQ didn't help.

Stuff on IRQ5
IRQ 5 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
IRQ 5 U.S. Robotics 56K Voice PCI
IRQ 5 PCI OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller

I think the PCI OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller is the fire wire connection on my audigy2. Since I don't use it I doubt it could be conflicting with my modem... least i hope not... Maybe I should try to connect using the USB. See if that does anything for me.