Does it matter? If it does...could someone tell me where to install each type of card? (let's say the pci slot closest to the AGP is PCI slot 1...and the one below it is 2, etc)
yes, it can do.
with most m/boards AGP shares the same irq with slot 1. added to that other slots may also share an irq. some pieces of hardware, notibly videocards don't like sharing with any other pieces of hardware or else you get lockups or BSOD. your m/board manual will tell you which slots are shared!
I should mention the above is true for win98/ME. win2k is a different kettle of fish as most devices share the same irq successfully.
I've read that it's generally a good idea not to put a card in the 1st slot, the one closest to the AGP slot. Second consideration is that some devices don't like to share IRQs, so you may have to do some rearranging to get everything working properly. Third is heat. Any card you plug in will radiate heat, so if you have the option of leaving a slot open between 2 cards, it's a good idea to do so.
It definitely matters because most PCI slots will share IRQs with other devices or eachother. Look in your motherboard manual to see which slot shares with what. Most of the time the top PCI slot or even top 2 slots will share and IRQ with the AGP slot, so you should avoid putting anything in those slot(s). Basically, just try to arrange your cards so each one shares as few IRQs as possible. I've found that video cards and sound cards often don't like to share IRQs with anything whereas network cards and stuff like tv cards don't mind. Then again, it may not really matter in Win2k since it will set all of your PCI devices to IRQ 9 anyway, but I would still do it like mentioned above just to stay on the safe side.
Busmastering PCI slots can also be a pain. Things like IDE/SCSI controllers sometimes don't work correctly unles they are in a busmaster PCI slot. This is usually only a problem with older mobos and OSes (Win 98 and earlier). Usually the one or two slots furthest from the AGP slot are busmasters.
<< Does it matter? If it does...could someone tell me where to install each type of card? (let's say the pci slot closest to the AGP is PCI slot 1...and the one below it is 2, etc)
thanks,
-eric >>
It does matter where you place your PCI cards. The top PCI slot will recieve the highest priority usually and so forth.This has to do with requests for the CPU per each clock cycle. The CPU takes the requests in the order they come. The Top PCI slot typically has first daps at a request. If you have a card that will take up a lot of IRQ's or a card that has trouble sharing IRQ's, put them higher up on the PCI chain. A good example would be a ntework or souncard.
ya i use the top to bottom arrangement too...i use to stick my cards anywhere on my asus...until i started getting many many IRQ conflicts. One way to avoid this is to stick em in one at a time...so stick one card in...boot...and then shut down and start again.
<< Usually the one or two slots furthest from the AGP slot are busmasters. >>
It's the other way around. On all the boards I've seen where all the PCI slots are not bus-mastered, usually the two closest to the AGP slot are. And on most newer boards all the slots are bus-mastered.
BTW, I've never had an IRQ conflict because of the slot assignments. But I have had many problems with bus-mastering. That's one of the reasons I'm almost bald now.
I'm with Workin' on the busmastering scenario, many cards demand a busmastering slot, but the documentation doesn't say so. Or the info is in small print on page 47 of the manual, under "other features."
It's a great way to go Postal. Put down the axe, try some soothing music, or a shower, then put the card in a different slot....
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.