Best way to use IRQ's & PnP;

Read a article one time (and can't find it) about the best way to select which PCI slot to use for what device. Like, if U have the video card in the AGP slot, don't put the modem next to it and ETC......etc. I see a lot of try another pci slot and again ETC.

What's the BEST way to put these cards in a newly built computer with the video in AGP...??? and I have 5 PCI slots. There must be a best/better, (more normal) way when U guy's build one before firing it up the first time.

 

Hi knucles,

I've never heard of a "preferred" placement of the PCI cards. IF you feel there is a "IRQ" interrupt conflict... then in some cases moving the card to another slot may cure the problem. With todays OS's and hardware, shared IRQ paths have reduced this common problem from the DOS days.

 

Hi Dennis and apprecate the help.

Then i must be back in the paranoid days and we "Now" can just pop any device into any PCI slot and not worry about it..??

 

Give some consideratin where connection cables come out of the box, if surplus of slots, leave a space between the cards. (cooling) Unless you get an IRQ conflict, you can put the cards in any open slot. More important, line up and properly seat each card. Enjoy your build.

 

The best way to fire up a newly built computer is to have a really clean install. When you install Windows, have only the video card inserted. Install the motherboard drivers first, then install the video drivers. When it is running fine with that, then add the other hardware. If you have a problem, it is a lot easier to track down this way.

 

The only time I have ever had any IRQ problems or had to br concerned about whatt was where at all was when trying to use an Internal WinModem type Modem.

But using the suggestion by markp62 Of one thing at a time does produce the best results.

BillyBob

 

At one time there were a lot of motherboards sharing resources between slot 1 and AGP. The recommended setup then, was every second slot, starting with slot 2, then work your way back up. So if you have 5 PCI slots, you put the first device (theoretically your sound card) in slot 2, then modem in slot 4, then slot 5, then slot 3...allowing for 4 PCI devices. If you had to use slot 1, you took the risk of having huge conflicts with it, and the AGP card.
Since the advent of much better ACPI and Windows XP, this hardly holds true today.