[SOLVED] help with IRQ

[khiam]

I set up a 2nd printer by installing the card in a parallel port. NOw my cdrom won't work. I disconnect the printer and CDROM comes back. I've tried changing slots but no use. I am not familiar with IRQ. How do I check if there's a conflict and how do I fix it? I'm running WinME

My thanks in advance

Karen

 

[Mavrick88]

You can check for conflicts by right clicking on the "My Computer" icon and going to properties. Then click on the TAB that says "Device Manager". You should see a list of hardware there. If anything isn't working right you will see it with an "!" next to it. As to why I am sure it's an IRQ problem and I am not really good with those, I am sure these guys can help. They seem to know what's going on! Hope I helped!

 

[crjdriver]

What os are you using? From your post I take it that you installed a card that gives you more parallel ports to hookup a printer. Have you tried to move the card to another slot on the mb?
Check in device manager and see if your card and cd drive have any yellow marks next to them.

 

[~Candy~]

That doesn't make sense.....the cdrom should not be affected by a parallel port card.....where does the cdrom plug into? The motherboard, or by some strange chance, the soundcard?

 

[JohnWill]

I'm wondering if this is an electrical grounding issue? If you plug in the cable to the printer, but unplug it from the power, does it still affect the CD?

 

[khiam]

The CDROM came with the computer and I haven't looked as to where it's connected. I've tried moving the card to different slots - no help. When the 2nd printer is plugged into the card receptor the CDROM shows a red "NO" sign over it - I can't even open the drive. When I unplug the printer cable and restart the CDROM returns, never fails. The device manager shows no conflict. I think form reading other posts that's it may be an IRQ conflict - but here's the hard part - What the hell is that and how do I fix it? (lack of in depth computer knowledge showing through) HELP!

Thanks a bunch!
Karen

 

[~Candy~]

The only way it can be an IRQ conflict, is if the cdrom would connect to a sound card, and the lpt port is trying to pick up the same IRQ number.

Or, in the very remote possibility, the cdrom is attached to it's own gray cable, to the motherboard, and the lpt card is trying to pick up IRQ 15........

Start button, run, then type msinfo32 and hit ok...go to hardware, IRQs, edit, select all, edit, copy and come back and paste.....do this with the LPT port card installed......

 

[crjdriver]

Just wondering if one or both of the printers are usb capable? If so you could try using one as usb and the other as parallel.
You will need to open the case and look to see how your cd drive is attached. If it is the normal ide type of drive you could try and set it as a slave to the hd. There are various configurations of ide devices that are acceptable.
Have you tried to disconnect the cd drive, get the card working with both printers then reconnect and let windows reinstall your cd drive?

 

[khiam]

OK the CDROM runs to the motherboard by that grey ribbon cable, it attaches into the slot next to the hard drives cable. The IRQ is as follows

IRQ 0 System timer OK
IRQ 1 Standard 101 /102 Key or Microsoft Natural keyboard OK
IRQ 2 Programmable interrupt controller OK
IRQ 3 Communications port (COM2) OK
IRQ 4 Communications port (COM1) OK
IRQ 5 MPU-401 Compatible MIDI Device OK
IRQ 6 Standard Floppy Disk COntroller OK
IRQ 7 Printer Port LPT1 OK
IRQ 8 System CMOS/real time clock OK
IRQ 9 SCI IRQ used by ACPI bus OK
IRQ 9 Intel 82801AA SMBus controller OK
IRQ 9 Crystal WDM Audio Codec OK
IRQ 9 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCl IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 10 Intel(R) 82810 Graphics Controller OK
IRQ 10 Netgear FA311 Fast Internet PCl Adapter OK
IRQ 10 NetMos PCl 9805 Parallel Port OK
IRQ 10 NetMos Parallel Port (LPT2) OK
IRQ 10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCl IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCl IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 11 Intel(r) 82801AA USB Universal Host Controller OK
IRQ 11 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCl IRQ Steering OK
IRQ 12 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port OK
IRQ 13 Numeric Data Processor OK
IRQ 14 Intel 82801 AA Bus Master IDE Controller OK
IRQ 14 Primary IDE Controller (dual fifo) OK
IRQ 15 Intel 82801 AA Bus Master IDE Controller OK
IRQ 15 Secondary IDE Controller (dual fifo) OK

 

[~Candy~]

IRQ 10 Intel(R) 82810 Graphics Controller OK
IRQ 10 Netgear FA311 Fast Internet PCl Adapter OK
IRQ 10 NetMos PCl 9805 Parallel Port OK
IRQ 10 NetMos Parallel Port (LPT2) OK

Well, I don't particularly like that combo, but I don't think it could have anything to do with your problem.....did you do as suggested? Leave the printer attached to the port, but turn the power off from the printer?

 

[khiam]

yep

now I'm trying to disconnect the CDROM, attach the printers , which are both working , and reconnecting the CDROM for the computer to find

 

[khiam]

reconnected CDROM ribbon to MB and still not working. There's the "NO" sign over the CDROM icon in the lower right hand corner and My Computer doesn't have a CDROM assigned

 

[~Candy~]

In device manager (with the cdrom connected) are there any yellow exclamation marks or red x's?

And to be sure, when you turn the problem printer off, you are disconnecting electrical power from the wall too....

another thing, can you swap printers to the other LPT port?

 

[khiam]

There's 1 yellow ! under imaging devices - IntelPC Camera Pro. That's my husband's camera which he never got working. Could that be interferring? Otherwise DM is normal. It doesn't even show CDROM when the printers and CDROM are connected. If I disconnect the 2nd printer the CDROM returns to the DM.

 

[~Candy~]

On that device, can you select 'disable in this hardware profile' then restart the computer.