Windows 2000 Advanced Server and ATI Radeon 9700 Pro

  • Thread starter Thread starter Thorak Cartaine
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T

Thorak Cartaine

Ok here is the problem I am running into. Let me start with how I came
about this problem.

I upgraded hardware through out my network which gave a CPU upgrade (from a
P3 1ghz to a P3 1.2ghz) and a video card upgrade (from a Geforce 3 to a
Radeon 9700 Pro). So to prevent any problems at all I reinstall the OS. It
installs ACPI Hal (SP?) and puts Video card, NiC, Sound, AND HDD Controller
card(MB doesn't support 250gb drives) all on IRQ 9. You can see how
performance went belly up.

So I look around and find during the install process you can either A> press
F5 and select the HAL to select Standard PC Hal or B> press F7 and let Win2k
AS Auto detect the hal. Either way put my HAL at Standard PC HAL.

Install everything BUT the video card drivers and the system runs sweet.
Fast reliable and well can't complain. But then I install the Video card
drivers and suddenly I can't run a dang thing on the server and only way I
can even LOG INTO the server is rebooting into Safe mode (Which I have done
right now).

I have tried the Catalyst drivers 3.8,4.0,4.1,and 4.2. All with the SAME
EXACT problem. It appears I have no resources left to do anything. So
instead of dropping to the Geforce 3 (which mind you never gave a problem
but I do use the server for games now and then </cringe from the flamage>) I
am coming here to hopefully get the problem figured out. Any help is
appreciated TIA

Thorak Cartaine
 
You can look in the BIOS and see if it will "set aside" an IRQ for the
video adapter. Also try a few other Catalyst drivers and maybe you will
find one that won't stuff the system. Shared IRQ's are by design on a
APCI/PCI system and is not a "performance" issue. There are 4 PCI
hardware interupt lines(A,B,C and D) and they all feed a single hardware
interupt pin on the CPU. Another thing you can try is to determine if
the same PCI interupt is in use by another "bus hog" and the video card.
Usually the PCI slot next to the AGP slot shares the same PCI
interupt(look in the motherboard manual). If so move the other card to
another slot. As a last resort, ditct the ATI card and get an Nvidia
based one.
 
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