Sound Blaster

[Zorn]

I just built a brand new AMD Athlon X2 4200+ system, on the EVGA nForce4 SLI motherboard, and I have a very serious issue.

When I install the X-Fi Xtrememusic, the computer finds very many "Unknown PCI Device" and assigns them all to IRQ 29 on the bootup process. Then, right as the Windows XP logo comes on, the computer reboots itself. It does this over and over, and the system never properly boots up.

The onboard AC97 audio is disabled, and the computer never had any previous audio device, or drivers.

Any suggestions?

Message Edited by Catherina-CL on 02-16-2006 02:30 AM

[Jeremy]

Zorn,

Remove the X-Fi and reboot your system. When it boots up, go into control panel/system properties/advanced tab/Settings button under "Startup and Recovery". In there make sure to disable "Automatically Restart" under the system failure section. While here, make sure you have the latest ForceWare drivers for your board installed. Then shut down the system and put the X-Fi back in (in a different PCI slot if possible). Pay attention to the IRQ assigned by the bios, and if the system fails this time you should get a blue screen. Right the information down and post it here. I suspect it will be an "IRQ_NOT_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL" error which can happen if the BIOS assigns an IRQ above a value that XP is prepared to accept. Let us know what happens and I am sure someone will have some suggestions.

Jeremy

[Zorn]

Jeremy,

I must say I'm impressed, I wasn't expecting anyone somewhat official to respond this late at night =)

I will do as you suggest, one question though, if that is indeed the case, how can I make it properly assign a correct IRQ?

[txfeinbergs]

How did you get one of these cards already. I didn't think they were even out yet?

[Zorn]

I live in Ohio, the Best Buys around here have tons of them on the shelf, XtremeMusic & Platinum.

[Zorn]

Ok Jeremy - you were correct, after doing what you said it blue-screened me. However, the message I got was as follows:

The BIOS in this system is not fully ACPI compliant. Please contact your system vendor or visit http://www.hardware-update.com for an updated BIOS. If you are unable to obtain an update, or if your motherboard is not ACPI compliant, you may press F7 during text setup to bypass ACPI checking and continue your installation (this last part about pressing F7 is not verbatim).

STOP: 0x000000A5

The motherboard is brand new, an nForce4 SLI made by EVGA (which I hear are rebadged Jetway boards). I'm pretty sure it's an ACPI compliant board, maybe I have some BIOS settings wrong?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated to get my sound card working =)

[Zorn]

Anything?

[TheJ]

Go into your BIOS and make sure ACPI is enabled. Note that there is also APCI (or something like that) which is a power management scheme, I think. ACPI basically gives your computer more IRQ channels. You may have to reinstall Window XP after changing those settings.

[Zorn]

ACPI in the BIOS is enabled, and always has been. Now, I'm not sure if there's some setting in there that's turned on that could be giving it problems. Anything to look out for?

[Jeremy]

Zorn,

Is this a clean install of XP with this motherboard, meaning was Windows reinstalled when you changed motherboards? Also, make sure you are running the latest MB drivers off of EVGA's site (they list an update on the website) and see if there is a BIOS update for it also. This ACPI message worries me a bit, but the only thing we can do right now is fin dout why Windows thinks the MB isn't ACPI complient.

Jeremy