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CYBERWORLD

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! LAN card conflicts with WINDOWS 2K

I have some problems with the LAN card in my desktop computer.

For the first time I install the LAN card, windows 2000 can use it and the network is fine.

But after I reboot the machine, a blue screen appears and win2k says that there are hardware problem and cannot even boots. It suggests me to remove the newly installed hardware.

I go to safe-mode,  disable the LAN card in hardware manager. Then, restart, boots from normal mode. It is ok.
 
Then I enable the LAN card, the network is fine again. But if I reboot again, the problem comes up again.

I have tried other PCI slots, but it wouldn't help. And there are no problem with the LAN card in windows 98.

Can you help me with this problem?

Thank you very much.
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SysExpert
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1) Get the newest drivers you can for the NIC and any other hardware.

2) try moving the NIC to a different slot.

3) If 2 does not work, then try moving the NIC IRQ to one that is not used or has less devices on it.

4) Look into a BIOS upgrade if win2k compatibility is needed.

I hope this helps !
Win2K is based on NT structure  where the NTkernal handles all request to and from the hardware. Win95/98 lets the drivers address the hardware directly..

IF you nic doesn't have specifc 2000 - use another NIC
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simonbennett

Yup you need to chck the HCL at

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/howtobuy/upgrading/compat/search/devices.asp

- also check the NIC to see if it has a jumper for IRQ because that can throw things out. If it has, change it!

Good Luck

Simon

What LAN card are you using here that is causing conflicts?
Redo the steps that you do to get the card to work. Before you reboot, note the settings for all resources used by the card in Device Manager. Restart machine, got into BIOS setup, and manually assign IRQ for the slot that the NIC is plugged into. (Your BIOS may list cards instead - regardless - assign IRQ you noted to NIC)

Cause: Previous experience is that Win2K assigns resources and sets up NIC to work with what is available AFTER everything else loads - but when you restart, BIOS gets there first, shuffles stuff around, and suddenly you have a minor (or major, in your case) conflict.

Not for nothing is this stuff sometimes called plug'n'pray...  Ross
can you please give card information
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According to the box of my NIC, it supports Win2k. I think it is something to do with BIOS. But how to assign IRQ for the slot that the NIC is plugges into?

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Don Thomson
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Thanks DTHConsulting,  and apologies to you CYBERWORLD - I should have included instructions for setting the PCI IRQ's manually. Key thing in THIS situation is to disable Plug'n'Pray AFTER you've recorded what IRQ's your PCI cards are using. Win2K was loaded with P'n'P enabled, so changing a whole bunch of stuff instead of one single thing usually gives you the infamous BSD...

Aside from the direct method DTH mentions, another way the BIOS may assign IRQ's is by order and/or location - example: IRQ's 14 & 15 are usually reserved by the MB for (E)IDE drives, 3/4 for COM ports etc. So the MB assigns those, then starts scanning the slots for cards, often from right to left, one after another, ready to assign IRQ's. Your BIOS might list the order of IRQ assignments as First PCI Slot: nn Second:nn Third:nn etc. where nn is an IRQ number. Some MB allow you to point to a specific slot and assign an IRQ like I suggested (& DTHConsulting explained), other may force you to use that 1st/2nd/3rd/ thing and/or (even worse) make you move cards around (Compaq is famous for the last one).

By the way, if you wonder WHY all of this grief happens when you add something simple like a NIC to a running system, keep in mind the way a MB might assign resources as explained above, and remember all of those reboots that occur when Windows is being loaded on your system.... basically, the Windows setup program reboots the system, starting with a form of Safe Mode, and then with increasing amounts of drivers loaded and watches what happens to resources, changing strategy as loading progresses. Final stage is "locking in" the settings. So adding a card can be messy, as you've changed the rules - The BIOS starts changing many of the IRQ's (and probably that of your Video card) and Win2K will complain. (which is why many - including yours truly - prefer to have ALL hardware installed in their desktops BEFORE starting an NT/2K install... laptops are another story...)

You're finding out it can be tricky <grin> but NOT impossible.  Let us know how it goes....
If you have the box, can you tell us what came in it?  Be SPECIFIC as to brand and model!