VGA lockups, suspect IRQ sharing, help?

JTVevox · 02-04-2007, 12:14 AM

Here are my stats to get this thing started...

Motherboard: Sapphire ATI Crossfire Xpress 3200 PC-A9RD580Adv
CPU: AMD Athalon 64 4000+ @ 2.40GHz
RAM: 1 gig of Corsair XMS PC3200 in 1 stick
Video Card1(original): Sapphire Radeon X1600XT 256MB
Video Card2(new): same as above only Dual DVI
PSU: Antec Smart Power SP-500 500 Watt PSU
Monitor: SyncMaster 940bw
Hard drive1: Western Digital 250GB 7200RPM SATA
Hard drive2: Seagate 160GB 7200RPM SATA
Optical Drives: ASUS DVD Burner
Additional PCI cards: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS
Number of fans present: 2PSU, 1 CPU, 2 80mm case, side duct, and 3 fans per video card.
Video Card Drivers in Used: Latest drivers from ATI with the Catalyst Control Center

I recently installed my second Radeon X1600XT, and ever since, actually ever since I installed my Audigy 2ZS sound card, I've been having random lockups, blue screens, etc.

I'll be playing any game, from WoW to Total Annihilation, and after any amount of time playing, sometimes 5 minutes sometimes 2 hours, I get lines shooting across my screen at all angles. The game freezes, then minimizes itself, and a message from the CCC will pop up saying that my VGA card stopped responding and was reset, the typical Send/Don't Send report error.

I've done some reseach and I suspect that IRQ sharing is what is causing this.

Each video card share IRQs. One is on 18 and shares with my sound card's IEEE 1394 port. The other is on 19 and shares with OpenHCD USB Host Controller.

I've had problems in the past with my sound card goofing up and I fixed it by moving the cards around. I can't do this anymore because with 2 video cards, both wish massive heatsinks, and the sound card, I have absolutely no room.

I read that the only way to change the IRQ assignments is to reinstall windows with Standard PC HAL.

So I've come to you guys as a last resort before I try this. Opinions?

Thanks.

-JTVevox

**manic** · 02-04-2007, 06:26 AM

You seem a little strapped on power imo.

dai · 02-04-2007, 10:57 AM

i agree you seem to be well underpowered
http://www.techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?t=107466
it is very unlikely to be irq related

JTVevox · 02-04-2007, 11:24 AM

Okay so I read that link about the power supply stuff, and I thought that was my problem when I was installing my second video card. It wouldn't work at all, but it turned out to be the card, not the psu.

I guess I'll get this one...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&Sku=O261-2005

Do you think that would fix my problem? I really can't afford anything more...

dai · 02-04-2007, 11:28 AM

yes and it is at a good price

JTVevox · 02-09-2007, 07:46 PM

The new psu arrived today. Installed it and after about an hour of playing WoW I got the same problem. Yee haw.

**manic** · 02-10-2007, 05:58 AM

That sucks! Have you looked in device manager for any flags? Is your
onboard sound enabled?
If there are no flags, and onboard sound is disabled I would try this.
Unistall the audigy sound card. Remove it from tower. Enable onboard
sound and install drivers, see if this helps, then at least we can narrow
it down to the card and or irq allocation,

dai · 02-10-2007, 09:35 AM

check the event viewer for anything listed at the time of the problem

JTVevox · 02-10-2007, 06:35 PM

Yes it does indeed suck. Although I did get it for a good price, they just put up a $35 rebate, so about $100 even. I can rule out it being a PSU issue and now I have an even nicer PSU, can't hurt.

What's the event viewer? I'll check that out when the problem happens next.

Then I'll try taking out the sound card.

The only things that show up in Device Manager is my disabled Gigabit Ethernet Controller, and under Other Devices there's a PCI Device, and USB Controller.

I guess I should install the drivers for those but how can I figure out what the PCI Device is?

**manic** · 02-10-2007, 07:00 PM

Remove the pci device from device manager, and when you reboot it
will find new hardware that will give you a clue as to what it is. My
guess is thats its either your audigy card, or your onboard sound. We
are narrowing down possibilites. When I have a wierd hardware issue
the first place I check is device mangler....

dai · 02-10-2007, 11:35 PM

control panel/admin tools/event viewer

JTVevox · 02-11-2007, 01:23 AM

Okay I found an error in the event viewer. I'm not positive it was the same time, since I'm going back by memory to yesterday afternoon, but I'm pretty sure it's the error I've been having.

Here's the description:

The driver ati2dvag for the display device \Device\Video0 got stuck in an infinite loop. This usually indicates a problem with the device itself or with the device driver programming the hardware incorrectly. Please check with your hardware device vendor for any driver updates.

I'm checking with that PCI Device right now.

JTVevox · 02-11-2007, 02:25 AM

Alrighty, I looked in the registry and matched up the Device ID on a website and it turned out to be my onboard audio. Installed the drivers, then I disabled the device.

I played WoW for about 2 hours today, and didn't get the problem.

I'll keep playing and if I get the problem I'll switch to my onboard audio and remove the Audigy.

**manic** · 02-11-2007, 05:49 AM

Im glad its working for you. I would have disabled onboard sound in
bios. Then its not listed in device manager, and as far as the pc knows
its not even there. Freeing up the irq, but hey, if it works dont fix it..
lol.

JTVevox · 02-11-2007, 10:47 AM

Well I'm not totally sure if it's working or not, so how would I disable it in bios?

JTVevox · 02-11-2007, 11:21 AM

Nevermind, disabled my onboard audio and that Lan thing I wasn't using in the bios.

02-04-2007, 12:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	VGA lockups, suspect IRQ sharing, help? Here are my stats to get this thing started... Motherboard: Sapphire ATI Crossfire Xpress 3200 PC-A9RD580Adv CPU: AMD Athalon 64 4000+ @ 2.40GHz RAM: 1 gig of Corsair XMS PC3200 in 1 stick Video Card1(original): Sapphire Radeon X1600XT 256MB Video Card2(new): same as above only Dual DVI PSU: Antec Smart Power SP-500 500 Watt PSU Monitor: SyncMaster 940bw Hard drive1: Western Digital 250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard drive2: Seagate 160GB 7200RPM SATA Optical Drives: ASUS DVD Burner Additional PCI cards: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS Number of fans present: 2PSU, 1 CPU, 2 80mm case, side duct, and 3 fans per video card. Video Card Drivers in Used: Latest drivers from ATI with the Catalyst Control Center I recently installed my second Radeon X1600XT, and ever since, actually ever since I installed my Audigy 2ZS sound card, I've been having random lockups, blue screens, etc. I'll be playing any game, from WoW to Total Annihilation, and after any amount of time playing, sometimes 5 minutes sometimes 2 hours, I get lines shooting across my screen at all angles. The game freezes, then minimizes itself, and a message from the CCC will pop up saying that my VGA card stopped responding and was reset, the typical Send/Don't Send report error. I've done some reseach and I suspect that IRQ sharing is what is causing this. Each video card share IRQs. One is on 18 and shares with my sound card's IEEE 1394 port. The other is on 19 and shares with OpenHCD USB Host Controller. I've had problems in the past with my sound card goofing up and I fixed it by moving the cards around. I can't do this anymore because with 2 video cards, both wish massive heatsinks, and the sound card, I have absolutely no room. I read that the only way to change the IRQ assignments is to reinstall windows with Standard PC HAL. So I've come to you guys as a last resort before I try this. Opinions? Thanks. -JTVevox

02-04-2007, 06:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,249 OS: xp	You seem a little strapped on power imo. __________________

02-04-2007, 10:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,740 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	i agree you seem to be well underpowered http://www.techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?t=107466 it is very unlikely to be irq related __________________

02-04-2007, 11:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,740 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	yes and it is at a good price __________________

02-10-2007, 05:58 AM	#7 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,249 OS: xp	That sucks! Have you looked in device manager for any flags? Is your onboard sound enabled? If there are no flags, and onboard sound is disabled I would try this. Unistall the audigy sound card. Remove it from tower. Enable onboard sound and install drivers, see if this helps, then at least we can narrow it down to the card and or irq allocation, __________________

02-04-2007, 11:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	Okay so I read that link about the power supply stuff, and I thought that was my problem when I was installing my second video card. It wouldn't work at all, but it turned out to be the card, not the psu. I guess I'll get this one... http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&Sku=O261-2005 Do you think that would fix my problem? I really can't afford anything more...

02-09-2007, 07:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	The new psu arrived today. Installed it and after about an hour of playing WoW I got the same problem. Yee haw.

02-10-2007, 09:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,740 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	check the event viewer for anything listed at the time of the problem __________________

02-10-2007, 06:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	Yes it does indeed suck. Although I did get it for a good price, they just put up a $35 rebate, so about $100 even. I can rule out it being a PSU issue and now I have an even nicer PSU, can't hurt. What's the event viewer? I'll check that out when the problem happens next. Then I'll try taking out the sound card. The only things that show up in Device Manager is my disabled Gigabit Ethernet Controller, and under Other Devices there's a PCI Device, and USB Controller. I guess I should install the drivers for those but how can I figure out what the PCI Device is?

02-10-2007, 07:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,249 OS: xp	Remove the pci device from device manager, and when you reboot it will find new hardware that will give you a clue as to what it is. My guess is thats its either your audigy card, or your onboard sound. We are narrowing down possibilites. When I have a wierd hardware issue the first place I check is device mangler.... __________________

02-10-2007, 11:35 PM	#11 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,740 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	control panel/admin tools/event viewer __________________

02-11-2007, 01:23 AM	#12 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	Okay I found an error in the event viewer. I'm not positive it was the same time, since I'm going back by memory to yesterday afternoon, but I'm pretty sure it's the error I've been having. Here's the description: The driver ati2dvag for the display device \Device\Video0 got stuck in an infinite loop. This usually indicates a problem with the device itself or with the device driver programming the hardware incorrectly. Please check with your hardware device vendor for any driver updates. I'm checking with that PCI Device right now.

02-11-2007, 02:25 AM	#13 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	Alrighty, I looked in the registry and matched up the Device ID on a website and it turned out to be my onboard audio. Installed the drivers, then I disabled the device. I played WoW for about 2 hours today, and didn't get the problem. I'll keep playing and if I get the problem I'll switch to my onboard audio and remove the Audigy.

02-11-2007, 05:49 AM	#14 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,249 OS: xp	Im glad its working for you. I would have disabled onboard sound in bios. Then its not listed in device manager, and as far as the pc knows its not even there. Freeing up the irq, but hey, if it works dont fix it.. lol. __________________

02-11-2007, 10:47 AM	#15 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	Well I'm not totally sure if it's working or not, so how would I disable it in bios?

02-11-2007, 11:21 AM	#16 (permalink)
JTVevox Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12 OS: Windows XP Professional	Nevermind, disabled my onboard audio and that Lan thing I wasn't using in the bios.