Laptop Help

[Murf]

I have been trying to help someone by email with a problem. I have hit a wall, need some help:

Here is the problem

She is trying to install a Wireless PCMIA card and getting a fatal error. IRQ conflict.

SPECS

Windows 98 SP1
Gateway Solo 5150 Notebook

What we have done so far

1. Have determined there is an IRQ conflict, here is a list of the effected IRQ's:

05 = ES1879 Plug & Play Audio Driver
06 = Floppy
07 = Printer
08 = CMOS/Real Clock
09 = ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
09 = ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
09 = ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
09 = ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
09 = Texas Instruments PCI-1250 Card Bus Controller
09 = Net Gear FA522 CardBus Notebook Adapter
09 = Texas Instruments PCI-1250 Card Bus Controller
09 = Intel 82471 AB/EB PCI to USB Controller
09 = Neo Magic Magic Media 256 AV
09 = SCI IRQ used by ACPI Bus
12 = Synaptus PS2 Touch Pad
13 = Numeric data processor
14 = Intel 82371 AB/EB PCI Bus Master IDE Controller
14 = Primary IDE Controller (dual fifo)
15 = Intel 82371 AB/EB PCI Bus MAster IDE Controller
15 = Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)

What we have done:

Went to device manager and removed devices - all using IRQ 09, left the wireless card out rebooted and it found and reinstalled everything, even the TWO Texas Instruments to number 09 except the Net Gear disappeared because she pulled it from the socket, and the Neo Magic went to 14. So we seem to have some free space.

Rebooted. Can't put the wireless card in because it gives her the message that the software hasn't been completely installed - so it's not doing anything. When she put the disk in, she get's the message that the drivers have already been installed but she can remove them from the add/remove program. When she tries and do this, it WON'T UNINSTALL. So she can't "start all over again" and try and eliminate the Fatal Error bit.

Currently tring to remove in SAFE MODE.

Bottom Line

The wireless (Netgear) will not install as it also installs to IRQ 09. Also had try and change the IRQ's within resources of several devices and will not let her.

I'm not up on Notebook's need some help.

Here is her setup:

Earthnet DSL
Linksys Model WPC11 version .3 wireless cardSpec's
Earthnet Splitter
Linksys Wireless Router

Only one computer the Laptop Gateway Solo 5150 Notebook

She initially set up the wireless router using a network card (Netgear) from the Laptop to the Router - connected by Cat 5. This was to get on line to update etc. - instructions told her to do this.

Then she removed the Cat 5 and network card, installed the wireless card, as this is where the problems lie.

Any suggestions?

[Ridgerunr]

Have you tried changing IRQ in bios? That is,if the particular bios will let you...

edit: just saw this, Windows 98 Sp1?? Does this mean fe or se ?

[cleaverb]

okay Murf, you said ANY suggestions... have they tried getting
a 'chipset' driver ? I'm not familiar with gateways at all.
But aren't 'pci holder for irq steering ' a generic name for some
system devices ??? I mean, it seems to me that those are replaced after i go to Intel and get the chipset drivers. You run
the program and then reboot and it finds everything anew.
examples of chipsets:440BX, 810e,845e, etc. One clue to having
only generic drivers would be under the IDE controllers icon, in
the hardware tab of 'my computer' ; if it has something like,
ESDI/IDE hard disk controller, those would be 'generic' drivers(or maybe native win drivers)where if it has more specific
drivers, like- Intel 80xxxxx bus master IDE controller, that would be more like a chipset driver, very specific.
No mention of where the video is,#10 or #11 ? Try setting the
texas instrument cardbuses to IRQ 10, if the display is on 11.
or vice versa.
And anything that moves to irq 14 doesn't sound good to me,
should be reserved for IDE channel ?
I doubt that i have solved any problems, but maybe got you thinking ? good luck

[Murf]

She said her version shows as

Windows version 4.10 1998, which I believe is First Edition. She has the Service PAck 1 (SP1) installed.

Have not got her into BIOS yet, will try that.

cleaverb

That was one of my sugesstions and we are still looking for the chipset drivers, to make sure she has the latest ones.

Yes I saw where IRQ 14 was freed up and that is reserved for IDE controllers.

[ski]

Did you try doing a scanreg /restore so she can start over again?

Did she try a different PCMCIA card to see if it uses an IRQ other than 9?