EWS 64XL plus AWE 64 Gold

[Werner_O]

First of all:
1. I am now working since about ~8 years with computers using the PCI-Bus and I've NEVER seen ANY PCI-Card using 2 IRQs simultaneously!

2. 2 (or more) IRQs (like with the EWS64 XL) are ONLY possible with ISA-Cards.

3. The IRQ-assignment of motherboards 'normally' allows only one IRQ for a single PCI-Slot.
I repeat: I don't know any exception!

What does this mean for you:
1. Your (stored) motherboard information about the ESCD and/or DMI data is not correct.
2. You will first need to disconnect EVERY PCI/ISA-Card (incl. the Adaptec 39160, EWS64, AWE and any other card).
3. Then you have to make a 'Reset Configuration Data' (ESCD AND (!) DMI if possible).
4. Ensure, that 'Auto Assign' is enabled in the BIOS for PCI/ISA-devices.
5. Build-In your Adaptec 39160. After the next reboot BOTH channels of the 39160 (A+B) should be shown with the SAME IRQ in the Adaptec BIOS.
(Those settings are done by the motherboard BIOS - you cannot change them in the Adaptec BIOS.)

Now please first make a now posting if you succeeded or not. Further information to EWS64 and AWE will follow later.

Regards,
Werner

[captainp]

Hi
I searched at the Adaptec website for the Irq Problem
http://ask.adaptec.com/cgi-bin/adapt...oX3RleHQ9aXJxJ nBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9MyZwX3Byb2RfbHZsMT02NiZwX3Byb2R fbHZsMj02OSZwX2NhdF9sdmwxPX5hbnl_JnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li =
(the url seems to long for url Markup)

I don't know why but it needs two IRQs.
I had once a Three channel Raid adapter from adaptec and it just needed one IRQ.

I did not have alot of time this weekend so I just experimented a little.
I tried the PNP setting for Synth and Digital Control.
The results were that my network card did not work any more and I still had the 10% CPU usage.
The one thing that is somehow creepy is that as soon as I plugged the AWE out and made a reboot without any changes my Network Card did not work any more (something about no recources were free for it).

Why do I get an error with the ews64cfg (boot with bootdisk) saying that there are Interup conflikts if I change anything even when I change it back to the original settings?

Swapping the ISA slot is not possible because of the length of the ews. It touches the pins where you conect the power/reset switches and the hdd LED

Thanks again for your help.

<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ September 13, 2004 03:46 AM: Message edited by: captainp ]</font></font>

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 13, 2004 03:47 AM: Message edited by: captainp ]</font>

[captainp]

Hi
I tried some more.
I reseted the EWS to factory defaults.
The results were that w2k did boot up to the Desktop but there was just a black screen and the Taskmanager showed 100% CPU usage (when I unplugged the EWS everthing was normal again).
I made a safe Boot (don't know the English term its Abgesicherter Modus in german).
There I was able to install the drivers and after reboot w2k had no Problems.
But there was the 10% again.
One thing I did not mention before is that under details this is shown:


Maybe this causes the trouble.

[Werner_O]

You will have to remove your Adaptec controller from the current PCI-slot into another PCI-slot - only like this it will be recognized as a 'new' PCI card and there will be a new assignment of the IRQ resources via the motherboard BIOS.

All other PCI/ISA cards should be removed before.

Don't forget my hints to the BIOS-menue-item 'Reset Configuration Data'. You should do this without any connected PCI/ISA card. Maybe, that this will be the most important step to succeed.

Regards,
Werner

[Werner_O]

This message means, that the EWS64 synth is not running properly (which could cause the high CPU usage). At 'Eigenschaften' (Englisch: 'Properties') should be shown, if:
A. the IRQ of the EWS64-Synth (MIDI-1) couldn't be assigned to the EWS64 synth, because it is already in use by another device or
B. the E/A address (English: I/O address) couldn't be assigned to the EWS64-Synth, because it is already in use by another device

Note:
The EWS64 EEPROM factory settings are
Codec: IRQ 5; E/A 220 (SB-Pro), 534 (WSS) + 388 (FM-Synth), DMA 1 (Play) and 0 (Record)
MIDI-1: IRQ 11; E/A 330
MIDI-2: No IRQ; E/A 340
Dig. Control: E/A 328
Gameport: E/A 201 (enabled)

These EWS64 factory will cause trouble with your AWE sound card and should be changed:
A. The E/A of the FM-Synth should be changed to 'PnP'
B. The gameport of the EWS64 should be disabled
C. The DMAs of the Codec should be changed to 3 (Play) and 0 (Record)

In General:
Your motherboards doesn't seem to be able to assign all IRQ and E/A resources correctly for the moment to EWS64, AWE, LAN-card, AGP-card and SCSI-card.
So I just can repeat:

1. You will have to start 'from the beginning' with a build-in AGP- and SCSI-card only. You'll need to find a working PCI-Slot for the Adaptec (just one IRQ assigned). It's no problem, if AGP- and SCSI-card share one single IRQ.
Ensure in the motherboard BIOS:
a) COM1, COM2 and LPT should be disabled
b) At 'PCI-configuration' the setting 'Auto configuration' should be enabled
c) No IRQ and DMA resourced should be 'reserved' for older Non-PnP ISA cards (all these settings to 'PCI/ISA PnP')
2. Now install W2K and install the Graphic and SCSI drivers.
3. Now build-in the EWS64 and reprogam the EEPROM with the settings mentioned above. Then install the EWS64 drivers and take a look into the Device manager (German: Ger?te Manager) - everything should be OK there (all Terratec Audio Devices) and the CPU usage should be at 1-2% max.
4. Now build-in the AWE and install it. Again take a look into the device manager - every AWE/EWS device should work properly.
5. Finally build-in the LAN-card and install it. If it doesn't work properly after, try other PCI slots for the LAN-card, until it works. It's no problem, if the LAN-card shares it's IRQ with the SCSI-card, the AGP-card or the USB-controller.

That's all for the moment,
regards
Werner

[captainp]

Hi
Thanks again for your effort and your help.

I am sorry to say that I finaly gave up.
Something does not want me to have an EWS64 I guess...
I tried everything without any results.
Most of the things listed in your last post were already in order I have no LPT and com enable, as said on the Adaptec web page the SCSI card needs two IRQ to operate and there were no IRQ/ E/A conflikts; so I tried to assign different IRQs to the EWS and different E/A.
I only got worth (could not boot, could not work with W2k since I had 100% CPU load,....)
Even the settings I had the 10% usage with did not work any more.
When I plugged the card into another Computer (with the same motherboard) it worked fine.

I will get myself an EWX 24/96.
Wish me luck.

Best Regards

[Werner_O]

It's a pity, that you gave up :-(((
(I got every EWS64 to work on any PC since about 8 years...)

If your EWS64 works fine on another MoBo of the same kind you use yourself:
1. Did you check the BIOS versions (maybe, you still use a too old BIOS and have to upgrade the BIOS)?
2. Did you check the MoBo revision numbers? This could also be of interest.

It's also a pity, that you don't believe in the messages of my postings, because you still think, that an PCI-Card can use 2 different IRQs simultaneously!
That's unimpossible!!! With usual Motherboards you can only assign ONE SINGLE IRQ (!) to a PCI-Slot, which only could be shared with another device (AGP, PCI, USB ...)

So I'm not happy with this ending of this posting, because you didn't seem to follow all of my important advices 'as they are', which would have been necessary to get your EWS64 running.

Unfortunately I couldn't help you in practise - I only could send postings to you at this place. Also these problems are quiet difficult to understand and to solve for anybody, who is not 100% familiar with PC hardware. Just one single little mistake can prohibe the final success :-(((
But I cannot expect from you, that you're able to understand all of my messages 'as they are'. I spent many, many years to get all this knowledge, and this knowledge is difficult to explain...

Good luck with your EWX 24/96 (a good ASIO card).
Nevertheless it would be perfect for you to run EWS64 and EWX 24/96 simultaneously:
The EWX 24/96 for ASIO stuff
The EWS64 for MIDI synth stuff

Good luck,
Werner

[captainp]

Hi
the other Motherboard has the same Bios and Rev.

The Adaptec Card NEEDS two IRQs.
Just go to the URL I posted.
I dont think that Adaptec writes that the Card needs two when it does not.

I have been working with PC for about 5 years now (not counting the years when I had no knowlegde about whats inside a PC).
I came accros alot of Problems with Hardware.
I tried everything that came to my mind (after those things you mentioned).
I even installed windows on a IDE Harddisk.

Might be that my Motherboard is getting old (I have for 5 years now).
Might be that there is something wrong with the EWS I got.

If anybody read this thread and will not get an EWS just because of what is writen here than I am sorry.

The EWS is a great Card and the Quality when Playing music is super.