Toshiba Satellite 3000-S304 User Guide - Page 198

198 If Something Goes Wrong Resolving a hardware conflict system or one of its attached devices isn't working, resolving the problem can be time-consuming and frustrating. The recommended procedure for getting multiple devices to work together is to add and set up one device at a time. After you add each device, test it to make sure it and all previously connected devices work. The device most recently connected to the system is the one most likely to be causing a hardware conflict. Resolving hardware conflicts on your own Computer components need resources to accomplish a task. A device, such as a disk drive or a modem, needs a channel to the computer's Central Processing Unit (CPU). It also needs a direct channel to the computer's memory to store information as it works. These channels of communication are commonly referred to as system resources. Interrupt Request Channel The channel to the CPU is called an Interrupt Request (IRQ) because it interrupts what the processor is doing and requests some of the processor's time. Some IRQs have multiple devices. This is normal. If two or more devices use the same IRQ, the processor might not know which device is asking for attention. This may cause a hardware conflict. Direct Memory Access Similarly, the data required by the device is stored in a specific place or address in memory called the Direct Memory Access (DMA). The DMA provides a dedicated channel for adapter cards to bypass the microprocessor and access memory directly. If two or more devices use the same DMA, the data required by one device overwrites the data required by the other. That may cause a hardware conflict.