Confilct I/O Error

[a_katbi17]

On an old computer i have, everytime i start up, after posting, it says

Conflict I/O Ports: 2F8

Press F1 to continue, Press Del to Go to Setup

I press F1 and everything goes fine. But, why is it givin me that error?
This is a very old computer with no PS2 ports, and al i have is monitor, keyboard, and mouse plugged in.

also, i have 128mb SDRAM in the computer, yet it only recognizes 64mb. In the BIOS, the first bank is recognized as FP/EDO Fast when it should be SDRAM. It wont allow me to change this, even tho there is suppoesed to be SDRAM there.

Please Help
thanks

[Sterling_Aug]

Check the printer port settings in the BIOS.

2F8 is used by the LPT2 printer settings.

[a_katbi17]

Onboard Serial Port 1: 3F8/IRQ4
Onboard Serial Port 2: 2F8/IRQ3
Onboard Parallel Port: 378/IRQ7
Thats all i have listed in my BIOS
I dont have an LPT2 i dont believe - this is an old school AT case/mobo i think.

[leprechaun_40]

2F8 is for com port 2, 278 is for LPT2.

OK, which port do you have the mouse on? You may have a conflict there. Also, what else could be using the com 2 port? or IRQ3 for that matter. You may want to disable that port if it's not being used that way it can't conflict.

As for the RAM, you may have a stick of EDO in there, and the system won't run EDO and SDRAM together, check it out. Have you tried swapping with another stick?

[a_katbi17]

I have a PS/2 adapter that connects to the mobo that i have my mouse plugged into. My keyboard isnt ps2, its oldschool cricle onnector (is that serial?) and then i have a monitor and that is it. Eventually i will install a printer which should be on 378, Parrallel port.

As for the RAM, it used to be set properly, but one day the settings just changed to FP/EDO. Maybe if i reset the CMOS it wouold fix it?

[leprechaun_40]

Might give the cmos a reset, never know

as for the mouse, that's a com port you are on, now, which one is it? check in your device manager to see if it tells you, also, look for conflicts on the ports there, see what it says in their properties.

[Bovon]

If you are not using serial port 2, you can go into the BIOS and disable it.. that should clear up the conflict for right now. 2F8 & IRQ 3 are obviously being used by something..else you would not be having that conflict...where is the modem working at?

What version of Windows are you using?...that would help...have you been into Device Manager to see maybe what or where that conflict may be?

That large keyboard connector is called an AT type keyboard. They will work with the more modern systems by buying a keyboard PS/2 adapter. (ATX and AT keyboards are interchangeable with the use of adapters).

It will not hurt anything to do a BIOS reset..by way of the motherboard jumper or by going into the BIOS, and from the menu..reset it to failsafe defaults if you have that option...I think I would read thru the several screens in the BIOS menu and make some notes..mental or paper.

Unless the motherboard is running at 100 Mhz, that RAM setting of FP/EDO doesn't make any difference..because if the board is running at (???) 66Mhz, Fast Page or EDO is all it will do...even if you had PC100 RAM installed, the board is gonna run at the EDO speed...except the RAM modules may be better than the 10 or 12 NS timing of FP/EDO and it will use that speed. 8 NS is PC100 and 7 NS is PC133.

Can you name the make and model of that motherboard?..if not, maybe you can download and run a utility like Aida or Sisoft Sandra that will tell you what you are working with.

[Billforce]

Bovy, you nailed that one nuts on. If I ever have a shortage of irq's, the first thing I do is disable the com port-2 and also if they are not using it, the secondary IDE port. Frees up irq's.