Specifications

Appendix I Installing the Computer Interface 105
Windows
Version
PCI INF Filename
Located in "Windows"/INF
directory*
PCI Device Driver Name
Located in "Windows"/System32/Drivers
directory
Windows 2000
and XP
rspi.inf in WINNT/INF, for
example)
rspipci.sys (in WINNT/System32/Drivers,
for example)
Windows NT N/A pi_pci.sys
Windows 95, 98,
and Windows ME
pii.inf pivxdpci.vxd
* The INF directory may be hidden.
Table 8. PCI Driver Files
Power-On Checks
Introduction
Before proceeding, be sure the PCI Serial Buffer Board is firmly mounted in the slot.
Replace the cover of the computer and turn on the computer only.
Conflicts
One of the many advantages that PCI offers over ISA is that the whole issue of address
and interrupt assignments is user transparent and under BIOS control. As a result, users
typically do not have to be concerned about jumpers or switches when installing a PCI
card. Nothing more should be required than to plug in the card, make the connections,
and operate the system. As it turns out, however, in certain situations conflicts may
nevertheless occur and user intervention will be required to resolve them.
Typical PCI motherboards have both ISA and PCI slots and will have both PCI and ISA
cards installed. In the case of the ISA cards, the I/O address and Interrupt assignments
will have been made by the user and the BIOS will not know which addresses and
interrupts have been user assigned. When a PCI card is installed, the BIOS checks for
available addresses and interrupt levels and automatically assigns them so that there are
no PCI address or interrupt conflicts. However, because the BIOS doesn't know about
the user-assigned ISA I/O address and interrupt level assignments, it is possible that a
PCI card will be assigned an address or interrupt that is already assigned to an ISA card.
If this happens, improper operation will result. Specifically, the problems could range
from erratic operation under specific conditions to complete system failure. If such a
conflict occurs, because the user has no control over the PCI address and interrupt
assignments, there will be no recourse but to examine the ISA assignments and change
them to values that do not conflict. Most (but by no means all) ISA cards make provision
for selecting alternative I/O addresses and interrupt levels so that conflicts can be
resolved. Software is available to help identify specific conflicts.
The following example may serve to illustrate the problem. Suppose you had a system
with an ISA network card, a PCI video card and an ISA sound card. Further suppose that
you were then going to install a PCI Serial Buffer card. Before installing the PCI Serial
card, the I/O address and interrupt assignments for the installed cards might be as
follows.