Toshiba C6609-1201M1 A plan of action, Resolving hardware conflicts on your own, Interrupt Request Channel, 3Click the Fixing a hardware problem

If Something Goes Wrong	155
Resolving a hardware conflict

3Click the Fixing a hardware problem.

4Choose from specific topics and follow the steps.

If there is still a problem, the operating system should display a message that explains what the conflict is.

A plan of action

The smooth operation of the system depends on the interaction of all devices, programs, and features. If the 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. If two or more devices use the same IRQ, the processor does not know which device is asking for attention. This causes a hardware conflict.