Filter
Top Products
Appendix I Installing the Computer Interface 105
1. After you have secured the PCI card in the computer and replaced the cover, turn
the computer on.
2. At bootup, Windows will try to install the new hardware. If it cannot locate the
driver, you will be prompted to enter the directory path, either by keyboard entry
or by using the browse function.
If you selected AUTO PCI during the application software installation,
WinView/32 or WinSpec/32 automatically put the required INF file into the
Windows/INF directory and put the PCI card driver file in the
"Windows"/System32/ Drivers directory. Refer to Table 8 below for the appropriate
file names and locations.
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 and Locations
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