Could Not Hold Off Interrupts

[brianpatrick]

Digi 001
pt5.3.1
WIN XP
P4 2.4ghrtz
512m RAM
(2) 80 gig HDs 7200rpm
G-force video card (I think - It's new and good whatever it is)


Okay, a familar problem but I've rounded up the usual suspects and the problem is still there.

"System could not hold off interupts"

It happens mostly during playback but sometimes during record especially if the session is open for longer than 30 minutes. If I close the session and open another one, the problem disappears...for a while. It has NOTHING to do with the buffersize or any variable in the hardware settings window. I've tried them all. Sometimes I've moved the settings in the counterintuitive direction (so that I will be inviting interrupts) and the system then lets me record...for awhile.

Here are some of the details:
- RAID controlled IDE/ATA harddrives. After I had the rig built, THEN I find out that RAID is a no-no. I saw nothing in the DUC or PT's compatibility guidlines about staying away from RAID. At any rate, my last rig used RAID controllers and I had no problem, but that was Win98, this one is XP...is that a clue?

- I discovered that the 001 shared an IRQ with a USB 2.0 Enhanced host (I'm forgetting a word). I disabled that thing so now the Digi stands alone on its IRQ-island and still the interrupts occur. The IRQ number is #23. Is this what they call a fictious or Virtual IRQ? Are their 23 IRQs? Where exactly is the 001? I found this info in the devise manager. Do I need to go to the BIOS to find and change the "real" IRQ?

- I tried to change the settings for the 001's IRQ in Device Manager. But the Resource Tab (where the settings show up) will not let me in. I looked all through the BIOS page with no luck. How do I get to the IRQ settings? I read about users in the DUC doing it all the time. And maybe more importantly, should I be doing it. Is there something else at play here?

See, I think something is "fooling" the system. Why would I be able to close the session, then open it, and then have it work? Or do a "save as" and then open that one in a different location and then have it run? Or do everything, and never get it to run again? And I repeat: the two different settings that are adjustable within the Digi hardware settings tab do not effect it at all.

My strategy is this:
1. Find out how to move the digi to a new IRQ (even though it is all alone on #23).
2. Move the PCI card to the port next to the Monitor (the DigiTechDude told me do that). Why would that matter?
3. Re install the HD (which means bring it down to ground zero, right? Something I've never done in my life) as IDE standard - not RAID. I really, really do not not reformat the HDs!! Could that really be the reason I'm getting this pesky interrupts message? What I mean is, if RAID controlled HDs where so bad, wouldn't I be having lots of other concerns, or worse, not even getting off the floor with PT?

What I would like is a better strategy, a kernel of wisdom, the obvious simple change to be made that I am missing.

I apologize for this very long soliliquey. But I'm so close to having a smoking rig. I can tell it will be what I wanted: invisible...if I can just get to the bottom of this problem.

Stoneknife, paul, badperson, allan, rail...all the rest of you brains, help me out here.

Brian