3Com 3C527 (32 Bit Bus-Master) LAN cards in
FTs or FTe
When installing a 3Com 3C527 LAN card into an FTs or an FTe, the default
configuration state for the card (as installed with a Reference disk Automatic
Configuration) is to set the card to use IRQ 10. IRQ 10 is also used by the FTs and FTe,
enabling communication with the system 'front-panel' processor for monitoring the UPS, the
state of the temperature alarms, and the security system.
With both the 3C527 AND the front panel set to IRQ 10, any software that
needs to talk to the front panel (FT UPS monitoring software or Apricot Security software)
will fail, either by just not loading (because they can't establish communications), or
possibly by hanging the system.
We therefore advise that any FTs or FTe fitted with a 3C527 card (or
multiples of) is configured so that IRQ 10 is NOT used by the 3C527(s). We would recommend
that IRQ 9 is chosen unless this clashes with other devices. Other possible options are
IRQ 11 or IRQ 12.
If FT UPS monitoring software or Apricot Security software is NOT used,
the 3C527 card CAN be set to IRQ 10 with no adverse affects to the server.
| Note 1: |
The above recommendation applies to NetWare or LAN Manager
installations. UNIX systems should use IRQ 12 as a default (unless other clashes prevent
this), as the Specialix cards use IRQ 9. |
| Note 2: |
The same problem/recommendation also applies to any other add-in card
using IRQ 10. |
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