Installing a Firewire card into a Dell PC???

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pisces7378

pisces7378

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I ordered a Firewire card with one IEEE1394 port and two IEEE1394-b ports. I want to install it into a Dell PC for use with my brand spanking new MOTU 828mkII Interface.

Here is a link if you want to take a look at it: http://www.firewiredirect.com/firewire/products/adapters_pci800.shtml

Well I have installed a PCI card before (Delta-66) in another PC before, and it was NOT a pretty site. I had all kinds of IRQ interupt problems, drivers etc...

Well this Firewire card has come in just a brown box with no instructions, no colorful box... just some of those foamy protective shipping peanuts, a static resistant clear baggy, and the card inside.

I was wondering if you guys have any great tips that can help me when I install it? Is it best to install it in the upper-most PCI slot, the middle, the bottom???

Do Firewire cards really need no software drivers? Just pop it in, restart, and away we go?

My OS is supported (Windows XP) so that should not be a problem.
How can I tell before I install the thing if I will have an IRQ interupt problem? I have heard that Windos XP helps a LOT for interupt problems? Is this true or another coffee room goof?

Thanks for any tipps guys!

Mike
 
Why don't you try plugging it in any slot and see what happens, then get back to us if there is actually a problem.
 
Why don't you try plugging it in any slot and see what happens, then get back to us if there is actually a problem.
Click to expand...

Uhmmm tanx but no tanx.

Of course I thought of that. But as you can read in my post, I have already had problems with PCI cards in the past I am looking for a prevention rather than a cure.
 
Dude...
What are you going to do then?
You don't even know that you have a problem yet!
It's XP!!! It should be as simple as plugging it into the board, turning your machine on, and waiting for xp to install the drivers...
If not, get back to us when you actually have a problem!


Or just sit there, and don't install anything... But don't waste our time with suppositions about what might happen if you actually take the time to try. MMMMKay?
 
Pisces, Take it from us the card should work first time. Winxp supports it without drivers. If it doesn't work pull it out and get back the forum. What have you got to lose?
 
Okay, one tip if just sticking in that firewire card freaks you out :rolleyes: ;)
If possible, don't use the first PCI slot because it often shares its IRQ with the AGP card. Still, that doesn't mean that it won't work in that slot. No go and crack that case.
 
Try what subtractor said. I have 5 Dells and have had zero problems putting firewire cards into any of them.

Ed
 
Or just sit there, and don't install anything... But don't waste our time with suppositions about what might happen if you actually take the time to try. MMMMKay?
Click to expand...

Look, you sweet gentle soul of a man, you don't HAVE to respond to my posts. I appreciate your insults. Now could you get off my posts so that other's that don't hide their constructive comments in with the, "WHAT!?!?! you Idiot. You didn't know THAT?!?!?! BWAHAHAHA!!!!" type stuff.


:D
 
pisces7378 said:
Look, you sweet gentle soul of a man, you don't HAVE to respond to my posts. I appreciate your insults. Now could you get off my posts so that other's that don't hide their constructive comments in with the, "WHAT!?!?! you Idiot. You didn't know THAT?!?!?! BWAHAHAHA!!!!" type stuff.
:D
Click to expand...
Subby and Myself don't always see eye to eye.... :)

But he was just trying to tell you that installing a card in any of those available PCI slots WILL NOT DAMAGE ANYTHING in your computer. It will either work or it won't.

So stop worrying and start installing!
 
I knew SOMETHING would go wrong!!!!!

I opened up the Dell

Took out the little backplate sliver where I wanted the Firewire card to go.

I pulled the Firewire card out of the box.

Positioned myself over the PCI slot.

Reached in... and realized that the fucking Firewire card is almost twice as long as the PCI slots I have.

This Dell is literally 2 months old. I assumed it had all the modern technology for things such as Firewire cards. Nowhere on the website where I ordered the Firewire card does it mintion, "Make sure you have extra long PCI slots."

http://www.firewiredirect.com/firew...rs_pci800.shtml

What the fuck do I do now?



:confused:
 
Are you SERIOUS!?!?!

Where on that website could I have seen before I bought it that this card would not fit into my Dell?

What kind of PCI slot takes this kind of card?

It says under description on the website...

6.42" x 2.50" - designed for PCI Bus

What does that mean then???

God I hate computers!!!

Apples... PCs... Hell I hate calculators and PDAs!!!

:mad:

It does however also say the following...

"FireWire 800/1394b Professional PCI Host Adapter Interface supporting 32-Bit & 64-Bit Bus Systems (WIN/MAC)"

Could this mean that I could stick the card into the PCI slot that I have and just let the longer part hang out and use it as a 32-bit whatever instead of a 64-bit whatever?

I can't BELIEVE that I have bought the wrong card.
 
pisces7378 said:
Could this mean that I could stick the card into the PCI slot that I have and just let the longer part hang out and use it as a 32-bit whatever instead of a 64-bit whatever?
Click to expand...
That's right.
 
If the card fits in the case it will be OK!

Is there a notch along the connector edge allowing the card to "hang out" as you describe?
 
Yes there is a notch that will let it "hang out."

Is there such a thing as a PCI card that can work in a normal PCI slot (approx. 4 inches long) AND it will also work in a longer (approx. 6 inches long) slot as well?

What is the difference? Will I have slowed data rate? What are the ramifications of me installing a long card into a short slot with about 4 inches of "hang over"?
 
pisces7378 said:
Look, you sweet gentle soul of a man, you don't HAVE to respond to my posts. I appreciate your insults. Now could you get off my posts so that other's that don't hide their constructive comments in with the, "WHAT!?!?! you Idiot. You didn't know THAT?!?!?! BWAHAHAHA!!!!" type stuff.


:D
Click to expand...

Sorry... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...:rolleyes: :p
But you've got to try it and find out what happens to see if there's a problem before you need help, right?


Now... Will the card fit? Have you tried it yet?
I haven't had a computer tech service job for several years now, but I'm still fairly knowledgeable. I haven't ever seen a pci card with left over teeth on it. It almost sounds like it's supposed to go into an isa slot, but that makes no sense whatsoever since that's pretty much a bygone standard...
If you have a digital camera, take a pic for us.
If not, see if the first part of the card fits perfectly into the pci slot, and let us know...
 
Ok...

I have the card installed. It went it without a problem, with the rest of the flat copper connectors just "hanging out" past the PCI slot.

Now the PC is back online and here I am with fresh Firewire card installed.

But say anything like... New device found. Is this normal? How do I make this Dell "recognize" that it has a new Firewire card inserted? Or do I have to do that at all? Is it TRUELY just pop it in, start her up, and away ya go?

Forgive me for my ignorance here guys!

P.S. And just to ellaborate on what the card actually looks like....

The Firewire card has a short section of teeth about 1 inch long. And then a small gap, and then about 2 inches of teeth. Then another gap, and then another small 1 inch section of teeth, then a gap, and then another longer 3 inch section.

Now the PCI slot just has one longer 3 inch section, then a gap, and then a 1 inch section.

So I think it is strange that there is a gap after 1 inch on the CARD since the PCI slot doesn't have a gap there. And then there is the mystereous overhang teeth. (???)

Well anyway, it is in, and nothing has happened. How can I tell if it is recognized by the PC?
 
Right click on my computer
choose properties
goto the hardware tab
choose device manager

do you see anything 1394 in there?
 
If not goto control panel > install new hardware, and let it try to auto detect it.
 
No there is nothing there about IEEE 1394, IEEE1394-b, or Firewire
 
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