Fresh Windows XP install, Should I remove all pci cards?

[trancenrg69]

Hey I'm planning to do a fresh format and xp pro install because my daw has become a mess. I was wondering if it's ok to leave my emu1212m soundcard, and powercore element card in the pc? Will leaving them in cause problems, cause i really don't feel like taking them out of my mobo, especially the poco which was a bitch to install cause its so damn long. thanks

[DevonB]

I dont' understand why you want to take them out? Yes, they won't be recognized during install, but just run the setup programs for the cards once your clean install is done.

Devon

[LBN]

I would leave them in unless there is something about their physical presence preventing you from even installing XP. As mentioned earlier XP won't install drivers for them but they'll just show up as generic audio devices in your Device Manager. The advantage to leaving them in during the install is that their IRQs will then be reserved and there shouldn't be conflicts later on once you install the proper drivers.

[DevonB]

I would leave them in unless there is something about their physical presence preventing you from even installing XP. As mentioned earlier XP won't install drivers for them but they'll just show up as generic audio devices in your Device Manager. The advantage to leaving them in during the install is that their IRQs will then be reserved and there shouldn't be conflicts later on once you install the proper drivers.

That won't even be an issue with ACPI these days turned on. It's actually the BIOS that does the IRQ assigning anyway, not the OS.

Devon

[trancenrg69]

ok cool thanks guys:) thats what i was worried about, that winxp might install drivers for it and screw something up.

[ambe]

You'd probably end up buggering it up more so if you take them out and then add them later.