T42 / ACPI / IRQs question

[pd]

Hello everybody this is my first post here.

I've recently purchased T42 laptop (2373-JXG, upgraded to 7K60 harddisk and 1 gig memory) and immediately did clean install of windows xp proffesional sp2.

I need this laptop for professional sound applications and my soundcard (RME RPM breakout box on its own special Cardbus interface) works best when its on its on IRQ without any sharing.

But when I install this soundcard on the T42 it installs itself on IRQ 11 which is shared with a bunch of other hardware which is not good.

As far as I know, and at least that's how my desktop PC works, ACPI computers (and T42 is supposed to be fully ACPI compatible) should allow for around 24 or something IRQs, which are automatically assigned to hardware, as opposed to Standard PC, which has 15 IRQs but which can be user-assigned.

But on T42 with ACPI windows installation it has only 15 IRQs which of course is not enough for all hardware and sharing is bound to happen - and it does happen and its no good for my professional soundcard. I also tried re-installing windows with Standard PC settings (no automatic IRQ assignment) but it was now good, since there is so much hardware needing IRQ and I get conflicts in device manager.

So my question ultimately is, does everyone on this forum have 15 IRQs in ACPI windows installation (it should be more!) or is it just me?
You can see the IRQs numbers and assignments in Accessories > System Tools > System Information > Hardware Resources > IRQs.

My desktop lists 23 IRQs and my soundcard gets its own separate IRQ while on the T42 its only 15 and my soundcard gets IRQ 11 sharing with many other hardware, including ethernet controller etc.

Thanks greatly and hope someone can help
Please let me know what you think I should do and is this normal.

[Leon]

Same # (15) here (T42 w/standard IBM Preload). When you install the sound-card and it automatically assigns itself to IRQ 11, do you actually have problems, or are you just worried because it has a lot of "company"?

As far as I know, XP should handle this "sharing" well.

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[pd]

Thanks Leon!
I experience some random audio dropouts and/or weird clicks when the soundcard is set to low latency mode, in higher latency settings its ok.
I attribute this dropouts/clicks to IRQ sharing, because the drivers are latest etc etc and its a new fresh clean windows install tweaked to maximum performance and nothing seems to be in the way except that irq sharing...
oh well I think I just have to live with using higher latency settings, its a pity though to pay 900 USD for a soundcard and not to be able to use its advertised super low latency performance.