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AST RESEARCH, INC.          TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1474               3-28-96

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  Difficulty Installing Add-In Cards that Appear to Conflict with Integrated 
				Plug and Play Devices


ISSUE

Replacing a Plug and Play system's integrated hardware device with a third 
party enhancement product such as a more advanced sound card, can sometimes 
lead to confusion.


SOLUTION

When a Plug and Play system is used with a non PnP operating system, it is 
sometimes necessary to use separate utilities to configure the hardware 
properly.  
Some systems may allow the user to remove or disable an integrated device, 
through a setting in the system's BIOS Setup, while others may not.  
Both methods are widely used and accepted.  

If your system Setup does not allow you to disable a device, you must use a 
utility such as the "ISA Configuration Utility" (ICU) to do so.  This utility is 
shipped with your AST system.  In addition to this utility, your computer is 
shipped with a booklet titled 

"ISA Configuration Utility for AST User's Manual" (P/N 003039-001A) 

which describes the function and use of ICU for DOS and Windows 3.x 
environments.


EXAMPLE

Situation - You desire to install and use a high-end sound card in place of 
	    the Bravo MS P/133's  (501894-XXX) built-in audio circuitry. 
	    Because there are no provisions for disabling the integrated 
	    CS4232 in system Setup, you must use the ICU to accomplish this 
	    task.

	    Page 22 of the ISA Configuration Utility for AST User's Manual, 
	    Modifying the Configuration of a Listed Card, explains that 
	    disabling a device will free up the resources which had been used 
	    by the card.  This in turn will make these resources available to 
	    other add-in devices which you may desire to install in your 
	    computer.


Procedure-1. Run ICU.  ICU will usually be located in the following 
	     directory: 

		      C:\PLUGPLAY\ICU.

	  2. Highlight the CS4232 sound device and select "Modify."  
	     The screen will list all of the functions supported through this 
	     device.  In this case they are WSS/SB, Game, Ctrl, and MPU.

	  3. Highlight and press <Return> on each of the functions you wish 
	     to disable.

	  4. Once all the desired functions have been disabled, select "OK" 
	     to return to the "Cards Configured in System" screen.

	     NOTE: Do not enable card locking; if you do so, the card will 
	     reclaim it's resources upon the next boot.

	  5. Select "File" and "Save."

	  6. After saving this new configuration, select "File" and "Exit."

	  7. Reboot the system.  NOTE: When booting the system, 
	     the device you disabled may still be reported as successfully 
	     configured.  This is normal and should not be a cause for alarm.

	  8. Power OFF the system and install the add-in card.


SYSTEMS AFFECTED

All systems using a Plug and Play BIOS and a non-PnP operating system.