Try disabling one or both Com ports in BIOS setup. If you have a USB printer, disable the LPT port too. Look in the PCI section for Reset ESCD/Configuration Data/NVRAM and enable that.

If no joy, look in Device Manager under "Computer". If it's ACPI, let's change it to "Standard PC":

1. Reinstall Windows 2000 from within Win2K (run Setup on the CD) and (on reboot) press F5 when you see "Setup is inspecting hardware..." and select the Standard PC HAL when prompted. Continue by using the Repair > Fast Repair (no Recovery Console and no Emergency Repair Disk) method. This is the technique I recommend.

2. An easier, but less sure fix is to change the driver for "Computer" in Device Manager to Standard PC and restart. Go to the Driver tab and click Update driver > Next> Display a list...> Show all...> Standard PC. Although this technique works for me, I have heard of systems that will not restart when it's used. A word to the wise...

Afterward, go to Control Panel > Power Options > APM and enable APM.

Bill

: Hi, here is the IRQ details from the Win2k install. I believe this board supports the extended IRQ feature hence the old limit is not applicable any more.

: IRQ Number Device
: 9 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
: 16 NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro
: 16 NEC PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller B1
: 17 Creative PC-DVD Encore Dxr3
: 18 Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM)
: 18 NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller
: 19 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
: 19 Conexant SoftK56 Data,Fax,Voice,SpeakerPhone PCI Modem #2
: 19 NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller
: 8 System CMOS/real time clock
: 13 Numeric data processor
: 1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
: 14 Primary IDE Channel
: 15 Secondary IDE Channel
: 21 VIA USB Universal Host Controller
: 21 VIA USB Universal Host Controller
: 6 Standard floppy disk controller
: 4 Communications Port (COM1)
: 3 Communications Port (COM2)

: Regards

: Rayaz