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FAQ IRQ Problems

Finding an Available IRQ

This note only applies to the Gamry Framework Software Ver 3.0-3.20. installed
on Windows® 95, Windows® 98 or Windows® Me. The drivers were reengineered
for Version 4.x to be compatible with the newer version of
Windows®; Windows® 98/Me/2000/XP. Version 3.0-3.20 does not run on
Windows® 2000, or XP.

Make sure that the Gamry Framework is not running on your computer.

Click the Start button in Windows 95/98, then select Settings. Finally, select Control Panel.

You can also get there by Right-Clicking on the My Computer icon on the Desktop and selecting

Properties.

DM IRQ ListClick on the Device Manager Tab at the top of the page. With Computer Highlighted in blue select the Properties Button at the bottom of the page. Make sure that IRQ is selected.

Look through the list of IRQ's for numbers 5 or 10. If a number is listed it is being used by a device, if the number is not listed it is available for use by the Potentiostat.

If both IRQ 5 and 10 are in use you will have to remove something from the system.

To remove devices from your system that are using IRQ 5 or 10 you have three options.

The first is to physically remove that device from the computer (sound cards, network cards, etc that you can do without).

The second option is to use the system BIOS to reserve the IRQ that the potentiostat will use. Consult your instruction manual for your computer motherboard for instructions on how to modify the BIOS.

The third option is to have Windows reserve an IRQ at startup. This is done from the Computer Properties screen where you saw that list of IRQs. Once you get to that point the other tab in the Computer Properties window is Reserve Resources. 

Click on that tab and a box should appear which lists your reserved IRQ's (probably nothing listed) and there should be an add button. Select the add button and reserve IRQ 10 or 5 and select OK to close all of the windows. Once you have removed the device you should start these instructions over again to confirm that the device is no longer found by Windows.

Once IRQ 5 or 10 is available here is all you have to do. Run the Gamry Framework setup wizard Start:Programs:Gamry:Framework:Program Wizard. When you get to the Potentiostat setup page, select the IRQ that you determined was available.

If you are using a PC3 potentiostat you will also be required to set the IRQ level dip switches.

See page 5-11 of the “Electrochemical Measurement System Hardware Operators Manual” for instructions on how this is done.

You should then calibrate the Gamry Framework before attempting to run any applications. Do this by selecting File: Calibrate from the pull down menu in the framework.