ACPI - Is it a 'Feature' or just another hassle?

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Is ACPI yet another way Microsoft needlessly takes control of your PC and wastes your system resources doing it.

OK, I am going to use a dreaded and vulgar four letter word. Here at HRC we try to keep a family show, but I have to say it...ACPI...oh, I feel so dirty now. I apologize for my vulgarity.

Otherwise known as "Advanced Configuration and Power Interface" is a new Microsoft standard "feature" for power management in Windows. And odds are, you motherboards are all supporting it. At boot time, do you see an "ACPI Controller" being assigned to an IRQ (probably 9)? If so, then you have yet another way Microsoft is infiltrating you computer and taking control of the hardware power management, when, in fact, your hardware is quite capable of doing it itself.

Why am I so mad about it?

Well, because of the way it does it and when it does it. The first thing I do when I build a new PC is disable all the power management options in the BIOS. I never tell any hardware to go into low-power mode or to shut of my monitor after any given period of time, so why have it enabled. I make music and video, I want my PC to have access to all the power it needs, whenever it needs it! Also, certain software (specifically anti-virus apps) can make problems with power management options.

Lastly, if you look in your device manager, you will see an ACPI manager assigned to PCI slots, which means it is just another darn thing running on your PC, my number 1 pet-peeve! I don't want anything running on my PC unless I expressly tell it to!

What can you do about it?

Well, in some cases not much. Motherboard manufacturers, to qualify for that little "Designed for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP" sticker on their boxes, have to include ACPI on their motherboards. In many cases they do not include an option for disabling it.

However, I have found this groovy little website recently, BiosMods.com that is managed by a few folks that can hack BIOS flashes and enable the ability to disable ACPI. And along with that a few other fun things, like change the EPA image on the post so you can put in a picture of Homer Simpson, or whatever you want (I am going for Homer:-). I am currently working with a dude that has been trying to help me disable my ACPI. It is not done yet, but we have been working on it.

A word of warning though, "flashing your BIOS" is actually reprogramming the BIOS chip on the motherboard, and should not be taken lightly, should someone with limited PC knowledge attempt it and something goes wrong, it could be fatal to your board. So rookies need not apply...but if you are experienced with the technical aspects of flashing, go for it.

I have finished flashing my board to the current BIOS version, now it is on to enabling the toggle for the ACPI.

Take control of your PC, don't let Microsoft hog any more of your system resources than it absolutely has to. ACPI is great in laptops for power management, but in a desktop studio environment, it hurts more than it helps...

And that is my $0.02...sheesh I feel better now.

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