I've only fussed with WinME a little on someone else's computer, but it appears that when a device is not ME compatible, it simply refuses to detect it. You might check the
Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List, to see if your card is there.
From what I've read, Windows (at least as far as 98) was designed so that it could provide plug and play support on older computers which lack a plug and play bios, and the option is there to bypass a problematic bios, whereupon it will try to do the job alone; but the default (P&P bios on) is what Windows expects and is best equipped to work with. So unless you have problems that can be solved by disabling it, you should probably turn it back on.
I was always told to leave it off. This article from Dell's Knowledgebase may be of interest.
What are the benefits of Plug and Play?
A Plug and Play system provides you with a number of benefits.
Easy Installation of Compatible Peripherals
When you select a Plug and Play expansion card or other device, your job is done when the device is physically installed in the computer. When you turn on the computer, it recognizes that a new device has been installed and automatically assigns appropriate system resources, such as interrupt requests (IRQs) or direct memory access (DMA) channels, to the device.
Backward Compatibility
A Plug and Play system can still use devices that were designed before the Plug and Play standard was developed. You must configure non-Plug and Play devices manually, and you must let the Plug and Play system know how the non-Plug and Play devices are configured.
Negligible Cost
Plug and Play doesn't require expensive components, so Plug and Play devices can be competitively priced.
Freedom From Jumpers and DIP Switches
With a Plug and Play device, you don't have to decipher obscure tables to figure out how to set jumpers or dual in-line package (DIP) switches for most resources--especially those resources that are shared with other devices. Plug and Play devices may use jumpers or switches to configure device-specific options that do not conflict with other devices in the computer.
Easy Access to Configuration Information
You can find out how your Plug and Play devices are configured by running the configuration utility supplied with your Plug and Play system.
I have a Dell 4100 with Win98SE, and have been unable to install two different SCSI adapters that I have tried. I can't get any help anywhere. The problem seems to be a conflict with the NVIDIA video card.
If you get yours to work I'd be very interested in hearing how.
M Currie
296 Posts
0
January 20th, 2001 03:00
From what I've read, Windows (at least as far as 98) was designed so that it could provide plug and play support on older computers which lack a plug and play bios, and the option is there to bypass a problematic bios, whereupon it will try to do the job alone; but the default (P&P bios on) is what Windows expects and is best equipped to work with. So unless you have problems that can be solved by disabling it, you should probably turn it back on.
Ginny
259 Posts
0
January 20th, 2001 03:00
What are the benefits of Plug and Play?
A Plug and Play system provides you with a number of benefits.
Easy Installation of Compatible Peripherals
When you select a Plug and Play expansion card or other device, your job is done when the device is physically installed in the computer. When you turn on the computer, it recognizes that a new device has been installed and automatically assigns appropriate system resources, such as interrupt requests (IRQs) or direct memory access (DMA) channels, to the device.
Backward Compatibility
A Plug and Play system can still use devices that were designed before the Plug and Play standard was developed. You must configure non-Plug and Play devices manually, and you must let the Plug and Play system know how the non-Plug and Play devices are configured.
Negligible Cost
Plug and Play doesn't require expensive components, so Plug and Play devices can be competitively priced.
Freedom From Jumpers and DIP Switches
With a Plug and Play device, you don't have to decipher obscure tables to figure out how to set jumpers or dual in-line package (DIP) switches for most resources--especially those resources that are shared with other devices. Plug and Play devices may use jumpers or switches to configure device-specific options that do not conflict with other devices in the computer.
Easy Access to Configuration Information
You can find out how your Plug and Play devices are configured by running the configuration utility supplied with your Plug and Play system.
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rhwagner
5 Posts
0
January 20th, 2001 13:00
If you get yours to work I'd be very interested in hearing how.