IRQ10

IRQ10 is a hardware interrupt request line on the ISA bus. In computer systems, interrupt request (IRQ) lines are used by hardware devices to signal to the central processing unit (CPU) that an event has occurred and requires attention. Each IRQ line is assigned a unique number, and IRQ10 is one of these dedicated lines.

Historically, IRQ10 was commonly used by various peripheral devices. Its exact usage could vary depending on the motherboard chipset and the specific devices installed in a system. Devices that might have utilized IRQ10 include network interface cards (NICs), sound cards, SCSI controllers, and other expansion cards. The assignment of IRQ lines was a crucial aspect of system configuration, especially in older operating systems where manual configuration was often required. Conflicts, where two devices attempted to use the same IRQ, could lead to system instability or device malfunction.

With the advent of the PCI bus and its successors like PCI Express, the interrupt handling mechanisms have evolved. Modern systems largely utilize more advanced interrupt controllers that can manage interrupts more efficiently and with greater flexibility, often dynamically assigning interrupt resources. While IRQ10 might still be present for backward compatibility in some systems, its direct use by devices has significantly diminished in favor of newer interrupt technologies. Understanding IRQ assignments remains relevant for troubleshooting legacy hardware or in embedded systems where older bus architectures might still be in use.