interrupts

[Clutz]

I have picked up a nasty Internet bug. I am wondering what should I do about interrupts before I reformat. When I installed this current OS (Windows XP pro) the bios was at default. I have since then cleared some of the Mobo ports that I have never used. This is what I currently see in device manager:

(ISA)  0    System Timer
(ISA)  1    101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
(ISA)  8    System CMOS/real time clock
(ISA)  9    Microsoft ACPI-Complaint System
(ISA) 12   PS2/ Compatible Mouse
(ISA) 13   Numeric data processor
(ISA) 14   Primary IDE Channel
(ISA) 15   Secondary IDE Channel
(PCI) 11   Intel(R) 82801EB SMBuss Controller - 24D3
(PCI) 16   Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D2
(PCI) 16   Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24DE
(PCI) 16   Radeon X850 Series
(PCI) 18   Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D7
(PCI) 19   Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D4
(PCI) 20   Agere Systems PCI Soft Modem
(PCI) 21   Creative SB X-Fi
(PCI) 22   Intel(R) Pro/1000 MT Desktop Adapter
(PCI) 23   Intel(R) 82801EB USB2 Enhaced Host Controller - 24DD

My system runs ok pretty much, but I would like to tweek these things an hopefully pick up some performance. I wonder many things about all this stuff, but here are a few questions if I may ask please:

1) It looks like windows piled a whole bunch of stuff on the ACPI. Is this a problem , especially at IRQ 16 with the USB and the video card sharing that IRQ?
2) Now that I have cleared Mobo ports that I don't ever use, will this make the next install see/use the cleared  IRQ's from those ports?
3) I think I have figured out how to clear IRQ's in the bios, but to assign them still eludes me. Could it be the Abit Ic7 Mobo does not allow this option?
4) When the boot screen is running on start up there is a list there that shows "device class" and the IRQ's for them. That list of IRQ's is very much different than what device manager tells me the IRQ's are for these devices. Why is this?

Any help full suggestions will be appreciated very much. All of this stuff is way out of the box for me so please consider my ignorance if you will.  

Thank you all very very much. Clutz

[38ruk]

Stuff like this is why i would always install the standard pc Hal before i had a dual core , i couldn't stand the sharing . IT is possible that after you shut down some unused port on the mobo that it will sort them out better , if not there are only so many things you can do. If i had that issue i would prolly buy a usb pci card and disable the onboard usb, then play around moving it to different slots to see what happens . Good luck  

are you on broadband or dial up? it looks like a 56k modem on irq20 that could be done away with .