Perhaps editing your BIOS is possible. For example, Highpoint just released BIOS ver 1.22 for the HPT374:
http://www.highpoint-tech.com/374drivers_down.htm
What's New since ver 1.21:
v1.22A 08/12/2002
* Fix 48bit LBA formatting issue
* Fix hptpro.sys problem on Windows XP system restore and sparse files
* use PMM to allocate BIOS memory
* Disable BIOS EBDA reallocation by default
v1.21A 04/25/2002
* Build for HPT374 controller integrited into the mainboard.
* Remove the buzzer function designed for RocketRAID 404 adapter since it will cause unexpected drive reset after a drive fails.
However, with embedded controllers, updating the Highpoint BIOS must be done by updating the motherboard's BIOS. This, usually, Abit would do for you eventually (which you can harass them about).
OR... you can modify on your own, which is an extremely risky business.
This site may help, although the content is out of date (last updated in June), the downloads and other tools should work. The links section is especially good, and the forum is quite active:
http://www.biosmods.com
My gut feeling is that this EMS problem is a BIOS issue, but that's just instinct talking. Maybe I'm wrong.
Note that Abit updated your BIOS in the beginning of August, too. I talked about version number 9W, but now it's the A4. It still uses the older Highpoint BIOS though.
http://fae.abit.com.tw/eng/download/bios/it7.htm
But if it's an Award BIOS, you can indeed modify it. The tools are out there. I've fooled around with BIOS modification before, had a lot of fun, and learned a lot. I'm sure the guys at BIOSMods.Com can help you out. And perhaps it will solve your problem, perhaps it won't.
"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen
Stiletto