trav1085 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I have a Dell Dimension 1100, Intel Celeron D 2.6GHz 512MB RAM Windows XP Home SP-2. I was going to play some games through Telus, and opened TELUS Games Player. It downloaded an update and then when I went to press "Log In" it just crashed with a blue screen (not bsod) saying "DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_EQUAL_OR_LESS" and a bunch of other text. I restarted the system, and then opened IE 7 to check what this means, and it crashed as soon as it got my homepage, www.mytelus.com. I have had this problem before on a different computer, but it turned out it was because of virtual drives and stuff and then because I installed TELUS Security without installing their entire internet package. I have already read something saying that it could be because of hardware, but I haven't even opened the system up to change anything yet. I was also noticied that it started happening when I just plugged in my wired connection and unplugged my wireless connection (usb). I don't know if that could be the problem or what. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
fram87 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Sometimes this problem is due to cache or shadowing problems try to check ram and video card, since u r from a laptop just check ram and hard disk sectors or try to deactivate cache and shadowing features from bios if the problem does not solve change the whole ram bank that's all Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-226534 Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmyj Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 fyi that is a bsod, try updating drivers along with what is suggested above Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-226687 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeathChill Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I was getting this when I was using my wireless connection. Certain things would instantly cause this and it was because of the driver. I just downloaded a fix for it and it was alright. I remember something that caused it EVERYTIME was downloading World of Warcraft updates (when I first installed the game, I don't play it). Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-226871 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjtd Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 The problem is Bad memory for sure. Just pickup a Ubuntu Live Cd and make a memtest86+ test. I bet it will fail. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-227019 Share on other sites More sharing options...
other Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Nah not a memory problem, I had a problem like this problem. I traced it down to being a poorly coded audio codec driver. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-227071 Share on other sites More sharing options...
trav1085 Posted November 7, 2006 Author Share Posted November 7, 2006 Not sure if I worded my first post clearly enough, but there are something you got wrong. 1. A Dimension is a desktop computer, not a laptop. 2. I wasn't thinking of it being my wireless connection, I thought it could be my WIRED connection. 3. I unplugged my wired and replaced it with wireless and it work fines. I haven't had a crash all day. PS: IRQL sounds like Urkel from the tv show! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-227455 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjb Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 could be one of many things. I experienced the same bsod in a few different situations. - overheating. Check the fan speed/cpu temperature and clear out the fans if this is abnormally high. - Driver / hardware conflict. This sounds most likely in your situation. Updating drivers, checking hardware works independantly will probably solve it. I'm that you may have looked at this already. - Failing the top 2, i would say its bad sectors on your hard drive. do a windows chkdsk or the equivalent to search for them. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-227933 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metrogirl Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 A good way of handling unexplained BSODs is to install the Microsoft Windows Debug package - search the MS site for details or get it HERE (it's a free download) and use it to analyze the crash dump which will have been saved when the BSOD appeared. There are full instructions on the MS website. IRQL_NOT_EQUAL_OR_LESS is usually a driver problem, and the debug package will tell you which one - honestly, it's that simple. Microsoft Debugging Tools HomePage Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-229694 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgdn17 Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 > It downloaded an update and then when I went to press "Log In" it just crashed with a blue screen (not bsod) saying "DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_EQUAL_OR_LESS" and a bunch of other text. do a sfc /scannow ( If sfc discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the %systemroot%\system32\dllcache folder, and then replaces the incorrect file. If the %systemroot%\system32\dllcache folder becomes corrupt or unusable, use sfc /scannow, sfc /scanonce, or sfc /scanboot to repair the contents of the Dllcache directory. ) Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-229733 Share on other sites More sharing options...
br0adband Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;314063 This will explain the dreaded (and pretty rare nowadays) IRQ_NOT_LESS_THAN error and possible resolutions. The most important word to remember: drivers, since 99.9% of the time it's a driver issue related to hardware. Crappy drivers written by coding monkeys will stop your machine faster than a bullet most of the time. "It's always the drivers..." bb Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-229788 Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtraa Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 IRQL not less or equal can mean everything. If there is a driver named at the BSOD, delete it. If not it is most likely some heat problem or memory. Thats why I second that: The problem is Bad memory for sure.Just pickup a Ubuntu Live Cd and make a memtest86+ test. I bet it will fail. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-229942 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjtd Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Do a Prime95 torture test and memtest86+ test. If it fails, you have bad hardware. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-229997 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katch Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 When I overclock systems hard, and I mean hard, this BSOD is the first to arrived on the scene - sometimes I can memtest fine for hours but some core instability remains and I'll get the IRQL BSOD while trying to load Windows. It can have many causes but they all come down to hardware letting down the software kernel layer - in english, something is running to fast, too hot, or is crapping out - most likely candidates are RAM, CPU and Motherboard Chipset. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/32308-driver_irql_not_equal_or_less/#findComment-230268 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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