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Hi all,
hope someone can help, Recently my PC (Windows XP prof.), Crashed when my sister was on the it, she said it come up with a message, something about a Software that was running. Then it completely froze.
So she restarted it and then, and ever since its coming up with this message :
"A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

If this is the first time you've seen this message (blah, blah)(blah, blah)..................

Technical Information:

***STOP: 0x0000000A (0x00000018, 0x00000002,0x0000000, 0x804DF4A2)

After looking on some sites I took some info. and have tried the following:

1. checked fans, looked for dust etc.
2. moved round, memory sticks, and re-started
3. unplugged all hardware and devices, and re-started
4 tried booting from floppy
5. tried booting from CD
6. Tried entering Safe Mode
7. tried using last settings that worked
8. tried restoring using MSDOS (I think), where you put c:/ and it comes up.
9. Tried totally replacing windows, doing a fresh copy.

The fans were fine, and when trying all of the above some time or another into the process I get the Message again!
Is there anything I can do, Or do you recomend I get a new Harddrive and re start windows

Thanks in advance, for your advice

Daryl :-)

Hey 20daz07,

Welcome to PCHF.

This is normally caused by faulty RAM, but if you could take a look on the BSOD link on my signature, it will explain how to post your log here, which will give some more information about it's probable cause.

It is however, normally caused by faulty RAM. You can check this using memtest.

- If you have a floppy drive and a spare floppy disk, please download: http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip

- If not, please download, unzip and use nero to burn this image: http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.2.iso.zip

Reboot with the CD/Floppy in the drive and start memtest. This will ensure there are no problems in memory.

hi, thanx for you reply, but I

cant use the floppy/cd it wont boot up so i cant run it, any suggestions?

Hey 20, you many need to enter BIOS (DEL, F1 or F2) when you first switch your PC on. Look for Boot Device Priority and make sure your floppy drive is at the top of the list.

I see where your going. It is possible, but I'm hoping that when he posts his BSOD it will point me directly to the problem, however IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is normally caused by faulty RAM.

The stop Codes indicate either faulty hardware ( which COULD be the bad RAM issue) OR a faulty driver-- have you updated any card drivers lately ? Video,sound. Of course a driver could have suddenly become corrupted.too.

Unfortunately sometimes the only way to troubleshoot these things is to take ALL the accessories out-- strip it down to what will barely make it start, see how it goes, then keep adding parts until you start getting the symptoms again --and there's your culprit,

In this cae I'd run memtest first though-- as bad RAM can mimic many other problems. Let it run the full tests-- ususall run it overnight --it takes HOURS to run. see what it says & go from there,

Unless you have really bad RAM like me, in which case it will barely make it to 2 hours before it has almost 3500 errors and crashes. xD

I have floppy booting up first, b ut it just shows Up Non strike replacement disk, Do i need to unzip the file to the floppy first?