Blue Screen - IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL - don't care if I lose everything.....

golfman

Hi guys,

I'm know there are lots of Blue Screen threads but I felt mine was a little different so I started a fresh one.

My old laptop bluescreened on me nearly 3 years ago. I had another, better one through work so just started using that and didn't try and fix the old one. I had everything backed up so I didn't care. I now want to get the old beast back working again.

My issue is different from most of the other queries because I'm not bothered about preserving any data on the laptop, I'd happily wipe it and start afresh.

The blue screen happens on start up. Here is the issue

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Technical info:
STOP: 0X0000000A (0x492B3140, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x804D9AFA)

After reading a few problem pages on the internet I've found the most common advice is to start the laptop back up in "Last Known Good Config). When I do this it bluescreens.

I've also read to start in "Safe Mode with Networking". When I do this it bluescreens.

I can start it in "Safe Mode" and it doesn't Bluescreen.

Anybody know what my best bet is to get this back running again? I'm hoping as I have no interest in what is on the computer there's a nice easy solution.....

In advance, many thanks for the help.....

EDIT: I also don't have the original Windows XP disk

Odaise Gaelach

Practically it'd probably be easier to re-install Windows, especially if you're going to be using it again and you don't care what's on it.

However it might be a little tricky to re-install with no installation CD. Also it could be a recurring problem. The fact that you can boot up in Safe Mode but not Safe Mode with Networking indicates that there's a problem with a network adapter.

Boot into Safe Mode and open Device Manager. See if there are any devices in there that have warning signs beside them. The Properties window for those devices will give a clue as to why your laptop is blue-screening on start-up.

golfman

Boot into Safe Mode and open Device Manager. See if there are any devices in there that have warning signs beside them. The Properties window for those devices will give a clue as to why your laptop is blue-screening on start-up.

I've done that and there's no warning signs beside anything

hearny

Agree with the last poster that the first place to check would be the network adapters.
Make a list of the devices under network, right click on them and disable them.
While you are in safe mode see if there are any files in C:/Windows/Minidumps that correspond to the times of the crashes, if there are copy a few of them and upload them or PM me.

If there are no files make sure the pc saves mini dumps of crashes.
Right click on my computer -> Click properties

Click on the advanced tab

Under startup and Recovery click on settings

Make sure that location is set to %Windows%/Minidumps and the drop down has small dump file selected.

Click ok twice, restart the machine in normal mode.

Giblet

Could be as simple as a bad network card driver. Try uninstalling the network card / disabling it and starting the PC normally. If there are no problems, you can try installing updated drivers.

Cuddlesworth

Run this in Safemode, should give you a good idea of what is causing it.