DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error

Been dealing with this today on a clean install of XP and went looking for answers to this error code and decided to share my findings here, as there is a lot of guesswork and incorrect responses out there. Bottom line, you probably have a driver conflict somewhere, or worst case, incompatible or bad ram. Heres what to try:

Specific error code:
At the bottom of the screen, it may reference a driver name. If your not sure where that driver name it referenced belongs, search for that file name in Google to find out what it belongs to, then update that hardwares drivers. This is the most likely scenario.

Memory problems:
Remove and replace your ram to be sure its seated properly. Download a ram tester like MemTest if your able to access DOS @ http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4226.html or DocMemory for Windows @ http://www.majorgeeks.com/download315.html and test your ram. If all else fails, and you have just built this machine, replaced the motherboard, etc., your ram may not be compatible. If possible, test with another stick of ram if you have it.

Windows 2003 server:
If your running Windows 2003 server, a hotfix is available @ http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];817789
If your error is "Stop 0x000000D1 Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal" this hotfix that you can download may help.

 

Every forum out there points to that, it fixes nothing. I still am having this problem on a Epox board, 1.3 athlon, just rebuilt, empty drives, 2 CDs, GeForce 3, etc, and everything is fine until XP install gets to where its going to load the Windows screens, then it dumps with this error. Disabled bios crap, got different ram, removed everything but video card, swapped video cards and so on.

So, how does that page help me?

 

Ran MemTest, got another stick of ram as well. Have been running a complete hard drive scan since I posted this. My next move is to eliminate CDROMs which keep giving errors and try installing from hard drive. Already eliminated all other hardware except drives and board itself. There is no filename to list, its just a 000000d or something, otherwise, I could probably take my own advice

 

Clean install, 98 is crashing on install too. Rad WD diagnostics, drives are good. Pulled ALL cdroms out, put in a newer one, same thing. I am leaning towards the board. How about you?

I tried to flash the BIOS, though the date on boot is the same as latest version, but it just froze up. I then cleared CMOS, nothing changed. My money is on the cmos itself.

 

I think removeable, I will have to check, thats assuming thats where the problem lies. I could try using the RAID for kicks to see if that helps, but running out of patience.

 

Roger that, different when your home and hardware has to be bought. I had pretty much everything as a spare except a board and chip, so tommorow we find out when I dig up a board. Im tired of working on it