# [SOLVED] Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal



## Blaine B. (Nov 26, 2005)

For the past few days, my laptop with Windows Vista has been getting these blue screens stating "IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal"

It has done it probably more than a dozen times the past two days. You can browsing, typing, or the laptop can just be sitting idle, and it will still get the BSOD.

Yesterday I got a Bad_Pool_Caller blue screen as well, but that just happened once, and never returned.

Nothing has been modified on this system, as it as it was since we bought it from Best Buy in January 2009. The only thing that happened around the time these blue screens of death occured was a Windows Update for my printer drivers (which I have since removed in add/remove programs) and also I ran a CCleaner on the registry. Removing the drivers has had no effect on the blue screens, which will still occur. Another thing is that my Symantec Corporate Edition virusscan constantly hangs. I will download the newest virus definitions successfully but always hangs at 73% when it is loading/installing them. This has just started happening as of last night. The latest virus definitions I was able to install were from May 28th, which was yesterday afternoon.

Just as I was typing this post and was uploading the files, I got another IRQL blue screen. And then upon restarting, I got a page_fault_in_nonpaged_area before Windows loaded. I turned it back off and on again, and was able to load Windows Vista, but after the laptop sat idle for awhile I got another IRQL blue screen, which has been happening constantly the past few days.

The specs of the laptop are:

Windows Vista, original install
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 ghz
3 gb ram
Totally updated via windows update, nothing pending installation

The laptop is entirely stock, nothing modified. Attached is a ZIP file containing four minidumps that were saved on the computer by Windows and also another ZIP file containing permon.html and the other file created by the other program, which I was instructed to use by the forum posting rules. Hopefully these minidumps as well as the other files can lead me to where the IRQL conflict is occuring, which I believe indicates something with drivers? 

Thank you and have a nice holiday!


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## Blaine B. (Nov 26, 2005)

*Re: Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal*

Can I please get some help reading these minidumps?

Also, the system is STABLE in SAFE MODE ONLY....the IRQL BSODs occur in both normal mode and SAFE MODE WITH NETWORKING.

I am deleting Symantec Corporate right now as I remember RKILL finding a few entries with Symantec. Might be a longshot but I am willing to try at this point, versus a format and full reinstall which would be an absoulte last resort.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

*Re: Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal*

Hi,

Instead of deleting Symantec, use their removal tool to make sure it is removed completely:


> Download the Norton Removal Tool (NRT); save to desktop. Boot into SAFEMODE - NO Networking. Tap F8 key during boot-up. Then go to desktop, RIGHT-click on the NRT icon and select Run as Administrator.
> 
> When complete - re-boot.
> 
> ...


Also update your Intel wireless networking driver:

```
[font=lucida console]
[B]NETw5v32.sys[/B]            Tue Apr 29 01:29:22 [B][COLOR=Red]2008[/COLOR][/B] (4815D132)
[/font]
```
Intel driver updates - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/

BUGCHECK SUMMARY 

```
[font=lucida console]
Built by: 6002.18327.x86fre.vistasp2_gdr.101014-0432
Debug session time: Sun May 29 18:55:22.334 2011 (GMT+12)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:21:13.961
Probably caused by : ntkrpamp.exe ( nt!KiTrap0E+2e1 )
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xA
PROCESS_NAME:  System
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  0xA_nt!KiTrap0E+2e1
Bugcheck code 0000000A
Arguments 00000034 00000002 00000001 821c5fe9
SystemProductName = Satellite A305
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
Built by: 6002.18327.x86fre.vistasp2_gdr.101014-0432
Debug session time: Sun May 29 18:20:56.858 2011 (GMT+12)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:20.576
Probably caused by : ntkrpamp.exe ( nt!wcsstr+4d )
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x50
PROCESS_NAME:  smss.exe
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  0x50_nt!wcsstr+4d
Bugcheck code 00000050
Arguments 9e347000 00000000 81e5633d 00000000
SystemProductName = Satellite A305
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
Built by: 6002.18327.x86fre.vistasp2_gdr.101014-0432
Debug session time: Sun May 29 17:12:49.009 2011 (GMT+12)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:38:31.850
Probably caused by : ntkrpamp.exe ( nt!KiTrap0E+2e1 )
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xA
PROCESS_NAME:  System
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  0xA_nt!KiTrap0E+2e1
Bugcheck code 0000000A
Arguments 00000034 00000002 00000001 81e20fe9
SystemProductName = Satellite A305
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
Built by: 6002.18327.x86fre.vistasp2_gdr.101014-0432
Debug session time: Sun May 29 16:15:35.694 2011 (GMT+12)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:38:54.417
Probably caused by : ntkrpamp.exe ( nt!KiTrap0E+2e1 )
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xA
PROCESS_NAME:  System
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  0xA_nt!KiTrap0E+2e1
Bugcheck code 0000000A
Arguments 00000034 00000002 00000001 81e1bfe9
SystemProductName = Satellite A305
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``[/font]
```


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## Blaine B. (Nov 26, 2005)

*Re: Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal*

OK I will use the Norton removal tool. Also Intel found that the wireless driver needing updating, that was the only update they had shown. I downloaded it and got the IRQL blue screen of death upon attempting to install.

I will attempt to install in safe mode again, I hope it works. It seems that whenever I try to install something I get the blue screen immediately. Just as I tried to reinstall my printer drivers since I had uninstalled them (that was the only change that I had made since these BSODs started appearing....Windows Update updated my Canon printer drivers, so I uninstalled them, but did not change anything) I had not been able to reinstall them because as soon as I do, just like with these network drivers, I get the IRQL BSOD right away.

Thanks for your quick response as well!!


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## Blaine B. (Nov 26, 2005)

*Re: Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal*

I take that back, there were two updates available from Intel for this Toshiba laptop, one for the wireless network and one for the wired network. I was able to successfully update the wired network, however I am unable to update the wireless network.

Every time I try to run the installer for the new wireless drivers I get the IRQL blue screen of death. I tried to download the installation and save it to the desktop, then run it in safe mode, but every time I try to open the installer that I saved to desktop, it says it is too big to save in the memory or something like that, in safe OR normal mode. I don't understand, bah!

I did run the Norton uninstaller successfully, in safe mode, however. Do you believe that Microsoft Security Essentials is better than Norton for virus protection?


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

*Re: Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal*



Blaine B. said:


> I did run the Norton uninstaller successfully, in safe mode, however. Do you believe that Microsoft Security Essentials is better than Norton for virus protection?


It's debatable, most tests have them fairly even. However MSE has the added advantage of not making your system as slow as treacle. I think it is the best free option out there right now. In the paid arena, ESET is my choice. Feel free to re-install Symantec once we get this sorted, however for now you are better without it.



Blaine B. said:


> Every time I try to run the installer for the new wireless drivers I get the IRQL blue screen of death. I tried to download the installation and save it to the desktop, then run it in safe mode, but every time I try to open the installer that I saved to desktop, it says it is too big to save in the memory or something like that, in safe OR normal mode. I don't understand, bah!


Can you attach a screenshot of that error? I have never seen it before!


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## Blaine B. (Nov 26, 2005)

*Re: Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal*

Ok, the error message is attached. I did a little searching and it appears it can just be the wrong message, or another message indicating that the file is corrupt. If I run the file without downloading it from the intel site, it will ask me if I want to update, then I get the IRQL BSOD. If I download it and save it to the desktop, as soon as the download reaches 100% I will get the IRQL BSOD.

It is doing this for everything I try to install, including the getpaint.net graphics program as well as my printer drivers. How I was able to successfully update the hardwire network drivers via Intel is a mystery to me.

Also it is a catch-22. I can't even try to update the drivers in safe mode because I get the error with the file saved to the desktop. And also if I do safe mode with networking, I have the same result trying to download and run the file as I do in normal mode.

I have run malwarebytes, spybot, and super spyware free edition, nothing is found anymore except tracking cookies. This computer had a virus a few days ago but I believe it is gone. About the same time the IRQL BSODs started appearing.


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## Blaine B. (Nov 26, 2005)

*Re: Windows Vista IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal*

I was able to remove ALL of these problems with this Toshiba Satellite laptop by running *TDSSKiller*. The IRQL blue screens of death are gone, and I am able to install programs and driver updates without any kind of errors and also no blue screens when attempting to install!

This also fixed a DNS type error which was also redirecting all of my searches on another hardwired desktop computer in my network. When the DNS was set to "auto" I was receiving a red box that said my browser was out of date. The only way to be able to get on the web was to use a DNS of 8.8.8.8.

I had used MANY programs, Symantec anti-virus, Malwarebytes, Spybot, Super Antispyware, Combofix, rkill, and although these programs found rootkits and other malicious files, none ever removed the problem. At the last minute I read up about TDSSKiller and gave it a shot because I was desperate, and it worked like a charm!

Also this "virus" or "spyware/adware/malware" or whatever was on the system had also screwed with Symantec on both the laptop and my hardwired desktop. I had to do a complete uninstall of Symantec and reinstall it in order to be able to properly receive and download the latest virus definitions.

So if anybody has a similar problem, don't forget about TDSSKiller on top of all of your other scanning and repair programs! It most certainly saved the day for me, after being unsuccessful at trying to get things back to normal for a week!


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