Windows 10: IRQL not less or equal to Windows 10 BSOD shortly after startup

I am getting a BSOD with 2 different errors (what it's shown me so far): "IRQL not less or equal to" and also "Driver_Irql not less or equal to". I am using Windows 10. My upgrade was about a month ago. I use this Alienware M17XR3 laptop to mostly learn and do programming things. Could a virus be causing this? I can provide any other info deemed necessary.

On a side note - I have MySQL notifier running in the background. I needed it to set up WAMP server. I keep getting errors on startup from MySQL notifier. If these might help figure out what's going on, I'll write them down next time I BSOD.

:)

 

Windows 10 - BSOD: KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED

Thanks Andre,

KB4088776 was indeed installed.

After uninstalling it and checking if the BSOD persists, the computer is now stuck in Crash loop, crashing shortly after startup.

The error messages are not the same now, though. They are different every time.

So far I've seen:

SYSTEM SERVICE EXCEPTION

IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL

DRIVER IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL

DPC WATCHDOG VIOLATION

Please note that before removing the update, there was only the one error message, and only when i ran the game.

Thanks

 

Never ending cycle of multiple BSOD,hang ups, freezes,

Thanks for your help! Ia appreciate it!

I backed up the hdd.

Right now I am trying to get the clean install of Windows 10 put on the hdd but I keep getting the following BSOD messages:

Driver IRQL Not Less or Equal (storahci.sys)

Driver IRQL Not Less or Equal (storport.sys)

IRQL Not Less or Equal

Unexpected Kernel Mode Trap

Kernel Security Check Failure

Page Fault in Nonpaged Area

After a BSOD the computer restarts.

Any suggestions?

 

Please read BSOD Posting Instructions

 

My computer information per the BSOD posting instructions.

 

Hi cowlicker12,

Please go to this site and download the tool. The tool will give you detailed information about your system specs, please fill your system specs more completely in.

Please go to the following folder: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\.
There is a driver called dump_iaStorAV.sys, when you have found it right click > properties and go to the tab details. Please make a screenshot of the details and post it.

Please go to your manufacturer and check for driver updates.


The following drivers are the causes of your crashes:

Killer network wifi driver
Code: 0: kd> lmvm Ak27x64start end module name fffff800`eb2a0000 fffff800`eb542000 Ak27x64 (deferred) Image path: \SystemRoot\System32\drivers\Ak27x64.sys Image name: Ak27x64.sys Timestamp: Wed Dec 07 18:13:57 2011 (4EDF9ED5) CheckSum: 002AB75A ImageSize: 002A2000 Translations: 0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4[/quote] Intel Graphics driver
Code: 0: kd> lmvm igdkmd64start end module name fffff800`eb910000 fffff800`ebe2dc20 igdkmd64 (deferred) Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\igdkmd64.sys Image name: igdkmd64.sys Timestamp: Wed May 27 05:53:18 2015 (55653FAE) CheckSum: 0052B7B7 ImageSize: 0051DC20 Translations: 0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4[/quote] Bigfoot Networks Bandwidth control
Code: 0: kd> lmvm bflwfx64start end module name fffff800`ea400000 fffff800`ea557000 bflwfx64 T (no symbols) Loaded symbol image file: bflwfx64.sys Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\bflwfx64.sys Image name: bflwfx64.sys Timestamp: Tue Feb 14 20:28:54 2012 (4F3AB5F6) CheckSum: 0001A6A6 ImageSize: 00157000 Translations: 0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4[/quote]

 

Intel Graphics driver
Code: 0: kd> lmvm igdkmd64start end module name fffff800`eb910000 fffff800`ebe2dc20 igdkmd64 (deferred) Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\igdkmd64.sys Image name: igdkmd64.sys Timestamp: Wed May 27 05:53:18 2015 (55653FAE) CheckSum: 0052B7B7 ImageSize: 0051DC20 Translations: 0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4[/quote] Bigfoot Networks Bandwidth control
Code: 0: kd> lmvm bflwfx64start end module name fffff800`ea400000 fffff800`ea557000 bflwfx64 T (no symbols) Loaded symbol image file: bflwfx64.sys Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\bflwfx64.sys Image name: bflwfx64.sys Timestamp: Tue Feb 14 20:28:54 2012 (4F3AB5F6) CheckSum: 0001A6A6 ImageSize: 00157000 Translations: 0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4[/quote] [/quote]
What do I do knowing that those drivers are the cause of the crashing? I just tried updating them but it says the drivers are already up to date.

 

Here is a screenshot of Diskdump.sys. The file "dump_iaStorAV.sys" doesn't exist, I even used the search function.

View image: Untitled

I also downloaded the tool and tried to use the auto fill in system specs, but I spammed the set info button and some fields still weren't filling themselves in (some did). Yes, I set it to automatic. Can you see those updated system specs or did you need me to post the here?

 

Your system specs can be found here:

 

Hi guys.

Dell says that the M17xR3 isn't fully supported for W10. Your best chance for getting W10 stable might be a clean install. Disable any components you don't need (eg. WiFi, RAID, etc.) in the BIOS before trying it. Connect the HDD and DVD to the Intel SATA. Avoid using IntelRST (iaStor*.sys) drivers, they're only needed for RAID/SSD caching drives, the stock MS SATA drivers should be fine. Basically, keep it simple!

Similar with 'utility' software that loads drivers (eg. DaemonTools, security software, ...), avoid it where you can unless you really need it; try not to install any 'utility' software (even from Dell/Alienware) that isn't specifically for W10. Once you have a stable platform and your main software working, then you can start to work on what utility software you really need.


"dump_*.sys" files don't 'exist', they're created on-the-fly specifically to try to ensure that dump data is saved when a bugcheck is called, it's normal to see several different ones listed as loaded in crash dumps.


All but one of the crashes points directly to the networking subsystem (see Stack texts, last drivers called), the Killer NIC would seem to be the obvious 'bad' driver (it's old!) yet the PC is connected via a wired connection - the real issue might be due to other factors that are carried over from the W8.1 install.

 

Thanks for the input satrow. How might I go about doing a fresh install? I downloaded and installed W10 for free and it just kind of did it by itself overnight.

By ''connect the HDD and DVD to the Intel SATA'', do you mean a physical connection?? I'd have to open up my laptop??

Also, I basically understood nothing of the rest of what you said. Is all of that something I can do upon re-installation of W10?

 

Tutorials for downloading/creating a full W10 install: Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums[2]=Installation%20and%20Setup

No need to open up the notebook, that comment was more a generic one - for others facing a similar problem with machines with partial support only - a continuation on the 'minimise the hardware first' theme, some motherboards might have SATA chips from 2/3 different makers, just as others, like most notebooks, might have wifi + wired connections available - just enable what is really needed.

The "dump_*.sys" files don't 'exist'" comment was because it's a red herring, just ignore it *Smile The last paragraph is how I see what the dumps are telling me - only useful if you want to spend several days uninstalling software/updating drivers to try to get the current upgrade working (and you may also need to do an in-place reinstall afterwards, with no real guarantee that it will undo everything 'bad' carried over from the W8.1 install).

So that leaves turning off (in the BIOS) any features that you don't need/can't use before the install, and similar post-install for software/drivers. Avoid activating hardware you don't need, avoid installing drivers/software you don't need. The aim is to get a lean, clean install of W10. Once you're confident you have a stable Windows install, install your 'working' software - the stuff you need on a regular basis - and see how it gels during a couple of 'normal' Windows sessions.

I see that you're using a wired USB3 to Gigabit network connection, is this built-in to the notebook or an adapter (I don't see a driver listed by Dell)? You might want to download the drivers for it (AX88179 - ASIX Electronics Corporation the W8.1x64 drivers should be fine, they're relatively new) and put them on a USB thumb drive drive in case they're needed. If it is an adapter, you can disable both networking adapters in the BIOS.

 

You've given me hope!! *Smile Question though, the Killer Network and the Bigfoot Network stuff all came with my laptop. Even if I disable the WiFi before the re-install, I'll need some way of connecting via WiFi after the re-installation is successful. So shouldn't I instead uninstall these drivers (or are they programs? I don't know...) and find better ones to work with my wireless adapter?

The same goes with the Intel HD Graphics driver. For starters, I have a NVIDIA graphics card, so I'm not sure why this driver is taking precedence. My device manager says it's not even detecting a NVIDIA GPU, which is strange because I know it's there. I have NVIDIA GeForce Experience which updates my NVIDIA drivers. Now when I use it it says GPU not detected. Plus, I think I had it set so that NVIDIA GPU takes over only when I'm gaming and to use the Intel Graphics when doing regular use (if this was a bad idea, let me know). If I get the NVIDIA to work again, couldn't I just set it to always use it instead of the Intel Graphics? I don't care much about power consumption because I always have my laptop plugged in.

 

What we don't yet know is whether the normal Killer W10 drivers/utilities (Killer Networking - Driver Downloads) will work on the Dell/Alienware versions - Dell have frequently modified 'their' hardware so that it's difficult to install 'normal' drivers; this can often be worked around by modifying the driver .inf file so that it will allow installation on the Dell-modded hardware. (I've even had to use this method to install newer Dell Wifi cards into older Dell notebooks - Dell want you to buy a new computer rather than upgrading your current one.)

So, you can test out the Killer Suite now, we know your USB/Gigabyte NIC should work fine as a stopgap in case we need to figure out how to get the inbuilt wifi working on a clean install.

Switchable graphics are always going to be a problem once you move away from the OEM drivers; if Dell don't have W10 drivers, you may be able to install the W8.1 drivers instead; otherwise, it might be possible, depending on the BIOS settings, to disable the Intel GPU and force W10 to use the nVidia GPU only.

Again, this is something you might be able to test with the current buggy upgrade install before deciding exactly what to do, patch this upgrade, clean install or revert to W8.1.

 

Ok so I tried to download and install Killer Suite, but it said I first needed to uninstall some Qualcomm Atheros program by going to Control Panel -->Programs and Features. I went there, started uninstalling it, but then I BSOD'd again! This time, the error was "MEMORY_MANAGEMENT". What do you think satrow? Another BSOD when attempting to solve the first. Should we even try to figure this one out or just clean install?

Also, what else should I disable in the BIOS in case we decide to go for a lean clean install? You mentioned WiFi and RAID. Disabling the WiFi makes a lot of sense because it's the Killer stuff that's causing problems, but what will happen to my computer if I disable RAID? I don't really understand it in the first place, so I'm kind of hesitant :/ Besides those 2, I will try not to install anything that I don't need right away. I mainly use this computer for video gaming, web development + android app development (I downloaded Aptana Studio, Android Studio, WAMP server, MySQL. But the MySQL and WAMP were just for testing on my localhost, which isn't reeeeally needed....), and general browsing. I'll try to write down everything I install in order so that I can single out what the cause is of any future BSOD.