Question Computer Bluescreens

[doggie015]

"DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"

When I first saw that I was reminded of this: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897558.aspx One of the fake errors it throws up is "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"

P.S. Sorry for going for off-topic but it makes an excellent april fool's joke

 

[RangerPL]

When I first saw that I was reminded of this: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897558.aspx One of the fake errors it throws up is "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"

P.S. Sorry for going for off-topic but it makes an excellent april fool's joke

LOL!
That is epic. And it's my new screensaver (and my brother's!). Forget google images screensaver, we have a bluescreen now!

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/0/09/Teletubbies_tinky_winky_bsod.png

 

[n122vu]

My computer has been blue-screening at random times recently for reasons which I do not know of.

It started on Friday last week after I defragmented my computer and rid it of files I don't need anymore (nothing that could have had an adverse effect on my computer). Now, my computer cannot play games stably, and I've managed to roughly pinpoint that it bluescreens when I use key combinations. (CTRL + 5 when using Descartes, E+LMB when playing WiC).
I can't play World in Conflict or Orbiter stably anymore, though things like Battlefield 2 still work.

I thought it was linked to the XP theme I was using (VistaVG by Vishal Gupta), but it would appear otherwise.

It crashed roughly 3 times last weekend and 6 times this weekend.

There were several error messages on the bluescreens, but here are the ones I remember

"DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" (appears almost every time)
"MEMORY_MANAGEMENT" (appeared once).

Perhaps someone who is computer savvy might be able to provide some insight as to why this has been occurring.

EDIT: Wrong forum, I think. Sorry.

If there was a message at the bottom of the blue screen that said 'BEGINNING DUMP OF PHYSICAL MEMORY' followed by 'PHYSICAL MEMORY DUMP COMPLETE' then a file was created on your PC with an extension of .dmp, typically called user.dmp, usually in C:\Minidump or C:\Windows\Minidump. This file can be analyzed with Microsoft Debugging Tools to better determine exactly what caused the BSOD.

If you can't find the folders I mentioned, do a search of your PC for *.dmp and if/when you find them check the timestamp to see if it coincides with the time of your crash. If it does, email the file to me at [email protected] and I will take a look at it in the debugger.

If you don't find a .dmp file that coincides with your crash, or don't find one at all, then I would suggest following the instructions posted by other members for reinstalling XP.

Regards,
n122vu

 

[RangerPL]

I already got the problem fixed. My videocard was idling at a whopping 63 celcius due to dust. I have it at 53 now.

 

[Andy44]

If there was a message at the bottom of the blue screen that said 'BEGINNING DUMP OF PHYSICAL MEMORY' followed by 'PHYSICAL MEMORY DUMP COMPLETE' then a file was created on your PC with an extension of .dmp, typically called user.dmp, usually in C:\Minidump or C:\Windows\Minidump. This file can be analyzed with Microsoft Debugging Tools to better determine exactly what caused the BSOD.

If you can't find the folders I mentioned, do a search of your PC for *.dmp and if/when you find them check the timestamp to see if it coincides with the time of your crash. If it does, email the file to me at [email protected] and I will take a look at it in the debugger.

If you don't find a .dmp file that coincides with your crash, or don't find one at all, then I would suggest following the instructions posted by other members for reinstalling XP.

Regards,
n122vu

So that's what that means! Wish I had known that before.

 

[TSPenguin]

If you don't find a .dmp file that coincides with your crash, or don't find one at all, then I would suggest following the instructions posted by other members for reinstalling XP.

Or just enable the dump (in case it is disabled). System settings -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery. Just don't select a full dump, because then the system will write the contents of your whole RAM to disk.

 

[n122vu]

Or just enable the dump (in case it is disabled). System settings -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery. Just don't select a full dump, because then the system will write the contents of your whole RAM to disk.

Good point. Was in "work" mode - all of our workstations have this enabled by default. Only time I see one not created at work is when the BSOD is so severe that the system cannot even create a dump file.

At any rate, glad you tracked downthe problem RangerPL and that it was a simple fix.

Regards,
n122vu

 

[RangerPL]

Good point. Was in "work" mode - all of our workstations have this enabled by default. Only time I see one not created at work is when the BSOD is so severe that the system cannot even create a dump file.

At any rate, glad you tracked downthe problem RangerPL and that it was a simple fix.

Regards,
n122vu

Thanks for the help anyways.
Good thing I managed to get it solved before it escalated into possibly frying the GPU. Then, I'd be in real trouble.

 

[n72.75]

If your GPU is 63°C when idle, then it is most likely due to overheating. Get ATItools to verify this theory (it runs on all GPUs, not just ATI).

Cleaning the inside and removing dust from cooling systems is a mandatory task for every computer owner.

When you do clean it, make shore to use anti-static compressed air. I made the mistake of vacuming
out my old computer, and I fried some MOSFETS

 

[RangerPL]

It is my deepest regret to announce that...
The Bluescreens have returned. My computer is back to idling @ 58-62 degrees despite me cleaning it out again today.
Maybe it doesn't like gaming on Saturdays...

Here's the weird thing: I got the GPU up to 72 degrees playing Here's the weird thing: I got the GPU up to 72 degrees playing Call of Duty 4 today and didn't have a problem. It seems that WiC and Orbiter (both of which are being run at 1280x1024) are the only ones to crash. Call of Duty is at 1024x768.

 

[Bj]

It is my deepest regret to announce that...
The Bluescreens have returned. My computer is back to idling @ 58-62 degrees despite me cleaning it out again today.
Maybe it doesn't like gaming on Saturdays...

Here's the weird thing: I got the GPU up to 72 degrees playing Here's the weird thing: I got the GPU up to 72 degrees playing Call of Duty 4 today and didn't have a problem. It seems that WiC and Orbiter (both of which are being run at 1280x1024) are the only ones to crash. Call of Duty is at 1024x768.

May I ask if you dusted your entire computer (CPU & Power Supply) included?

And for you screen size dimensions thing, try running Orbiter at 1024X768 for a while.

You said you removed some files off your computer, did any of these files include program files? I think the next step is to try to see if Windows became corrupted after the defragment. Boot off your XP CD and try to repair Windows. If that doesn't have any effects whatsoever, then maybe its time for a clean install.

 

[RangerPL]

May I ask if you dusted your entire computer (CPU & Power Supply) included?

And for you screen size dimensions thing, try running Orbiter at 1024X768 for a while.

You said you removed some files off your computer, did any of these files include program files? I think the next step is to try to see if Windows became corrupted after the defragment. Boot off your XP CD and try to repair Windows. If that doesn't have any effects whatsoever, then maybe its time for a clean install.

Yes, I dusted everything. This might be driver related, I'm installing SP3 now so that I can get new drivers.
None of the files I removed were system files. Wouldn't I get error messages if I was missing critical files?

 

[Bj]

Wouldn't I get error messages if I was missing critical files?

...sometimes, or it could just crash

 

[RangerPL]

...sometimes, or it could just crash

But then it would crash all the time, not only on two programs.
I haven't had an Orbiter crash today, though I haven't done anything real graphics intensive. The only ones were in World in Conflict. The irony: both happened when I was playing as the Russians :lol:
Maybe it has something to do with that soundpack I installed.
I played BF2 and CoD 4 just fine today though. And I was able to edit a movie for school with no problems.

 

[Bj]

But then it would crash all the time, not only on two programs.

Not necessarily. It could only crash when it needs a particular file. If it was a file that is Windows dependent, then it might crash quite a lot.

 

[Andy44]

Back up your stuff! (again)

 

[RangerPL]

... my GPU is back to idling at 62 degrees.

 

[Bj]

... my GPU is back to idling at 62 degrees.

OK

Download Everest Home Edition

and download

VideoCardStabilityTestSetup.zip


After you dowloaded both of them, I want you to;

• start Everest -let it config
• Run/install VCST (video card stability test)
• on Everest, go to Computer -> sensor
• Do not minimize this, just drag it to the side so you can view the core temperatures
• on VCST click start, and let it run for about 10 minutes or so, (providing your computer doesn't crash) and watch your core temperatures. Note the highest CPU and GPU temperature.
• If your computer hasn't crashed so far, run the benchmarking test.

My computer added ~6C -- 49C to 57C the GPU temperature.

This should give a good idea if temperature is the underlining problem... and at what temperature your computer crashes.

 

[RangerPL]

I had 60C at the beginning of the first test. It plateaued out at 79, briefly jumped to 82 when the top image got bigger and then dropped at the end.

In the benchmark, it got to 79, then dropped. It's still falling now. I'll send the results of the benchmark in a moment.

Benchmark test results:

I have a GeForce 7800GS.

 

[Bj]

I had 60C at the beginning of the first test. It plateaued out at 79, briefly jumped to 82 when the top image got bigger and then dropped at the end.

I have a GeForce 7800GS.

Ouch that's hot :blink: but NVIDIA graphic cards can handle up to 100C.

Also whats your ambient temperature? I'm sitting at a whopping 10C so that would make a little difference.

Is your fan turning on high speed when you play these games? Also, uncover the side of your computer to allow adequate airflow.

Since that card has so much raw power, could you lower the clock speed? Lowering the clock speed would also lower the overall temperature.


Since your computer started crashing only after you defragmented the HD, I am thinking its more of a problem with your Windows OS install/HD. After all, these temperatures could be completely normal with that kind of card.