Help, dread Blue Screen of Death!

Jason Skywalker · 01-19-2009, 07:33 AM

Okay, i started getting it Friday or so and it's still repeating today. It gives me the error message "IRQL not less than equal" or something like that. I've tried installing new drivers and registry cleaners but nothing so far. It's really annoying when i can only be on the computer for like 10 minutes without it rebooting due to the blue screen.

Should more information be needed, i'll be more than happy to help.

Please help, and thanks in advance.

Astrotoy7 · 01-19-2009, 11:42 AM

Hello Jason

That type of error is very general, but often comes after a driver or hardware change.

Have you done anything recently such as a hardware change or driver update (pre the first presentation of the issue)

also, please list what specs you have and what add on cards/peripherals plugged in

mtfbwya

Jason Skywalker · 01-19-2009, 02:04 PM

I recently installed new drivers for my new graphics card, but it was after the Blue Screen started showing up.

It's on my laptop:
3 GB's RAM
Realtek RTL8187B Wireless 802.11b/g 54Mbps USB 2.0 Network Adaptor
Graphic card: NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS
Intel Pentium Dual CPU T3200 2.00 GHz
Fujitsu MHZ2320BH G2
TSSTcorp CDDVDW SN-S082H

Hope this suffices since i have next to no knowledge of this. If it's not enough, can you tell me where exactly i can see what add on cards and peripherals i have plugged in?

urluckyday · 01-21-2009, 09:16 AM

Just making sure, you have Windows XP right?

Jason Skywalker · 01-21-2009, 01:26 PM

Yes, i do.

Q · 01-21-2009, 01:29 PM

I'm almost positive that it's your new graphics card. What make of card (ATI or Nvidia) did it have before?

Jason Skywalker · 01-21-2009, 01:44 PM

None. The graphics card i have is the laptop's first. I got it in the beginning of December.

Q · 01-21-2009, 02:51 PM

So it had integrated graphics before? If so, did you properly uninstall the old drivers?

Jason Skywalker · 01-21-2009, 02:58 PM

No, i installed new ones and it became all weird, so i had to install the new drivers again. The blue screen came BEFORE the first installation though.

Q · 01-21-2009, 03:15 PM

OK, please run me through what happened from the beginning:

1) Did the laptop have integrated graphics to begin with, or another card? If so, what kind (brand -Intel, ATI or Nvidia)?

2) What did you do when you installed the new card? Please provide the steps you took.

Jason Skywalker · 01-21-2009, 04:00 PM

1) The laptop had integrated graphics, i pretty much got it for free (lol at country giving out laptops).

2) A bit after the blue screens began, my brother advised me to update the drivers. I downloaded the newest ones from the Nvidia site and installed them, however, my brother forgot to tell me on how it would screw up and how i had to uninstall the previous drivers first and then install the new ones and that it happened to him too but isn't serious. So, i reinstalled the new drivers and kept on with my life, in hope it would solve my problem.

Q · 01-21-2009, 05:00 PM

You're going to have to uninstall any and all video drivers and start over. You can't install one video card driver on top of another. That never works, especially when switching brands.

1) Go to Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and look for the drivers for both your old graphics and for your new Nvidia card. Remove them both, but don't restart when prompted yet.

2) Go to Start > My Computer > View System Information > Hardware > Device Manager > Display Adapters and double-click the integrated graphics entry. At the bottom of the Properties window that comes up you will have a choice between "Use this device (enable)" and "Do not use this device (disable)". Choose the latter option (disable), click "OK", and then exit Device Manager and Click "OK" on the System Properties window.

3) Now restart, but enter your BIOS setup screen before Windows starts to boot, disable the integrated graphics there and exit the BIOS setup screen.

4) You should now be able to boot into Windows, install the Nvidia drivers and reboot.

If you still have any problems after this, just post 'em.

Jason Skywalker · 01-21-2009, 05:46 PM

I did it exactly as you said but i couldn't do step 3. The BIOS setup screen didn't let me reach the graphics card part and also, my scrolling frame rate in internet pages seems to be awful for some reason.

Astrotoy7 · 01-21-2009, 07:14 PM

Just a suggestion >> if the drivers arent properly installed *first* then you wont be able to disable the existing GPU within windows and install nvidia drivers later. My htpcs have integrated graphics, everytime I chuck a graphics card in, I found the fiddling needs to be done later. I have found The WDDM drivers do not support multi GPU instances.

I'd think about:

>Uninstall the drivers and device(nv card) from your device manager
>run a registry clean
>Reboot > check your integrated rivers are working >> when the "found new hardware" for the nv card comes up > dismiss it. If at this stage your integrated drivers werent installed, install them(reboot) otherwise go to next step >>

>>Run the latest driver installation for your nv card >> reboot.
Then do what Q says in step 2 above.

Let us know how you go

mtfbwya

Q · 01-21-2009, 07:14 PM

Have you searched for info on your particular BIOS on the web?

Jason Skywalker · 01-22-2009, 02:12 PM

Well, the scrolling frame rate is back to normal. I'm going to try that out then Astro.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qliveur

Have you searched for info on your particular BIOS on the web?

No, i have not.

Q · 01-22-2009, 04:13 PM

I know that a BIOS is usually pretty straightforward, but you may want to do that.

Jason Skywalker · 01-22-2009, 05:53 PM

Well, i tried out as Astro said to do so and i did it, however, i still couldn't acess the graphics card section in the BIOS part. :\

Otherwise, slow-frame rate scroll remains but i think a reboot is all it takes. Hopefully this will work.

Astrotoy7 · 01-22-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

I recently installed new drivers for my new graphics card, but it was after the Blue Screen started showing up.

Firstly, which model laptop is it exactly?

Have you purchased and installed this yourself, or did you get a technician to do this for you. If it was done externally, you should really contact them before you do any fiddling with the BIOS especially. This would be in the interests of preserving your warranty of course.

Know also that by default, some BIOS(laptop or desktop) may have the setting to enable the addon slot for the gpu by default - and disables the integrated one as part of the process. This would be evidenced by the fact that there would only be one display adapter listed in the device manager when a discrete card is installed.

good luck

mtfbwya

Jason Skywalker · 01-23-2009, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrotoy7

Firstly, which model laptop is it exactly?

INSYS Gameforce HD 8761SU

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrotoy7

Have you purchased and installed this yourself, or did you get a technician to do this for you. If it was done externally, you should really contact them before you do any fiddling with the BIOS especially. This would be in the interests of preserving your warranty of course.

I got it for free and installed the drivers by myself if that's what you're saying. Otherwise, the INSYS company put everything in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrotoy7

Know also that by default, some BIOS(laptop or desktop) may have the setting to enable the addon slot for the gpu by default - and disables the integrated one as part of the process. This would be evidenced by the fact that there would only be one display adapter listed in the device manager when a discrete card is installed.

good luck

mtfbwya

Is there any way to change it or is it not that important?

Astrotoy7 · 01-23-2009, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Skywalker

I got it for free and installed the drivers by myself if that's what you're saying. Otherwise, the INSYS company put everything in.

b) Is there any way to change it or is it not that important?

What I mean is that the people you bought the laptop from the ones who installed the card, and is the laptop still under warranty

point b> I know people on Macs like to jump between GPUs for windows compatibility reasons when running windows viabootcamp. Hence, I cant see the point on a windows based pc. If you dont want it, pull it out !

mtfbwya

Jason Skywalker · 01-23-2009, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrotoy7

What I mean is that the people you bought the laptop from the ones who installed the card, and is the laptop still under warranty

point b> I know people on Macs like to jump between GPUs for windows compatibility reasons when running windows viabootcamp. Hence, I cant see the point on a windows based pc. If you dont want it, pull it out !

mtfbwya

Yes, they were the ones who installed the card and yes, the laptop is still under warranty.

BTW, i got the blue screen again like an hour ago.

Astrotoy7 · 01-23-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Skywalker

Yes, they were the ones who installed the card and yes, the laptop is still under warranty.

It needs to go back to them and they are obligated by the warranty conditions to sort it out. Under these circumstances I especially recommend giving BIOS fiddling a miss.

make them work for their money damnit

mtfbwya

Jason Skywalker · 01-23-2009, 02:09 PM

Well, if possible, i'd rather not give it back for them to fix it. Not very convenient, seeing as my laptop is pretty much my "active PC". Is there no other way?

Astrotoy7 · 01-25-2009, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Skywalker

Well, if possible, i'd rather not give it back for them to fix it. Not very convenient, seeing as my laptop is pretty much my "active PC". Is there no other way?

Seeing that youve tried multiple driver install configs, and your BIOS is feature locked, anything you can do from then on would likely be fluffing your warranty.

mtfbwya

Jason Skywalker · 01-25-2009, 05:59 PM

I see. Would me formatting my laptop work on erasing my problem or would i just be wasting my time?

Astrotoy7 · 01-28-2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Skywalker

I see. Would me formatting my laptop work on erasing my problem or would i just be wasting my time?

Its possible. Quite often, fluffing around with drivers can leave a corrupted driver cache and a resultant config mess.

Again, the only warning here is only do it if it wont mess with your warranty. Warranties on laptops are like gold ! Of course, usual advice regarding reformat applies:
>>Save all important data/docs/photos/savegames to external source
>>Check your installed programs menu - note anything important and make sure you have the install disks. If you dont, and you do a reformat > you wont get them back!
>>Be aware that re-activating windows on the laptop after a second install, even with your legit key, can often lock you out and tell you to get a new key. This usually requires a call to MS for a new key

Recommended>> build a driver profile. Go to the manufactuers site for your laptop/model. Download all the drivers and keep on an external source, always good to have on hand, especially after reformats. Dont forget graphics and network drivers especially. of course, you may need to go to nvidia separately for newest GPU drivers.
>>if you use FF, use foxmarks extension to back up all your book marks online, I LOVE this! Otherwise, export manually.

good luck!

mtfbwya

Jason Skywalker · 01-29-2009, 01:47 PM

Well, fortunately, it seems the blue screens have diminished in number or are gone altogether. Keyword being seems.

EDIT: AND it seemed well enough, just got another blue screen just now.