Driver_irql_not_less_or_equal Bsod

Hi my girlfriend has a Toshiba Satellite 2450 Laptop. A couple of days ago it started acting up and giving here the BSoD when ever it was booted up. The error message is:

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
*** STOP: 0x000000D1 (0x0CD509CA, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0xEE407D86)

The computer will boot in Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking, just not in regular mode. I have done a system restore and it doesn't do anything.

The System Model is Satellite 4250 and the BIOS Version is TOSHIBA Version 1.30. I am not sure where to get the whole system model.

I have updated any drivers I could.

The only things that are connected to the computer are a network card and printer. However, with the printer, nothing is listed in the printer folder, so I'm not sure if it was installed correctly.

I went into the device manager and disabled the wireless card. I also physically removed the EtherLink card and the re-booted the computer. The same thing happened. It stayed on the XP load up screen for a long ass time and then gave me the BSoD. However, this time, under the D1 stop code it gave me another line:

*** atapi.sys - Address F84C6C85 base at F84C10000, DateStamp 41107b4d.



Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

Ok I seem to be having trouble. I dowloaded the DebugWiz no problem but I cannot install the Microsoft tools because the only way I can get computer to run is in Safe Mode and I get a message from the Windows Installer saying that it could not be accessed because I am in safe mode.

What can I do?

Thank you

 

atapi.sys is driver file for the storage system drivers. First, try running Error Checking on the HDD
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265/en-us

You can go further by running the HDD manufacturer's utilities on the drive. The model of the drive will be in Device Manager under Disk Drives, you could put the model number into a Google search and find the utilities or just look for HDD diagnostic utilities at the Toshiba website.

While you are in Device Manager check if any "problems" are listed against any of the devices.

The IRQL error is problem loading a driver. atapi.sys relates to the storage system and the drivers involved I would expect to be the IDE ATA/ATAPI controller drivers. Under that heading in Device Manager, select (right-click) and uninstall the IDE controller, it will be automatically reinstalled when you reboot. If the drivers cannot be found by the Add New Hardware wizard that runs at reboot, click Cancel. Look up the chipset drivers for your model at the Toshiba website and install those updates.

Matt

 

Ok I did everthing you said including installing some updates from Toshiba. Unfortunatly I still get the BSod. However, the atapi reference is now gone and the stop code has changed from 01D to 00A.

Do you have any other ideas?

Thank you

 

Troubleshooting a Stop 0x0000000A error in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314063/en-us

If you ran a Repair install of Windows and it did not work I would see if there are diagnostics utilities available at Toshiba (and since it referred to IDE, run the HDD diagnostics).

It could come down to a loose connection, not easy to check on a laptop. Pulling out and reseating the RAM module/s is probably the easiest.

As it says in the troubleshooting, look for drivers or software that could be causing the problem. Look through the devices in Device Manager and the listings in Add Remove Programs, anything seem strange or you could easily do without/uninstall and reinstall if necessary.

Matt

 

I will try a couple more things. If I can't fix it then I think it will be beyond my level of experience to fix and I will just have to take it somewhere.

Thank you for all your help

 

Hey, no problem, wish I could have been more help.

Be prepared that anyone you take it to will not want to spend a long time trying to isolate the problem (and you probably won't want to pay them to do so). If the problem is not obvious they will want to format the drive and do a clean install of Windows, be prepared for that and back up.

I have my system backed up, so I would not have much hesitation to do a clean install myself. Somehow, I think if you take it to someone you will end up with a new install of Windows or if that does not happen to work, a new motherboard.

Matt

 

Thanks again for the advice. I have an external hard drive so I will just back up to that befor I take it in.

James