Anyone ever had this error?????

mud4feet

New member
OK, we had a power outage (surprise, suprise!!!!) and ever since my desktop won't boot. Keep getting the dreaded blue screen with the message:

irql_not_less_or_equal

and some wierd (and variable) hex addresses. I've changed no hardware, computer was running fine before. Tried to boot off the XP CD and it gives me the same screen whether I type "R" (recover) or just hit "enter" to try to re-install XP. Thank God I've got this little notebook to keep us connected. Any gurus out there? (90xj, no, you don't count!!:lol: :lol: :lol: ).
 

BSD usually means you'll have to reformat ... i used to have the same prob with mine when the power would go out .. but if you keep a regular scandisk schedule you should be ok thats whats helped mine out .... i'd pop the HD's out and back everything up on a diff comp or a friends comp then reinstall windows .... just my 2 cents
 
BSD usually means you'll have to reformat ... i used to have the same prob with mine when the power would go out .. but if you keep a regular scandisk schedule you should be ok thats whats helped mine out .... i'd pop the HD's out and back everything up on a diff comp or a friends comp then reinstall windows .... just my 2 cents

I really hate to hear that...............that's kinda what I was lookin' at. The main thing I'd like to recover on the hard drive are pictures - everything else has been installed or downloaded from SOMEWHERE. I do regular maintenance on the hardrive (scandisk, defrag, virusscan, etc) so I thought I was safe(?????).............................could anyone give Bill Gates a 7.62mm message for me??
 

OK, we had a power outage (surprise, suprise!!!!) and ever since my desktop won't boot. Keep getting the dreaded blue screen with the message:

irql_not_less_or_equal

and some wierd (and variable) hex addresses. I've changed no hardware, computer was running fine before. Tried to boot off the XP CD and it gives me the same screen whether I type "R" (recover) or just hit "enter" to try to re-install XP. Thank God I've got this little notebook to keep us connected. Any gurus out there? (90xj, no, you don't count!!:lol: :lol: :lol: ).

Sorry, Mud , can't help, I'm busy installing my new DVD drive into my antiquated 2 year old desktop.
Once I get this thing installed....I'll be unstopable!!!!!!:driving-g
 
Hey 90, how do I change the light bulbs that make my screen glow? I think i've got a 60watt in there.

Curse this damn magic box and it's sanskrit buttons!!!

:purple:
 

What ****es me off the most, when I FINALLY installed XP (never had much problem with 98, but some hardware issues forced my hand), this little message came up about how it is "faster and more reliable"...............HAH!!!!!! My computer is a "mud special".........pretty much built it myself - I'm on my 3rd motherboad, 4th or 5th hardrive, etc. I know how the hardware works - pretty simple stuff, really. I'm an old geezer, as you all should know. I can still boot up with an old DOS disk and know all the DOS commands.........pain in the arse - lots of typing.........but informative. I need to hire a IT specialist so I can just "click and go"......no questions asked.....I believe that's Bill Gates' ultimate goal. Terry, you available???:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:






























I HATE COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Hey 90, how do I change the light bulbs that make my screen glow? I think i've got a 60watt in there.

:purple:

OK follow these directions close and you'll fix your problem:

take a cordless sawzall and lop off the back of your monitor and root around in thar with a copper rod about 12 inches long, I know you've never seen 12" before so you'll need a ruler to know how long that is. TIP: Make sure it's still plugged in and good-n-hot. Once you find the bulb thats out, replace it and give everything a good coat of WD-40 to keep er from rustin' up on ya.
If you notice any sparks, take a can of that cheap hair spray and give it a shot or two up in there.
then duct tape everything back up real purdy like and Bob's your uncle.
 

I know you've never seen 12" before so you'll need a ruler to know how long that is.

Edit: Nevermind. I was being crass. I don't want Sully or BH to give me the stink eye. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
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I really hate to hear that...............that's kinda what I was lookin' at. The main thing I'd like to recover on the hard drive are pictures - everything else has been installed or downloaded from SOMEWHERE. I do regular maintenance on the hardrive (scandisk, defrag, virusscan, etc) so I thought I was safe(?????).............................could anyone give Bill Gates a 7.62mm message for me??

Just take the HD with pictures on it out. Swap in another HD and re-load WinXP on that. THen put the original HD in as a second/slave drive. All of your original info should still be there. Snatch all your pictures and any other important stuff off of it and save it to disk or the other HD and then reformat the old HD. Now you have a big empty folder to store all your data and important stuff. If/WHEN WinXP crashes again all your stuff is safe and you'll just have to reload the other HD.
 
I really hate to hear that...............that's kinda what I was lookin' at. The main thing I'd like to recover on the hard drive are pictures - everything else has been installed or downloaded from SOMEWHERE. I do regular maintenance on the hardrive (scandisk, defrag, virusscan, etc) so I thought I was safe(?????).............................could anyone give Bill Gates a 7.62mm message for me??


I see three options:

1. buy this http://www.compusa.com/adproducts/p...SB_2_0_3_5_inch_External_Hard_Drive_Enclosure
and take the hard drive out, plug it into another computer and get your files off.

2. buy a new hard drive and replace the current one.

3. reinstall XP without reformating. This may be the easiest. Put the disk in, and don't "repair" anything. Simply install XP overtop the old version, making sure not to format anything.
 

the more I think about it, you should do number one and number two (put your current drive into the enclosure). It sounds like you probably don't have a good backup. Even if you're just backing up photos, they probably have alot of sentimental value.


I knew about the $20 drive enclosure because I just bought one to backup my computer ;-)
 
I've been out of the WinOS loop for a few years (running a Mac now), but I'm trying to piece together what I used to do in this case.

On my old PC (yes, I still have and USE it) it was necessary to boot to the ROM BIOS and change the "boot order", otherwise it would first look to C:\ regardless of whether or not a CD was in the drive.

Disconnect all peripherals and only have your display, keyboard and mouse connected ... don't forget to disconnect your internet connection as well. You may see the BIOS screen for just a few seconds that says something like "hold the *** key to boot to BIOS". Once there you can select the "boot order".

Before you go through that, have you tried to "safe boot"? Disconnect all peripherals and only have your display, KB and mouse connected. Press the "F8" for safe boot as soon as the BIOS screen is visible. That will load only the absolutely necessary system files without ANY peripherals, etc. At least then you can get into the system to see what repairs may be needed.

If none of this works, I'm afraid it is beyond my "long distance" assist.

Much success!!
 
Just take the HD with pictures on it out. Swap in another HD and re-load WinXP on that. THen put the original HD in as a second/slave drive. All of your original info should still be there. Snatch all your pictures and any other important stuff off of it and save it to disk or the other HD and then reformat the old HD. Now you have a big empty folder to store all your data and important stuff. If/WHEN WinXP crashes again all your stuff is safe and you'll just have to reload the other HD.

Yeah, JeepMonkey, that's what I was lookin' at doin'...........problem is windows won't even recognize the drive anymore (I wound up booting off my 20 gig slave) but the BIOS does see it?!?!?!.......still workin' on that problem. I'll probably go with Terry's suggestion and see if my notebook with recognize the drive on USB (You're right, Terry, have no backup - definitely MY bad). And, BTW Terry, tried #3 with no success............BSOD with attempts at restore or re-install. Probably also going to invest in some imaging software and a UPS..............this all started with a power failure.

And TWDJ, thanks for the suggestions but I've been through every menu Windows offers me with no success. I'm quite familiar with messing around with the BIOS, my hardware appears to be fine (except maybe the suspect HD), and I'm thinking this is a Windows glitch (surprise, surprise!!!!!)

Thanks all for you help!!! I knew I was coming to the right place. Now, can someone help me with some tips on a 4" suspension lift for my motherboard????:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

I've had this prob too.
The power outage basically has corrupted yer hard drive.
Only fix is a new hard drive and install.
You can still recover yer pics with software from download.com or places like that.Just search for recovery stuff and take yer pick.I used one of the free apps and got all my pics back no prob.
The corrupted hard drive is basically toast at this point.It will screw with everything on yer computer if ya keep it in there as a backup or extra space.
If ya don't have one..get a battery backup and surge protector for your computer...saves alot of corruptions and such.
 
mudd,
is this something that your surge protector should have caught?

Many of them offer replacement cost if your machine gets damaged.
 
Yeah, JeepMonkey, that's what I was lookin' at doin'...........problem is windows won't even recognize the drive anymore (I wound up booting off my 20 gig slave) but the BIOS does see it?!?!?!.......still workin' on that problem. I'll probably go with Terry's suggestion and see if my notebook with recognize the drive on USB (You're right, Terry, have no backup - definitely MY bad). And, BTW Terry, tried #3 with no success............BSOD with attempts at restore or re-install. Probably also going to invest in some imaging software and a UPS..............this all started with a power failure.

And TWDJ, thanks for the suggestions but I've been through every menu Windows offers me with no success. I'm quite familiar with messing around with the BIOS, my hardware appears to be fine (except maybe the suspect HD), and I'm thinking this is a Windows glitch (surprise, surprise!!!!!)

Thanks all for you help!!! I knew I was coming to the right place. Now, can someone help me with some tips on a 4" suspension lift for my motherboard????:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

If Windows doesn't see that hard drive right away as a second drive under "My Computer" then try going into Computer Management and looking at the disk configuration. Sometimes it won't get a drive letter, but you can still see the disk. From there you can assign it a drive letter and it will be visible under "my computer" as a drive/folder. I'm a network admin/IT helpdesk support and this is all I do. Yet sometimes in the end you may lose it all. I've never spent money on recovery software yet....only because I have yet to suffer a catastrophe like that <knockin on wood>.
 
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