The error pop-up IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL will appear on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and earlier versions. The error code 0x0000000A usually follows it.
If you come across it, it means you are unable to use your device and must resolve the issue before returning to your regular activities.
A broad range of issues can trigger the stop code, beginning with system drivers, memory, and antivirus software. It’s often followed by the ntoskrnl.exe system file, indicating that the kernel image is corrupt.
What does the error message “Driver IRQL_not_less_or_equal” mean?
This computer’s device message is a hardware error message from Windows. It often happens when the hard disc refuses to start for any reason or when the machine abruptly shuts down in the middle of a task. Regrettably, the causes can be numerous and varied. The error ‘driver IRQL not less or equal’ can also occur during the installation of Windows.
The error driver BSOD “IRQL not less or equal,” on the other hand, is widespread, especially when gaming or when high performance is needed. This stop code typically indicates a dispute between two or more hardware devices in the current driver.
A driver attempting to access/write to a read-only RAM allocation or a location not allocated to the computer, or a memory allocation being accessed by more than one driver at the same time, may trigger this conflict to access a memory address unit (RAM). It will cause the machine to “panic” and dump all of its memory, resulting in a BSOD and a reboot of your PC.
BSOD, IRQL not less or equal error is caused by a dispute between defective, obsolete, or corrupt/faulty drivers. The GPU drivers and the mouse, keyboard, gamepad, or other game controller drivers usually are to blame in games.
This error is caused by these drivers denying activity to another driver or altering feedback from other drivers. It could be caused by faulty Ethernet or wireless drivers if you’re playing an online game.
Overclocked and overloaded PCs are also prone to this BSOD mistake. It can be caused by programs like MSI Afterburner, which causes voltage and RAM frequency to fluctuate. A defective RAM may also be the source of the mistake, necessitating its replacement.
How To Fix IRQL Blue Screen Error?
It’s a good idea to create a device restore point before attempting to patch any BSOD error messages on your computer. It’s a never-failing feature that allows you to undo OS changes if anything goes wrong.
You should also make a complete backup if possible. Mainly, The error code 0x0000000A usually follows when you’re saving important files.
1. Check Your Systems’ Drivers
On Windows computers, outdated and incompatible drivers will result in BSOD errors, including the IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL stop code. You can, however, correct this by testing and upgrading your drivers.
Proceed to the below-mentioned steps to update or reinstall systems’ drivers.
- Device Manager can be accessed by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager.
- Select a device from the list and right-click it, then select Uninstall device.
- To remove the unit, follow the on-screen instructions.
- Windows will immediately reinstall the right driver after you restart your computer.
- Right-click a computer in Device Manager and choose Update Driver.
- Select Automatically search for modified driver applications from the drop-down menu.
- If the notification The best drivers for your computer are already installed appears, go to Windows Update and search for new drivers.
- It’s possible that Windows Update won’t be able to find newer driver versions to download and install. In any case, you’ll need to go to the manufacturer’s website to download them yourself.
- However, if you want a more straightforward and safer approach, we recommend using driver update tools like Auslogics or Drivefix. This type of program automatically detects all drivers on your computer, even those that are outdated. It then searches the internet for newer versions and offers to download and install them on your computer.
2. Update Windows Operating System
Microsoft publishes cumulative updates with numerous bug fixes and security enhancements on a regular basis. Also, to correct the previous issues, install the most recent Windows update. Let’s start by checking for and installing the most recent Windows updates using the instructions below.
- Pick settings from the Start menu by right-clicking on it.
- To allow the download and installation of Windows updates from the Microsoft server, go to Update & Security, then Windows Update. Finally, hit the Check for updates button.
- When you’re done, restart your computer to apply the updates.
- Hopefully, your computer can boot normally now.
3. Antivirus Software Should Be Disabled Or Uninstalled
Third-party antivirus tools’ real-time engines can interfere with the Windows runtime and kernel picture, resulting in the IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error. Simply disable the real-time safeguard or turn off your antimalware program to resolve the problem.
If you have multiple antivirus programs installed, each with its own real-time engine, they can conflict, resulting in system instability.
Uninstalling any unused protection applications from your laptop is also a smart idea. Then reboot your personal computer to see if the dreaded BSOD error message persists.
If you haven’t installed a third-party antivirus solution on Windows 10, you’ll need to configure Defender.
Here’s how to switch off Windows Defender for a while:
- Open this app, press the Start button, and type Windows Security.
- Choose between virus and threat protection.
- Select Scan options from the drop-down menu.
- Scan now after selecting Fast scan.
- If the scan doesn’t show any malicious agents, rerun a Windows Defender Offline scan.
4. The Network Adapter Should Be Modified Or Reinstalled
This windows 10 blue screen error can also be caused by corrupted network adapter drivers. To solve your dilemma, try uninstalling the network drivers and then installing them again.
- Pick Device Manager from the list of options by right-clicking on the Start icon.
- Expand Network Adapters in the system manager, right-click on Network Device Drivers, and choose “Uninstall device.”
- Restart your personal computer by following the on-screen instructions.
- Windows will immediately reinstall the device driver on the next startup. Alternatively, go to the system manufacturer’s website and download and install the most recent network adapter driver.
- Check if IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL appears on your Windows 10 PC after rebooting.
5. Reinstall Intel Rapid Storage Technology Drivers
Before installing any driver or software, make sure to enter your system in safe mode. Safe mode restores the system to last healthy status.
- Click OK after pressing the Windows + R keyboard shortcut and typing devmgmt.msc.
- It will bring up the Device Manager.
- Expand the entry called IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers by clicking on it.
- Then, right-clicking on all of the driver entries can brilliantly select the Uninstall system from the context menu.
- Restart your personal computer and see if the problem has been resolved.
- If the Blue Screen of Death persists, it’s possible that the drivers are corrupt or incompatible with the operating system version you’re using. Get the new update for your computer from your OEM’s website’s Drivers section and try overwriting it.
6. Disable Memory Cache
The machine or computer connected with the cache would be handicapped if the cache was disabled or deleted, and would have to go back to the source of the data that would otherwise be cached on a disc or out on the network. A data transfer that could happen hundreds of times per second could take several seconds.
Write caching will often trigger the driver IRQL not less or equal error on your device. As a result, you must disable it to resolve the issue.
- Go to Device Manager by pressing Win+X.
- You’ll find your hard drives under Disk Drives. Right-click on it and choose Properties.
- Select the Policy tab. Check the option as displayed in the image to allow disc write caching on the computer.
- You can disable Windows write-cache buffer flushing on the computer if you like. Remember, this is a high-risk option, and you can only use it if you have a backup power source, such as a UPS.
- Uncheck the given option Enable write caching on the system box under the Write-caching policy if you want to disable Disk Write Caching on the device.
7. Check Your System Memory
Your RAM card might be causing problems for your machine. As a result, Blue Screen of Death errors, such as IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL, may appear on Windows 10.
- As a result, scanning your memory card for problems and correcting them as soon as possible is a brilliant idea.
Here’s How To Use The Built-in Tool In Windows 10 For This Purpose:
- Make sure that all active processes are turned off.
- Open this software by pressing the Win key and typing Windows Memory Diagnostic. Or simply go through the control panel route.
- Check for issues by clicking Restart Now.
- During the following Windows boot, Windows Memory Diagnostic will run a scan.
- MemTest, which has more sophisticated RAM and CPU diagnosis software, is an excellent place to start if you need to learn more about your system’s memory.
Conclusion
Although the BSOD that appears after an IRQL error is frightening, it is not without hope. There are various reasons why the IRQL error occurs, including memory, software, and hardware issues.
Both of these issues, on the other hand, can be resolved by following the steps below: upgrading the operating system, updating the drivers, uninstalling network drivers, uninstalling malware, using the Windows memory debugging tool, removing unused equipment, cooling the machine, testing for hardware problems, and finally, resetting the computer.
