DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (d1) during Windows XP repair installation

[posco]

Hi,

I was adding memory to my system and discovered that two of the previously unused slots in my motherboard were not working (Abit BX6 rev. 2). So I replaced the motherboard with another one (ASUS P2B-F), and the RAM check at boot-up was correct, but then my system stopped booting from the hard disk. I tried Windows XP repair console commands (fixmbr, fixboot, chkdsk) ... no errors, but still wouldn't boot from the hard disk. I tried Windows XP repair install, but part-way through "Installing devices" (this is after the CD copies files to the hard disk and reboots the computer and the graphical Setup program starts automatically) the hard disk would power down and the computer would reboot.

I ran MemTest86+ through 3 passes (all RAM sticks together) without an error. I doubt it's the RAM because I found a second hard disk and installed XP without a single problem. I tried installing my old RAM and doing the XP repair install on the first hard disk, and the Setup failed in the same way.

Here's my hardware (I removed all extraneous PCI cards), and don't laugh! I built this system 7 years ago, and it has served me well!

ASUS P2B-F with updated BIOS (revision 1013?)
Pentium II 450 MHz. not overclocked
1 GB PC100 SDRAM
AGP GeForce 2 MX with 64 MB RAM
Western Digital Caviar 100 GB (first hard disk, failed XP install)
Western Digital Caviar 13 GB (second hard disk, successful XP install)
Toshiba DVD-ROM
PSU 250 W
1.44 MB FDD

I'm attaching the log from kd of my minidumps. You can see that in the last few, the STOP error is DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. These were occurring when I was trying to repair-install Windows XP on the first hard disk. Since the system would reboot and the hard disk would boot and try to continue the XP Setup, I couldn't access the contents of the hard disk.

So I installed XP on the second clean (13 GB) hard disk just so I could get to the minidumps on the first hard disk. As far as I can tell, all my data and programs still exist in good condition on the first hard disk.

I really would like to get the XP installation on the first hard disk going again, since the I don't want to even THINK about reinstalling all my apps and junk.

Please help me decipher these minidump logs! Is there really a problem with the first hard disk? Or could it really be faulty RAM?

Thank you very much for your response!
--posco

 

[posco]

hmmmm.... looks like I messed up by changing the mobo

Hmmmmm... Upon reading this thread "New Motherboard. Windows Xp not working. Setup Cd doesnt load", it looks like I messed up royally. It appears that my assumption of ripping out the mobo and putting in a very similar one (same chipset, Intel BX440, similar features, no on-board LAN, no on-board sound, etc.) and expecting Windows XP to not notice anything happened underneath it was wrong.

But I'm still curious if the minidumps I attached above indicate this or some other cause of the problem?

If I don't get any response here, I guess it's time to completely back up the first hard drive and reinstall.. blechhhhhh.

--posco

 

[cpc2004]

Hi,

One minidump is crashed at reading with software hive and probably it is related with faulty ram. All of the minidumps are crashed at windows kernel and I believe that they are related to faulty ram.

You can run memtest to stress the ram. If memtest reports the ram is faulty, ram is bad. However Memtest is not a perfect tool to test the memory as some faulty ram can pass memtest.

Suggestion
1. Check the temperature of the CPU and make sure that it is not overheat (ie temperature < 60C)
Make sure that the CPU fan works properly
2. Reseat the memory stick to another memory slot. Reseat video card as well.
3. Downclock the ram. Check to default setting if you video card is overclocked.
4. Clean the dust inside the computer case
5. Make sure that the ram is compatible to the motherboard
6. Check the bios setting about memory timing and make sure that it is on
For example : DIMM1 and DIMM2 do not have the same timing.
DIMM1: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.5-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz) (2.0-3-3-7 @ 166 MHz)
DIMM2: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (3.0-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz)
DIMM3: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (3.0-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz)
7. Make sure that your PSU have adequate power to drive all the hardware including USB devices
8. Run chkdsk /r at command prompt
9. Run 3DMark 2005 to test your video card
10. Upgrade BIOS and make sure that the motherboard has no leaking capacitor

If it still crashes, diagnostic which memory stick is faulty
Take out one memory stick. If windows does not crash, the removed memory stick is faulty.

 

[posco]

probably faulty RAM slots or memory controller

Suggestion
1. Check the temperature of the CPU and make sure that it is not overheat (ie temperature < 60C)
Make sure that the CPU fan works properly
2. Reseat the memory stick to another memory slot. Reseat video card as well.
3. Downclock the ram. Check to default setting if you video card is overclocked.
4. Clean the dust inside the computer case
5. Make sure that the ram is compatible to the motherboard
6. Check the bios setting about memory timing and make sure that it is on
For example : DIMM1 and DIMM2 do not have the same timing.
DIMM1: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.5-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz) (2.0-3-3-7 @ 166 MHz)
DIMM2: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (3.0-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz)
DIMM3: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (3.0-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz)
7. Make sure that your PSU have adequate power to drive all the hardware including USB devices
8. Run chkdsk /r at command prompt
9. Run 3DMark 2005 to test your video card
10. Upgrade BIOS and make sure that the motherboard has no leaking capacitor

If it still crashes, diagnostic which memory stick is faulty
Take out one memory stick. If windows does not crash, the removed memory stick is faulty.

1. CPU is not overheating; I checked the temps and they're well below 60 C.
2. Done.
3. I didn't try downclocking. Video card is clocked correctly.
4. Done.
5. Compatible.
6. Checked. The 4 DIMMs were all bought together, sticker said S M S ? I don't remember the branding on the actual chips.
7. I think the PSU is fine (200 W). I removed all PCI cards and USB devices, even unplugged the CD/DVD drives.
8. chkdsk /r ran without problems.
9. I didn't test the video card yet.
10. The BIOS has been updated to the most recent version. How can I check for leaking capacitors??

I found problems with MemTest86+ on the original (Abit) motherboard. When all 4 sticks were installed, I got errors on Test #1 (address test?). I removed all sticks and tested each one, separately, with no errors on Tests #1 thru #5. I tested two at a time, no errors on Test #1. I tested three at a time on Test #1, no errors. I tested all 4 together on Test #1, errors! I removed one stick, no errors on Test #1. I reinserted the stick and removed a different stick, again no errors on Test #1. Repeated with other sticks removed. No errors on Test #1. Reinserted all sticks, in different slots, still errors on Test #1.

So it appears that my motherboard doesn't like it when all four RAM slots are being used, since each RAM stick tested fine individually. >:-<

Then I tested all 4 sticks of RAM (together) on the new motherboard (ASUS), and they passed all tests at least 3 times.

Have you seen bad mobo RAM slots before? Is it common, I wonder?

 

[cpc2004]

Maybe faulty ram slot

Hi,

Yes, I came across several cases the one of the ram slot of the m/b is faulty.