Windows 7 Bluescreen: IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

I'd left my system on last night, and found the bluescreen in the morning. This has been happening occasionally, over the past few days.

Details:

==================================================
Dump File         : 022710-18236-01.dmp
Crash Time        : 2/27/2010 8:46:44 AM
Bug Check String  : DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Bug Check Code    : 0x000000d1
Parameter 1       : 00000000`00001001
Parameter 2       : 00000000`00000002
Parameter 3       : 00000000`00000000
Parameter 4       : fffff880`06b5c0e1
Caused By Driver  : athrxusb.sys
Caused By Address : athrxusb.sys+760e1
File Description  : 
Product Name      : 
Company           : 
File Version      : 
Processor         : x64
Computer Name     : 
Full Path         : C:\Windows\minidump\022710-18236-01.dmp
Processors Count  : 2
Major Version     : 15
Minor Version     : 7600
==================================================

HiJackThis ("[...]" indicates removed text; full log [posted to pastebin][1]):

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 8:49:15 AM, on 2/27/2010
Platform: Unknown Windows (WinNT 6.01.3504)
MSInternet Explorer: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16385)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\DAODx.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Asus\EPU\EPU.exe
C:\Program Files\Asus\TurboV\TurboV.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\PowerISO\PWRISOVM.EXE
C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.bin
D:\Downloads\HijackThis.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\[...] [...] O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9}
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HDAudDeck] C:\Program Files (x86)\VIA\VIAudioi\VDeck\VDeck.exe -r O4
- HKLM\..\Run: [StartCCC] "C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe" MSRun O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TurboV] "C:\Program Files\Asus\TurboV\TurboV.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PWRISOVM.EXE] C:\Program Files (x86)\PowerISO\PWRISOVM.EXE O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [googletalk] C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe /autostart O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdobeCS4ServiceManager] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\CS4ServiceManager\CS4ServiceManager.exe" -launchedbylogin O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [uTorrent] "C:\Program Files (x86)\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe" O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 3.1.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 3\program\quickstart.exe O13 - Gopher Prefix: O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing) O23
- Service: AMD External Events Utility - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: Asus System Control Service (AsSysCtrlService) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Asus\AsSysCtrlService\1.00.02\AsSysCtrlService.exe O23 - Service: DeviceVM Meta Data Export Service (DvmMDES) - DeviceVM - C:\Asus.SYS\config\DVMExportService.exe O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: ESET HTTP Server (EhttpSrv) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\EHttpSrv.exe O23 - Service: ESET Service (ekrn) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\x86\ekrn.exe O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licens

n a

Posted 2010-02-27T07:57:43.853

Reputation: 131

From the name of the driver it looks like it could be some sort of USB wifi dongle. If you have one of those it might be worth checking you have the latest driver. – Martin Hilton – 2010-02-27T08:03:54.497

Yes, I'm using a Belkin G Wireless USB NW Adapter; currently downloading latest drivers. Will check to see if this recurs. – n a – 2010-02-27T08:22:00.070

when posting large logfiles, post to http://pastebin.ca/ or similar and add links. the wall of extra text makes it hard to read your question. i've posted your files there and tried to snip some of the excessive sections, but if you can pull out 10 (or so) lines of each that are actually important, it would look a lot better.

– quack quixote – 2010-02-27T08:36:11.433

(also, use <pre></pre> tags around your text includes; the default code block adds code syntax highlighting, which makes logfiles hard to read and slow to load.) – quack quixote – 2010-02-27T08:37:56.597

@Martin Hilton: I downloaded and installed the drivers. However, on comparing the size of the download - it's the same as what i'd installed earlier. This problem is likely to repeat again! :@ – n a – 2010-02-27T13:39:06.050

@quack: Sorry, thank you for correcting everything there. I'll take care next time onwards. : ) – n a – 2010-02-27T13:39:46.750

Are you 'overclocking' your system in any way? – Pricey – 2011-07-20T09:02:33.873

Look at the Solutions Center in Windows. Does it have an entry for the kernel mode exception (i.e. blue screen)? Does it identify the likely cause? Does it have suggested solutions? – Ian Boyd – 2010-02-27T12:39:35.740

Answers

Looks like an Atheros wireless driver misbehaving. I've experienced something similar in the past, where Windows recommended some "new" drivers through it's Windows Update mechanism (it was on Vista) and I started experiencing blue screens right after that. Luckily, I connected the 2 occurrences, removed the Windows drivers and reverted to the original.

As a rule, try to adhere to drivers provided by the original vendor. Not only will they fit your hardware better, but may provide extra functionality that default drivers can not (i.e. in my case, the ability to control some range and frequency aspects of the receiver).

Traveling Tech Guy

Posted 2010-02-27T07:57:43.853

Reputation: 8 743

The disk which came alongwith the Wireless card does not work for my 64bit installation. Hence, i'm using the latest drivers off the vendor's website. – n a – 2010-02-27T13:38:02.527

Also, these are NOT installed/altered/updated by Windows Update. It's turned off (for good i suppose). – n a – 2010-02-27T13:40:54.173

1I disagree. I often find that the drivers supplied by Windows Update are more stable and less invasive than those installed by the vendor. For a minimalist like me, I prefer the Microsoft tested and approved versions. That said, if the version you acquire from WU is defective, going to the vendor is certainly suitable. – Jason R. Coombs – 2010-02-27T15:25:17.230

I've had several occasions in the past (most recently - 2 weeks ago with a Bluetooth driver) where WU recommended out of the blue a driver that was older than my current one. Not only did it remove functionality (in my case, moved from BT2.1 to 2.0 and removed EDR), but hurt the OS stability. I maintain that my laptop vendor knows what's best for my hardware better than an OS company that's supposed to suit ALL hardware and user configurations. – Traveling Tech Guy – 2010-02-27T15:51:38.413

@JasonR.Coombs I concur. In the bad old days, accepting a driver upgrade from Microsoft Update could be a disaster. Of late, they've been more likely to give me a more stable system... Unless you're dealing with a flaky hardware vendor in the first place that can't program their way out of a wet paper bag. I've been stuck with these before and the IRQL_NOT_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL showing up whether using Microsoft or Manufacturer update tells you that stowing the object in a waste bin and changing manufacturers is indicated. – Fiasco Labs – 2011-12-25T05:08:03.893

If your current drivers don't work, you could get it fixed by installing older drivers.

Make sure to completely remove the device from the device manager (including drivers), doing a reboot and then installing it again. Just to make sure the device entry is correct and it will use the older driver.

Tamara Wijsman

Posted 2010-02-27T07:57:43.853

Reputation: 54 163

Windows 7 Bluescreen: IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL | athrxusb.sys

Answers