IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL with Asus PCE-n53 when updating to Windows 8.1

4

1

I saw this question and it is the exact same problem on my machine.

I'm trying to install Windows 8.1 on my machine. After the first part of the installation is ready the installer reboots my PC, and when the installation continues, in the "Getting Devices Ready" screen I get a blue screen with the following error: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. Windows 8 installation goes just fine, like any other operating system.

I have tracked it to the ASUS PCE-n53 wireless card in my desktop. Does anyone know of a workaround?

The adapter worked fine in windows 8. Any ideas?

Edit: Crash Dump Analysis

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (a)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high.  This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If a kernel debugger is available get the stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000000, memory referenced
Arg2: 0000000000000002, IRQL
Arg3: 0000000000000001, bitfield :
    bit 0 : value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
    bit 3 : value 0 = not an execute operation, 1 = execute operation (only on chips which support this level of status)
Arg4: fffff801ef4f1316, address which referenced memory

Debugging Details:
------------------


WRITE_ADDRESS:  0000000000000000 

CURRENT_IRQL:  2

FAULTING_IP: 
nt!KeReleaseSpinLock+16
fffff801`ef4f1316 f048832100      lock and qword ptr [rcx],0

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT

BUGCHECK_STR:  AV

PROCESS_NAME:  System

ANALYSIS_VERSION: 6.3.9600.16384 (debuggers(dbg).130821-1623) amd64fre

TRAP_FRAME:  ffffd00020d45550 -- (.trap 0xffffd00020d45550)
NOTE: The trap frame does not contain all registers.
Some register values may be zeroed or incorrect.
rax=0000000000000001 rbx=0000000000000000 rcx=0000000000000000
rdx=0000000055920200 rsi=0000000000000000 rdi=0000000000000000
rip=fffff801ef4f1316 rsp=ffffd00020d456e0 rbp=ffffd00020d45768
 r8=0000000055920222  r9=0000000035930000 r10=0000000055920222
r11=ffffd00020d456a8 r12=0000000000000000 r13=0000000000000000
r14=0000000000000000 r15=0000000000000000
iopl=0         nv up ei pl zr na po nc
nt!KeReleaseSpinLock+0x16:
fffff801`ef4f1316 f048832100      lock and qword ptr [rcx],0 ds:00000000`00000000=????????????????
Resetting default scope

LOCK_ADDRESS:  fffff801ef6da360 -- (!locks fffff801ef6da360)

Resource @ nt!PiEngineLock (0xfffff801ef6da360)    Exclusively owned
    Contention Count = 6
     Threads: ffffe000010ff040-01<*> 
1 total locks, 1 locks currently held

PNP_TRIAGE: 
    Lock address  : 0xfffff801ef6da360
    Thread Count  : 1
    Thread address: 0xffffe000010ff040
    Thread wait   : 0x1fbe

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from fffff801ef5647e9 to fffff801ef558ca0

STACK_TEXT:  
ffffd000`20d45408 fffff801`ef5647e9 : 00000000`0000000a 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000002 00000000`00000001 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
ffffd000`20d45410 fffff801`ef56303a : 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 ffff0c83`e3e25300 ffffd000`20d45550 : nt!KiBugCheckDispatch+0x69
ffffd000`20d45550 fffff801`ef4f1316 : 00000000`000a5890 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`04c00000 : nt!KiPageFault+0x23a
ffffd000`20d456e0 fffff800`03b430ad : 00000000`000afe80 ffffe000`04c00000 00000000`000a2f80 00000000`35720000 : nt!KeReleaseSpinLock+0x16
ffffd000`20d45710 fffff800`03ac249f : ffffe000`04c00000 00000000`000000a8 ffffe000`04c85050 00000000`00000800 : netr28x+0x840ad
ffffd000`20d457b0 fffff800`00b76475 : ffffd000`20d459e8 ffffd000`20d459f0 ffffe000`04ac2006 ffffe000`04ac21a0 : netr28x+0x349f
ffffd000`20d459a0 fffff800`00baa248 : ffffe000`04ac2eb8 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`00000000 ffffe000`04ac21a0 : ndis!ndisMInvokeInitialize+0x39
ffffd000`20d459e0 fffff800`00b74784 : 00000000`00000050 ffffe000`04907ba0 00000000`00000000 01cecbbc`328e6cde : ndis!ndisMInitializeAdapter+0x4dc
ffffd000`20d46050 fffff800`00b74d3d : 00000000`00000050 ffffe000`0443e770 ffffc000`00951480 ffffe000`04ac21a0 : ndis!ndisInitializeAdapter+0x60
ffffd000`20d460a0 fffff800`00b74c14 : ffffe000`04ac21a0 ffffe000`04ac2050 ffffe000`047ec2a0 00000000`00000000 : ndis!ndisPnPStartDevice+0x89
ffffd000`20d460f0 fffff800`00b87695 : ffffe000`04ac21a0 ffffe000`04ac21a0 ffffd000`20d461b0 ffffe000`047ec2a0 : ndis!ndisStartDeviceSynchronous+0x58
ffffd000`20d46140 fffff800`00b6a760 : ffffe000`047ec2a0 ffffe000`04ac21a0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : ndis!ndisPnPIrpStartDevice+0x13471
ffffd000`20d46170 fffff800`0032576c : ffffe000`04b11501 ffffe000`04b11570 00000000`00000001 fffff800`00325880 : ndis!ndisPnPDispatch+0x140
ffffd000`20d461e0 fffff800`0030b40a : ffffe000`047ec2a0 00000000`00000106 ffffd000`20d462f0 ffffe000`04b116c0 : Wdf01000!FxPkgFdo::PnpSendStartDeviceDownTheStackOverload+0xe8
ffffd000`20d46250 fffff800`00305942 : 00000000`00000106 ffffd000`20d462f0 00000000`00000105 ffffd000`20d464d0 : Wdf01000!FxPkgPnp::PnpEventInitStarting+0xa
ffffd000`20d46280 fffff800`00305a5a : ffffe000`04b116c8 00000000`00000002 ffffe000`04b11570 ffffe000`04b11600 : Wdf01000!FxPkgPnp::PnpEnterNewState+0x102
ffffd000`20d46310 fffff800`00305bc4 : 00000000`00000000 ffffd000`20d46400 ffffe000`04b116a0 00000000`00000000 : Wdf01000!FxPkgPnp::PnpProcessEventInner+0xc2
ffffd000`20d46390 fffff800`0030c27a : 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`04b11570 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`04b11570 : Wdf01000!FxPkgPnp::PnpProcessEvent+0xe4
ffffd000`20d46430 fffff800`00300936 : ffffe000`04b11570 ffffd000`20d464c0 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`04a0e630 : Wdf01000!FxPkgPnp::_PnpStartDevice+0x1e
ffffd000`20d46460 fffff800`002fba18 : ffffe000`047ec2a0 ffffe000`047ec2a0 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`0486f020 : Wdf01000!FxPkgPnp::Dispatch+0xd2
ffffd000`20d464d0 fffff801`ef838796 : 00000000`00000000 fffff801`ef6aa101 00000000`00000000 ffffd000`208aa180 : Wdf01000!FxDevice::DispatchWithLock+0x7d8
ffffd000`20d465b0 fffff801`ef4d5bad : ffffe000`011dc3a0 ffffd000`20d46659 00000000`00000000 fffff801`ef7f5ba4 : nt!PnpAsynchronousCall+0x102
ffffd000`20d465f0 fffff801`ef838e57 : ffffe000`011db8d0 ffffe000`011db8d0 ffffe000`04a8d060 ffffc000`02b11200 : nt!PnpStartDevice+0xc5
ffffd000`20d466c0 fffff801`ef838fe7 : ffffe000`011db8d0 ffffe000`011db8d0 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`011db8d0 : nt!PnpStartDeviceNode+0x147
ffffd000`20d46790 fffff801`ef7fd19e : ffffe000`011db8d0 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000001 ffffe000`00000001 : nt!PipProcessStartPhase1+0x53
ffffd000`20d467d0 fffff801`ef897b17 : ffffe000`011db8d0 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 fffff801`ef7ef7b2 : nt!PipProcessDevNodeTree+0x3ce
ffffd000`20d46a50 fffff801`ef4f5033 : 00000001`00000003 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!PiRestartDevice+0xaf
ffffd000`20d46aa0 fffff801`ef44565d : fffff801`ef4f4c90 ffffd000`20d46bd0 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`04a10170 : nt!PnpDeviceActionWorker+0x3a3
ffffd000`20d46b50 fffff801`ef4eec80 : 00000000`00000000 ffffe000`010ff040 ffffe000`010ff040 ffffe000`0035c900 : nt!ExpWorkerThread+0x2b5
ffffd000`20d46c00 fffff801`ef55f2c6 : ffffd000`20472180 ffffe000`010ff040 ffffe000`00608040 ffffc000`00002710 : nt!PspSystemThreadStartup+0x58
ffffd000`20d46c60 00000000`00000000 : ffffd000`20d47000 ffffd000`20d41000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiStartSystemThread+0x16


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
netr28x+840ad
fffff800`03b430ad 4533e4          xor     r12d,r12d

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX:  4

SYMBOL_NAME:  netr28x+840ad

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: netr28x

IMAGE_NAME:  netr28x.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  51de7a8d

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  AV_netr28x+840ad

BUCKET_ID:  AV_netr28x+840ad

ANALYSIS_SOURCE:  KM

FAILURE_ID_HASH_STRING:  km:av_netr28x+840ad

FAILURE_ID_HASH:  {a1f86ced-f566-ac23-afeb-1aa88ea5ab8f}

Followup: MachineOwner

JArsenault89

Posted 2013-10-18T12:35:19.987

Reputation: 53

This isn't the proper way to bring attention to a question. If you want help, we need a crash dump, if you have one. Its not clear if you are doing an upgrade or an clean installation. Have you tried to remove the WiFi card, for the time being, to see if that resolves the problem? – Ramhound – 2013-10-18T12:40:55.830

1@Rudolph - To be fair the original question was protected, which does not mean a great deal, just limits who can answer the question – Ramhound – 2013-10-18T12:45:06.680

@Ramhound - Agreed. I thought it could be marked as a duplicate, but you are definitely correct in terms of the limited answers allowed. – Rudolph – 2013-10-18T12:48:13.113

Over here is an informative discussion about the error http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/3d77747b-60ab-4015-80e8-66bb3a49dba1/irql-not-less-or-equal-bsod-windows-8?forum=W8ITProPreRel

– Rudolph – 2013-10-18T12:52:07.320

@Rudolph - I opened a bounty on the other question. The more I look at this problem the more I believe this to be a driver problem. Which means not having the device installed is likely a key step, the question remains, will the driver be migrated if that happens. – Ramhound – 2013-10-18T13:00:56.020

it's also, based on the timestamps in that technet thread, been a problem for quite some time and if ASUS were going to release a driver for it they probably would've done so by now. So the answer ends up being 'Take the card out, reinstall 8.1', which isn't great. – TJennings – 2013-10-18T13:02:53.927

1@Rudolph removing the card does allow me to boot into windows, as does safe mode. I narrowed it down to the card late last night. I will post the crashdump as soon as I get connectivity back to that machine via another wireless adapter. – JArsenault89 – 2013-10-18T16:30:23.533

Answers

5

I had the same issue after updating to Windows 8.1 with my PCE-N53. It seems the driver used in windows 8.1 does not like the wifi card. You'll need your original manufacturers drivers that came with the cards install CD - This is what I did to fix the issue:

  1. Windows 8.1 should ask you allow you to use advanced startup options after the first couple failed boots - boot into safe mode without networking.
  2. Remove the drivers from the Driver Store -- To find the drivers locations (Open Device Manager find your card in the list -> right click to properties --> Driver --> Driver details write down the locations of the drivers.) then delete them.
  3. Restart your PC in normal start-up it should start OK -- If it doesn't you may have missed a driver.
  4. Go back to Device Manager, find your card and right click --> Update driver --> Navigate to your CD drive with the Manufacturer drivers find the folder for your operating system Win8x86 or Win8x64 and update the driver.
  5. After that you should be good-- (If you run win update and see an update for the driver, DO NOT update it) This is what messed everything up for me in the first place.

Good Luck!

NerdPower

Posted 2013-10-18T12:35:19.987

Reputation: 66

1

I had this exact issue overnight when installing/updating Windows to 8.1.

  • Make sure you have attempted to install 8.1 so update is pre-downloaded.
  • Shutdown PC and remove the ASUS PCE Card from it's slot.
  • Install update (without errors).
  • Shutdown PC and re-insert the PCE Card, then turn on PC.
  • Install drivers from CD (Do not reboot as required)
  • Go to 'Control Panel' then 'Hardware and Sound'
  • Under 'Devices and Printers' go to 'Device Manager'.
  • Under 'Network adapters' right-click on 'ASUS-PCE...' select 'Update Driver Software...'
  • Go to 'Browse my computer for driver software' then 'Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer' select '802.11n Wireless LAN Card (Ralink Technology, Corp.)' Not '...(Microsoft)' - This one causes the errors.
  • Reboot PC.
  • Connection should be working now. Do not install the update for the device as this will again cause painful errors; right-click and hide that update so it does not get installed.

This did work for me, I tried everything and this was the only way, hopefully an update does fix it. If it does not work for you please don't complain I am not a miracle worker I am just trying to help.

Thank you.

user266414

Posted 2013-10-18T12:35:19.987

Reputation: 11

Asked: 2013-10-18T12:35:19.987

Viewed: 12 811 times

Active: 2014-02-28T20:52:02.670