IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL = hard drive for the trash?

Hi all,

I've been having a few hard drive problems, as mentioned in my other thread here.

As mentioned there, the basic problem is:

Recently I went to use my computer and it bluescreened on me. The bluescreen message is "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL". I tried to boot in safe mode, and boot normally, but each time it gets so far and then just reboots in an infinite loop. If I try and do anything that involves accessing the drive (I tried using the Windows XP repair install, installing the drive as a second HD on the family computer, and plugging it in directly via USB using a hard drive kit), it bluescreens immediately (including when I plusg it in under windows).

I have taken it into the computer shop, who said that they tried everything and there is nothing they can do. However, I have a lot of really important files on that drive. Is there ANYTHING that I might be able to try, to make it work? I have checked my IRQ settings, plugged the drive into another computer as both a booting and secondary drive, tried to access the drive from within windows and DOS. I have also run a scan on it using a special boot disk - it allowed that, and stated there were no errors. It didn't bluescreen on my strangely, but maybe that was because I was in DOS.

Any ideas?

I'm pretty sure that error's caused by a device driver conflict (something trying to grab an IRQ that's already assigned).

http://www.tweaksforgeeks.com/IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.html

Everytime i've seen that error, either i've had a huge Overclock on my system making it unstable, or my RAM had gone bad.

Sounds like a hardware issue not related to the hard drive. Have you run memtest against you system yet?

Well, the thing is, I've run the drive on both my main computer (3.06GHz, Corsair XMS 3200 RAM), and my a spare computer (400MHz PII, 256MB generic RAM), and I get the error on both. My cooling is fine, I think (about 40*C on the CPU...). I guess I could dig out some RAM, but I don't get any other errors, and I haven't got the error since removing the hard-drive. Also, the shop said they couldn't fix it. I just looked at Memtest but it seems that it needs to create a boot floppy, and I don't have a floppy drive or diskettes

EDIT: Oh, forgot to mention: I don't have an overclock, it's just running at stock settings and voltages.

its THE CLASSIC sign that your overclock is FAR too unstable.
pump up the volts, and lock your AGP/PCI to 66.6/33.3
(or not now that ive READ ALL of your post)
the hard drive is still fine, probably, just all the data on it is scrambled from memory and or the CPU setting up a garbage in/garbage out scenario.
one of them is screwing up. have a memtest for us and please confirm that that 3.06 is not a northwood, and there is no overvoltage/snds/gnds. and that your ram is getting good voltage.
personally, i think this is a hardware problem mimicing a hardware problem caused by overclocking. since we know overclocking is not the cause, we know that you have some unstable hardware.
what is your ram rated voltage, what are you setting it at and what is it getting in real life?
and allso, i think your harddrive is safe as long as you dont write anymore currupted data to it. however, how much corrupted data is on there, is anyones guess. tried booting from a knoppix disk, and memtesting THEN mounting the drive and viewing the contents?

the meat of the problem, in my opionion is corrupted data. ya just gotta find where its coming from and either crank up the voltage (band-aid method), or replace the part.

Hmm, well that wouldn't explain why the hard drive doesn't work on an entierly different computer, AND whatever the people in the computer shop tested it on. Sadly, as stated, I can't memtest unless you know of one I can burn to CD or run from within Windows, and I definately don't have any overclocking running. My PCI/AGP are locked anyway Oh yeah, and the 3.06 *is* a Northwood. Is that an issue?

http://www.memtest86.com/

scroll down a little on that page there is a way to make a boot cd for memtest

the 3.06 is an issue if its a northwood that has ever been overclocked for long periods and/or at high voltages (gererally greater than 1.58-1.6) EDIT :search for silversink sam's snds thread.
remember - if youve got an asus board, youll likely overvolt at idle.

get overclockix.
set your system to boot from CD
at the prompt type "memtest" to memtest, or just hit enter to boot into overclockix, mount your drive and see whats going on.
you know how to burn a cd as an ISO image right?
http://overclockix.octeams.com/

UTSL[1].

Although, generally, if you're bluing-out you have any of the following problems:
1) An unstable device driver or a resource allocation conflict (if you changed something, CHANGE IT BACK)
2) A misbehaving anti-virus program or firewall (again, if you changed something, change it back, or check for updates to your security suite)
3) Some nonspecific hardware problem that you will spend too many hours chasing, eventually give up, and buy another computer, although particularly RAM and power should be chased after first as they are the most common causes (in my experience).

[1] UTSL - Use The Stickies, Luke!

1. Thanks for that - I'll burn it and try it out, and let you know. That wouldn't explain why it doesn't work on the other computer and at the store as well, though (This is the point that everyone seems to be missing).

2. It *is* a Northwood, but I've never changed the voltage (I was never a hard-core overclocker). Again though, surely my other computer AND the store's computers wouldn't have the same problems?

3. Good advice, and thank you, but again - why would this explain why it doesn't work on other systems? Even the shop couldn't figure it out!

Is there no chance that it's just a problem with the hard drive that could be sorted somehow?