[RoachMojo]

Hey all:

I seem to be the only one with this particular problem. I think I am now at the point of hardcore component swapping, but I wanted to get some of your expert opinions before I start swapping. It will be a pain to RMA anything, but I have to start somewhere.

My problem is this:

My system will bsod with a DRIVER IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL 0x000000D1 error when HT is enabled while playing games with Hardware Sound. The error points to no specific device as the problem. This started a few months ago with KOTOR, and I had added no new hardware to invite the problem. It is definitely the sound card having issues with something on my system.

Things I have tried:

1. Clocking back to stock.

2. Memtest86 for 24 hours. Overclocked or not = no errors.

3. Prime95 for 12 hours (2 instances for HT testing). Overclocked or not = no errors.

4. Two different sound cards (Audigy 1 and Audigy 2 Platinum). Installed with HT disabled and after clean-sweeping (per Creative). Tried sound cards in slots 3, 4 and 5. Sharing or no sharing of IRQS made any difference. Tried only drivers off of cd and then updates.

5. Installed fresh copy of XP Pro on an IDE drive (by-passing raid0 array) using Mr. Steveo's guide: http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showth...hreadid=34558. Ran though same procedures as above.

I have no other weird errors or problems other than HT and the sound in games. I can turn Hardware Mixing off in Farcry and enable HT and all is good, but as soon as I enable Hardware Mixing, bsod after 10 or 45 minutes. conversly, I can enable Hardware Mixing and disable HT and all is good. I have even tried Dumpchk.exe and Pstat to try an analyse the dumps and have not had any success. Now I'm down to a few choices. I would have to purchase these items:

1. An Audigy 2 ZS ( It is possible however unlikely that I have two faulty sound cards).

2. A different PSU/mobo/ram/cpu (eeek)

3. Simply live with HT disabled (until I bsod with it disabled), as I never play games while running other tasks on my pc, and fraps reports the same exact same fps at any given point in FarCry (the most cpu intensive game I know of) whether or not HT is enabled.

I have a feeling it will bsod even with the Auddigy 2 ZS, so I guess that leaves me with either PSU, cpu, mobo, or ram. The ram test 100% with hours of testing, and the cpu benchmarks are right on with HT enabled. Prime95 reports no errors. I would have thought I'd have had other weird problems if the PSU was going out, so what do you think I should do? Does it sound like the cpu could be dying? I built this system only 9 months ago, but...

Thanks for taking the time to read this! I appreciate any advice anyone has to offer.

[sclaws]

I had the same problem recently...problem was the CPU. My system worked fine with HT disabled, but would BSoD or bluescreen with HT enabled. I tried a new mobo and RAM, no change, but when I replaced the CPU the problem disappeared. I just sent my CPU back to Intel and they are replacing it via warranty exchange. Here's a thread that I posted about my problem if you're interested in the read:
http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showth...threadid=71106

[KrisMCool]

I had a very similar problem. FarCry would lock up or crash due to my Audigy2 (or drivers), but not BSOD. But I had been getting BSODs under other circumstances that pointed to the sound card and/or drivers. I always run my P4s with HT enabled. I need it for FAH, so I won't even bother to see if I can get a higher / more stable OC with it disabled. Anyway, the most common BSOD I would get was IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. I justed switched to an Audigy2 ZS and haven't experienced any problems yet, but it's early. And this isn't the only system that had problems with the Audigy2, but I thought it was Creative's flaky drivers. I've had to install each driver package twice to get it to show up as WHQL. So, you're not alone.
How do you properly clean old Creative drivers? When I follow Creative's instructions, I have to start from scratch and reinstall everything. Won't let me install new drivers without the old ones still in place.

BTW, these problems occured with my P4C800D, P4C800-ED & IC7-Max3.

[RoachMojo]

Originally posted by KrisMCool
How do you properly clean old Creative drivers? When I follow Creative's instructions, I have to start from scratch and reinstall everything. Won't let me install new drivers without the old ones still in place.

BTW, these problems occured with my P4C800D, P4C800-ED & IC7-Max3.

One update depends on a base install of the drivers, so either the ones off the cd first, or the one update, then the update patch. It's dumb.

Originally posted by sclaws
I had the same problem recently...problem was the CPU. My system worked fine with HT disabled, but would BSoD or bluescreen with HT enabled. I tried a new mobo and RAM, no change, but when I replaced the CPU the problem disappeared. I just sent my CPU back to Intel and they are replacing it via warranty exchange. Here's a thread that I posted about my problem if you're interested in the read:
http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showth...threadid=71106

I remember that thread! Your issue was random freezing, right? Or was it specific to the sound card? I see that you did replace the cpu and that fixed it? Cool. Perhaps that is what I should concentrate on. I'll try and arrange for an rma. Thanks for that!

[EDIT] Well, I just tested a brand new Audigy 2 ZS and I got the same bsod with HT enabled.