Hey everyone! I upgraded my PC last month, and since June I've been experiencing frequent blue screens of death (BSOD) with the error code "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL." I've updated my drivers (even found one that was missing), checked the RAM for issues (no problems there), and even tried some tweaks with the console, but nothing seems to help. Just today it crashed again, and I wasn't even doing anything intensive! I gave Bluescreenview a shot, but I'm totally lost on what it means. I read online that it might be linked to unauthorized memory usage, but I have no idea how to tackle this without doing a full wipe (which I'd rather avoid if possible). By the way, here's the DMP error files folder if it helps: [BSOD DMP Files](https://www.mediafire.com/file/o9udi2la0att8bx/BSOD_dmp.zip/file)
3 Answers
You mentioned being paranoid about stability, which is totally understandable! If your BIOS isn't freezing and it's running fine, updating to the latest version is usually safe. Sometimes people suggest downgrading if their systems were stable before an update, but it's often best to go with the newest version unless you have specific issues. Keep an eye on how your PC behaves after updates, and if it seems fine, you're probably good to go! It’s wise to be cautious, especially when you rely on your machine.
I’d suggest starting with the basics. If your BIOS is stable (no weird glitches while navigating), then updating your motherboard's BIOS to the latest version could help. You can find the update [here](https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450-GAMING-PLUS-MAX/support). Also, make sure to install the latest AMD Chipset Drivers directly from [AMD's site](https://www.amd.com/en/support/downloads/drivers.html/chipsets/am4/b450.html). Be careful to only download the Chipset Driver installer, as others could cause issues. Let me know if the crashes stop after that!
First off, it sounds like you really need to check your dump files since they help pinpoint what causes BSODs. If you can boot into Windows either normally or in Safe Mode, look for dump files in C:WindowsMinidump. If you find some, zip them up and upload them to a file-sharing site—Reddit can be finicky about links. Usually, having multiple dump files is better for analysis, so make sure to set your system to create Small Memory Dumps if you're not already. Here’s a guide to help you with that: [How to Create Minidumps](https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5560-configure-windows-10-create-minidump-bsod.html). That should give us a clearer picture on what's going wrong.
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