Hey everyone! I upgraded my PC last month, and recently, I've been hit with a slew of random Blue Screens of Death (BSOD) showing the error code "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL". This has been happening since the start of June. I've already tried updating my drivers, including fixing a missing one, but that didn't help. I also did a RAM scan and everything came back normal. Just an hour ago, my PC crashed again while I was just browsing. I looked into using Bluescreenview to decipher it, but I'm lost on what the results mean. The error seems to suggest some memory issue, but I'm not sure how to proceed without doing a full system wipe, which I really want to avoid. I've also got a folder with the DMP error files if anyone can help me analyze those!
2 Answers
First off, make sure your BIOS settings are stable—navigate through the menus and check that everything's running smoothly without any glitches. If it seems fine, try updating your motherboard BIOS to the latest version from MSI’s official site. For your AMD chipset, go to their support page and grab the latest driver specifically for your motherboard. Make sure it’s the standalone installer, as other versions can cause issues. After you do these updates, see if you still experience crashes.
To really get to the bottom of those BSODs, we need access to the dump files because they give us the crash logs. If you can log into Windows normally or via Safe Mode, check the C:WindowsMinidump folder for any dumps. If you find any, zip that folder by right-clicking it and selecting 'Send to -> Compressed (Zipped) folder'. Then, upload it to a file sharing site that works—Reddit often blocks certain hosts, but places like MediaFire or Catbox are usually fine. If you only have one dump file or none, don’t stress; upload what you've got, and consider changing your dump settings to Small Memory Dump for more comprehensive data. Check this guide for more info on that!
What if my BIOS is a bit older? I've seen some folks suggest rolling back to a previous update if it's from 2020. Is going with the latest always the best option? Just a little nervous about messing things up since I can’t afford more PC problems!