When loading Windows XP pro, I keep getting error message "IRQL_NOT_LESS_NOT_EQUAL

When loading windows xp pro, I received the following error "IRQL_NOT_LESS_NOT_EQUAL Stop:0x0000007E (0x0000005, 0x808D5483, 0xF7C822F0, 0xF7C81FF0) " I am buiding this unit "fresh/new" all components are new. I've reformated the SATA Western Digital 160GB HDD now 3 times and am still getting this same error. The only items installed in the unit at this time are the system board ( Abit NF7-S w/all current bios and chip set drivers) 520 WATT pwoer Supply, the memory ( 2 sticks 512mb DDR PC3200 ) the video card ( Nvidia Nforce 64mb AGP card) cpu (AMD Athlon XP 3200 ) 3 fans, (2 case fans and 1 CPU cooling fan) CD-R/W Drive, and DVD-ROM drive. Can some one please tell me

A) what are the meanings of the STOP error locations/codes

B) What or how can I repair/fix this issue?

This question was answered on June 23, 2004. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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Note The four parameters in this error message may vary depending on the cause of the STOP error

CAUSE:

This issue may occur if a system thread generates an exception that the error handler does not catch This may occur if one or more of the following conditions exist:

If this issue occurs after the first restart during Windows Setup, or after Setup is finished, the computer may not have sufficient hard disk space to run Windows.

If this issue occurs after the first restart during Windows Setup, or after Setup is complete, the computer BIOS may be incompatible with Windows.

Incompatible video adapter drivers.

Damaged RAM.

A damaged device driver or system service.

If the issue is associated with the Win32k.sys file, it may be caused by a third-party remote control program.

RESOLUTION:

To troubleshoot this issue, use the following methods.

Method 1: Make sure that you have sufficient hard disk space

Make sure that you have sufficient hard disk space For problems during Windows installation that are associated with a lack of available hard disk space, you must free space on your hard disk Delete any unnecessary temporary files, Internet cache files, program backup files, and .chk files that contain saved file fragments from disk scans You can also use another hard disk with more free space for the installation

Method 2: Update the computer BIOS

Make sure that your computer BIOS revision is current Contact the computer manufacturer to obtain the latest BIOS update for the computer You may have to temporarily disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.

Method 3: Disable or update device drivers

View the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) to determine if the PCI devices in the computer are compatible with Windows XP.

Update the video adapter drivers to the latest versions If a driver is listed by name in the STOP error message, disable or remove that driver Disable or remove any drivers or services that you recently added If the error occurs during the startup sequence and the system partition is using the NTFS file system, you may be able to use Safe mode to rename or to delete the faulty driver If the driver is used as part of the system startup process in Safe mode, you must start the computer by using the Recovery Console to use the file.

If the problem is associated with the Win32k.sys file, the problem may be caused by a third-party remote control program To remove the service, use the Recovery Console to start the computer, and then delete the specified system service file

Method 4: Remove unsigned drivers

If you cannot start Windows in Safe mode, remove all drivers that are not digitally signed by Microsoft.

Method 5: Remove all third-party drivers

In rare cases, you may not be able to determine which third-party driver causes the error To troubleshoot this issue, move all third-party driver files from the Windows\System32\Drivers folder to a different location To do this, follow these steps:

Use the Recovery Console to start the computer, or start the computer from a different installation of Windows if you have performed a parallel Windows installation.

Move all files from the Windows\System32\Drivers folder that do not have a creation date for Windows XP of 8/13/2001 If the computer relies on a third-party IDE or SCSI controller driver for correct operation, you must identify those driver files, and then leave them in the Windows\System32\Drivers folder.

Restart the computer.

Continue the Windows Setup program.

If the following conditions are true, the issue may be a hardware incompatibility with Windows XP because all the installed drivers are Windows XP drivers:

You receive the STOP 0x7E error when you first start the computer.

You receive the STOP 0x7E error after you run the Setup program.

You did not install any third-party drivers during the installation of Windows.

However, if you receive the STOP 0x7E error after you upgrade from Windows 2000 Professional, or if you recently added a new hardware device, this issue may be an incompatible driver or an incompatible hardware device.

About the author

Posted by Raymond of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on June 23, 2004

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