Constant Blue Screen with Error: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (Win 10)

[Bones]

"IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" is typically a RAM voltage error due to not enough voltage to the sticks for the speeds and timings they are set for - This is a common error seen when OC'ing.

@ the OP, be sure you have the correct amount of voltage in use for the sticks such as if they are rated for 1.50v's for example. You'd want to make sure they are getting at least that much is not a little more. If you must, a little more won't hurt them and would probrably take care of the error popping up.

If the set is rated for 1.50/1.55v's for example giving them about 1.60/1.62v's (Max) won't hurt them, just be sure whatever RAM voltage you decide to use is set manually in the BIOS.
If all else fails make sure the board isn't setting them up with timings and speeds they don't want to run at and you can make sure of it by setting timings and speeds manually, preferably by their specs.
You can tweak later because right now the focus is to solve your error problem first.

Speaking of that, since the PSU itself is in question I'd tackle that first, THEN go for the RAM settings but that's what the error itself is normally about.

 

[lexluthermiester]

This is a common error seen when OC'ing.

I think he already stated he's not overclocking.

If the set is rated for 1.50/1.55v's for example giving them about 1.60/1.62v's (Max) won't hurt them

I wouldn't go that high. I'd go 1.575v at the most.

 

[avrona]

How long have you had the M5A97? Is it the original or the more popular EVO? I had an Asus P67 LE that would not quit throwing BSODs (it was so long ago, I can't remember what the error was ), and after exhaustively testing every part including CPU and RAM I ended up just tossing it. It seems it was just at the end of its life. Coincidentally, both boards from Asus - P67 and 970 - are verging on 8 years old at this point.

Are you using a stock cooler? How is the airflow in the case?

The M5A97's 4+2 can handle the 8350 just fine at stock speeds like OP has kept his at. OP says there are heatsinks so it's not the LE. That RAM does make me raise an eyebrow, though, 1600 CAS11 is old and slow and the high latencies and lack of manufacturer in CPU-Z suggest that it's an OEM part.

The XFX TS/Core Edition is a great little power supply, based on Seasonic S12II. It's just fine on quality, for the group-regulated unit it is. I wouldn't count it out as being defective, though.

I've had that board since I bought the PC in 2014 and it's not a stock cooler, with there being a total of I think 3 or 4 fans in the case.

 

[Voluman]

If i remember correctly vga driver related issue can cause similar error mesage.

 

[avrona]

So I've replaced my RAM sticks to see if maybe that would help but it sadly didn't. Still happening.

 

[Vayra86]

Isn't this that typical case of an FX proc on a weak board that is slowly but inevitably running into death row?

I think this ship has sailed and damage is done. Its 2019 by now... If after a fresh install of Windows and proper chipset/drivers etc. the BSODs persist, I wouldn't even bother with RAM. Time for that Ryzen build. I feel this is troubleshooting against common sense...

 

[lexluthermiester]

So I've replaced my RAM sticks to see if maybe that would help but it sadly didn't. Still happening.

That more or less leaves the power supply. I doubt it's the mobo as you'd be having all sorts of other problems, which you're not. It has been said that you could do with a new CPU/Mobo combo, however if you can't afford it, a PSU is your best option. You're going to need one anyway.

 

[avrona]

Isn't this that typical case of an FX proc on a weak board that is slowly but inevitably running into death row?

I think this ship has sailed and damage is done. Its 2019 by now... If after a fresh install of Windows and proper chipset/drivers etc. the BSODs persist, I wouldn't even bother with RAM. Time for that Ryzen build. I feel this is troubleshooting against common sense...

It's not a weak board though, and I don't really have the money for any new parts. I can always just borrow parts from a music workstation we have, like the RAM today morning to check if that would fix it, but I simply can't buy anything extra.

 

[Vayra86]

It's not a weak board though, and I don't really have the money for any new parts. I can always just borrow parts from a music workstation we have, like the RAM today morning to check if that would fix it, but I simply can't buy anything extra.

Be it as it may, just know its a ticking time bomb and replacing is inevitable. Especially on a tight budget, my point mostly is, don't invest more into old hardware like this. If you have donor parts, sure!

 

[avrona]

Be it as it may, just know its a ticking time bomb and replacing is inevitable. Especially on a tight budget, my point mostly is, don't invest more into old hardware like this. If you have donor parts, sure!

I wasn't planning on investing in it, but I do need a working PC, and an upgrade is still ages away. And the parts from that workstation I can't even keep if there is something that does need replacing in terms of hardware.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Be it as it may, just know its a ticking time bomb

You are way over-reacting.

I can always just borrow parts from a music workstation we have

Have you tried swapping the PSU from that system?

 

[Bones]

I think he already stated he's not overclocking.

I wouldn't go that high. I'd go 1.575v at the most.

I saw he wasn't OC'ing but related to the error itself it still applies OC'ed or not.

I also believe at least 1.60v's won't hurt them, esp if rated for 1.55v's like many sets are.
That's not enough over stock to make much difference yet could be enough to stabilize things.

Have a few sets rated for 1.55v's and I run those all the time at or even over 1.60v's and they are doing just fine after years of it - Now.... This doesn't mean I go crazy with voltage with those particular sticks but any set rated for 1.55v's should be able to handle 1.60v's without issues.

I say that because I've noticed that sticks can easily run at least 0.05v's over stock and have no problems from doing that if need be based on my own experiences, I have sets here (30+ sets at least) that ranges from at least 5 years to well over a decade old that's still kicking after all that being done to them, from regular DDR to DDR3 sets.

It's when you start going for crazy speeds and really tight timings is when one would volt them up like mad and start killing them but that's not the case here and I'm proposing anything crazy be done.

I do have to say again, get the PSU issues sorted first then if the problem persists that's something the OP could try.

 

[avrona]

Have you tried swapping the PSU from that system?

No not yet, I'm seeing if updating board drivers will help first, as switching PSUs is a pain and a half.

 

[MIRTAZAPINE]

How constant is your irql less or not equal? I have this on my pc occasionally too and I just got one yesterday too. It was alot more often 2 months back when I overclocked my system. Found out later my power supply is not playing well and I got a new one selling the old one after RMA. PSU error are hard to diagnose their symptoms are not obvious until you change them. I change to a bronze evga 500w psu from by then gold silverstone sfx 600g.
System become alot more stable after that. IRQL is also a ram related issue happens to me alot on my old G3258 build and also an experimental FX8320E that I had using the "old" ram.

I doubt it is your board, they are pretty hardy. If all else don't work you can try but by then I am don't think it worth it fixing your it for the expense unless for sentimental values or running old windows version.

 

[avrona]

How constant is your irql less or not equal? I have this on my pc occasionally too and I just got one yesterday too. It was alot more often 2 months back when I overclocked my system. Found out later my power supply is not playing well and I got a new one selling the old one after RMA. PSU error are hard to diagnose their symptoms are not obvious until you change them. I change to a bronze evga 500w psu from by then gold silverstone sfx 600g.
System become alot more stable after that. IRQL is also a ram related issue happens to me alot on my old G3258 build and also an experimental FX8320E that I had using the "old" ram.

I doubt it is your board, they are pretty hardy. If all else don't work you can try but by then I am don't think it worth it fixing your it for the expense unless for sentimental values or running old windows version.

I get them sometimes once every few hours and other times every 20 minutes or so. They only started appearing on saturday though, never had it before.

Update: So I updated the board's USB and audio drivers, and now not only does the error keep popping up, but now also all my USB 3 ports don't work. Still using the borrowed RAM BTW.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Update: So I updated the board's USB and audio drivers, and now not only does the error keep popping up, but now also all my USB 3 ports don't work. Still using the borrowed RAM BTW.

Try that PSU. If that's not it, you might be having a storage(SSD/HDD) problem.

 

[SydneySideSteve]

No not yet, I'm seeing if updating board drivers will help first, as switching PSUs is a pain and a half.

You can just pull the PSU from one machine and plug that donor PSU into the graphics card only, for testing purposes. You will need to jump the 24 pin connector on the donor PSU counting from left to right the pins #4 and #5 need to be bridged with a paperclip or wire. Meaning you do not need to extract and refit two PSU's in two machines!

 

[lexluthermiester]

You can just pull the PSU from one machine and plug that donor PSU into the graphics card only, for testing purposes.

Welcome to the forums! That is an interesting testing method. It has the potential to get really messy though.

@avrona I'd still advise swapping PSU's fully to test. It will only take a bit of extra time and then you'll know that answer.

 

[eidairaman1]

Welcome to the forums! That is an interesting testing method. It has the potential to get really messy though.

@avrona I'd still advise swapping PSU's fully to test. It will only take a bit of extra time and then you'll know that answer.

My preference pull mobo out, leave bumb psu in, bench test it lol

 

[SydneySideSteve]

Welcome to the forums! That is an interesting testing method. It has the potential to get really messy though.

@avrona I'd still advise swapping PSU's fully to test. It will only take a bit of extra time and then you'll know that answer.

@lexluthermiester thank you

My preference pull mobo out, leave bumb psu in, bench test it lol

Apparently fitting a larger GPU than what your PSU can power is something that is quite common, with this kind of error in device manager. It was a question that the they asked me (Nvidia customer help) when I was chatting with them about this same error, point four in the link "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems (Code 43) for my graphics card"

 

[eidairaman1]

@lexluthermiester thank you


Apparently fitting a larger GPU than what your PSU can power is something that is quite common, with this kind of error in device manager. It was a question that the they asked me (Nvidia customer help) when I was chatting with them about this same error, point four in the link "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems (Code 43) for my graphics card"

Code43 can be a hard fault too.

What you just said to me aint news, been doing this for 20+ years now.

 

[SydneySideSteve]

Code43 can be a hard fault too.

What you just said to me aint news, been doing this for 20+ years now.

@eidairaman1 was not trying to undermine your knowledge base at all, but every issue I have with a machine, for example, my video card's error 43, is a new chapter for me in a much smaller book than yours!

 

[eidairaman1]

@eidairaman1 was not trying to undermine your knowledge base at all, but every issue I have with a machine, for example, my video card's error 43, is a new chapter for me in a much smaller book than yours!

Thanks for clarifying, I'm pretty sure you might be able to contribute something here I may not think of at the time.

I recently learned of a tool called WhoCrashed lol

 

[SydneySideSteve]

Thanks for clarifying, I'm pretty sure you might be able to contribute something here I may not think of at the time.

I recently learned of a tool called WhoCrashed lol

It is good to be learning new things (speaking as a mature aged university student), does WhoCrashed do a similar job to or is it better supported than the old NirSoft (Nir Sofer) tools such as BlueScreenView, WinCrashReport, WhatIsHang, AppCrashView, etc.?

 

[eidairaman1]

It is good to be learning new things (speaking as a mature aged university student), does WhoCrashed do a similar job to or is it better supported than the old NirSoft (Nir Sofer) tools such as BlueScreenView, WinCrashReport, WhatIsHang, AppCrashView, etc.?

Im not sure really. Id probably use all of them.

I used a site called aumha.org for BSOD descriptions, since XP days.