In this guide we will attempt to help those of you, who have had the “Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal” error and are currently seeking a way to have the problem solved. Our “Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal” guide works for Windows 10, 8 and 7.
There are many possible reasons for a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) error. However, if the message that you get in the BSOD is “Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal”, then your machine is probably having problems with either a faulty driver or recent installation of a third-party program that has implemented certain changes to your Windows and is causing the problem. In the following article we will try to help you figure out what the exact cause of the issue is and how you can potentially fix it.
Stabilizing your PC
First and foremost, you will need to make sure that your machine does not crash again, so that you can work out what the actual problem is, without being interrupted by any sudden BSOD crashes. To do that, you’ll need to operate in Safe Mode, where only the essential processes that are needed for the functioning of your PC are left active. In case you do not know how to enter Safe Mode, you can use this guide which will show you how to do it.
“Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal” – Repair Guide
Before we begin -> Create a Restore Point
Whenever you make adjustments to your Windows – regardless of how safe and insignificant they are – it is always a good idea to create a Restore Point, in case anything goes wrong.
Follow the link to learn How to Create and Use Restore Points.
Fix Method 1: Driver re-install
As we mentioned above, most commonly this specific BSOD crash that displays the “Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal” message is usually caused by a faulty driver. However, in order to fix the driver that is causing the issue, you’ll first need to figure out which the problematic driver actually is. Here is what you need to do:
- Open the Start Menu and type verifier in the search box.
- Click on the first result.
- Select the first option (Create Standard Settings) and click on Next.
- Now, select Automatically select all drivers installed on this computer.
- Click on Finish.
- Restart your PC and you will see all your drivers being checked before Windows starts. If there is a faulty one, you’ll get the BSOD again with the driver’s name.
Now, that you’ve worked out which the problematic driver is, it is time for you to repair it.
- Once again, open the Start Menu an this time type Device Manager.
- Open the first search result and carefully look through the list.
- Find the faulty driver. It should usually have a yellow exclamation mark beside it.
- Once you’ve singled out the faulty driver, right-click on it and select Uninstall.
- Restart your PC. Your driver should be automatically installed over again, thus effectively repairing the issue.
- Just in case, you might go back to the Device Manager and manually update the driver. Simply right-click on it and select Update Driver Software and then choose Search automatically for updated driver software. Make sure to do this, especially if your automatic Windows Update has been disabled.
Fix Method 2: Uninstall new software and use a Restore Point
The other potential reason for a BSOD with the “Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal” message is a recent change to your Windows settings that creates an internal conflict with the OS resulting in the BSOD crash. If re-installing and updating the drivers did not resolve the issue, then you’d have to try this other method in order to deal with the irritating error:
- In Safe Mode, open your Start Menu and go to the Control Panel.
- Select Uninstall a Program.
- Look through the list and find any antivirus scanners, PC optimization tools, and anti-malware apps that you have recently installed, prior to the BSOD crashes.
- Uninstall any such programs by selecting them and clicking Uninstall.
