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Help me, oh brilliant LJ gestalt brain...
Jun. 25th, 2008 11:23 amOn the weekend, I tried to upgrade my brother's ancient computer to Windows XP SP2. It crashed out half-way through the install, and now, every time I try to install it again, it gets a BSoD saying:
"IRQL not less or equal"
Seems hardware related, yep? But if I put the hard drive in a totally different computer and try installing again, I get the exact same error. So it's something on the hard drive. Thought the HD might have been busted, but I copied the contents over to a new HD and the same thing happens. So it's a file - or files - on the hard drive. Probably in the Windows directory, at a wild guess. I've spent three full days trying to figure this one out, to no avail. Google reveals nothing other than "disable all hardware and check the RAM", both of which I've done, plus, as shown above, proven that it's not a hardware issue.
What I need to know is, what files could I delete to at least boot into some form of Windows again? I don't want to wipe and start again, as they have a heap of programs installed that they desperately need. So I'm hoping someone's seen this before and knows exactly what to do.
Anyone? Bueller?
"IRQL not less or equal"
Seems hardware related, yep? But if I put the hard drive in a totally different computer and try installing again, I get the exact same error. So it's something on the hard drive. Thought the HD might have been busted, but I copied the contents over to a new HD and the same thing happens. So it's a file - or files - on the hard drive. Probably in the Windows directory, at a wild guess. I've spent three full days trying to figure this one out, to no avail. Google reveals nothing other than "disable all hardware and check the RAM", both of which I've done, plus, as shown above, proven that it's not a hardware issue.
What I need to know is, what files could I delete to at least boot into some form of Windows again? I don't want to wipe and start again, as they have a heap of programs installed that they desperately need. So I'm hoping someone's seen this before and knows exactly what to do.
Anyone? Bueller?
