Well, this sucks

[kierthos]

Posted from roomie's computer:

My computer has become a paperweight. About an hour and a half ago, I had to reboot it after it refused to open IE or Eudora, and instead of being a good computer and coming back up, it decided to be a real piece of shit and break.

I have no idea what's wrong with it, other then the damn error message, which thanks to Windows, doesn't tell me a goddamn thing.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Whatever the fuck that means. Then there are some instructions, none of which have helped, and then

STOP: 0x0000000A (0x00000166, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x804F5BC0)

As useful as that is... yeah, right... it might as well be Sanskrit.

Thoughts? Comments? Assistance?

UPDATE: I've found an install CD for XP, but it doesn't seem to contain any repair wizards or programs, it's just an install CD.

Comments

[nash076.livejournal.com]

A good idea is to cut and paste the error exactly as shown on screen into Google, and search under Groups. A lot of the time, you can find people in the workgroups who've had the same problem, and sometimes there's a fix for it.

[kierthos.livejournal.com]

I looked at that, per your advice. Might as well be Greek. I suspect I'm either going to have to have someone come in and look at it, or take it somewhere for the same.

*sigh*

[eddyfate.livejournal.com]

You have a very interesting situation.

See, your computer is apparently now part of a select group of computerized worshippers called IRQL who consider themselves to be superior to all others. Unfortunately, IRQL has recently declared jyhad on all things Microsoft, and finding that it has such things on your computer, has decided to STOP functioning. The strange characters following STOP are an IRQL suicide note - in effect, your computer has attempted to kill itself and all connecting computer systems in an attempt to stop all Microsoft products from continuing. Since you're still getting something from it, it hasn't quite completed its suicide attempt.

The best thing you can do is take your terrorist pinko computer and shoot it in the name of all things American.

[kierthos.livejournal.com]

I haven't even finished paying the damn thing off yet (although the limited warranty has already expired).... I do not want to have to get a new computer. I need to fix the one I have.

Christ, the previous computer I had lasted twice as long, and it was a piece of shit.

[eddyfate.livejournal.com]

Joking! It's probably fixable - I was just kidding. :-P

[kierthos.livejournal.com]

thanks... sorry if I sounded pissed... this is just not the best way to end my vacation from work.

[eddyfate.livejournal.com]

No worries. I understand.

[valiskeogh.livejournal.com]

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000365.htm

?

i'd start by removing everything non-essential, sound card, nic card, modem, whatever, and restarting. hopefully it will come up, replace cards until it doesn'tn

[kostika.livejournal.com]

Does it say physical memory dump complete at the bottom? If so Then I think Iknow what your problem is.

[kierthos.livejournal.com]

I don't believe so. First there is a "We've detected a problem with your computer, and have halted Windows from starting up to prevent any damage."

Then the IRQL thing, then a brief set of instructions of things to try (it mentions systematically turning off software or hardware, which I can't even do because I can't get the bloody thing to boot up), and it also mentions turning off BIOS shadowing or caching.

Finally it gives the STOP and address locations.

Now, I can't seem to find BIOS shadowing or caching anywhere in the BIOS functions when I turn on the computer and access those.

I know it's not the video card, because I took that out, put back in the old one (the one that it came with) and I'm still getting that message, and it just hangs when I try and boot in safe mode, or any other mode (including "try last successful configuration).

When I tell it to boot in safe mode, it starts loading files (I guess), but hangs on one of the drivers (okay, it's in a drivers directory, but I don't know that it's actually a driver). The file it seems to hang on is called "agp440.sys", but whether that is actually the problem or it's the file immediately after that in the load sequence, I have no idea.

Side note: Even with the computer science degree I have, I am mostly illiterate when it comes to maintainance.