What is IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and what causes it?

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (stop code 0x0000000A) is a Windows kernel-level error that occurs when a driver or system process tries to access a memory address that is pageable or invalid while running at a high Interrupt Request Level (IRQL). The most common causes are buggy device drivers (especially GPU, network, or antivirus drivers), faulty RAM, overclocking instability, or corrupted Windows system files. The crash is intentionally triggered by the Windows kernel to prevent data corruption or system instability.

Como resolver o erro IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL no Windows 10/11? (How to fix IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL on Windows 10/11?)

To fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL on Windows 10 or 11: (1) Analyze the minidump file in C:\Windows\Minidump using WinDbg or WhoCrashed to identify the offending driver. (2) Update or roll back that driver via Device Manager. (3) Run Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched.exe) to check for RAM errors. (4) Run 'sfc /scannow' and DISM commands in an elevated Command Prompt to repair system files. (5) Disable XMP/EXPO in BIOS if you have overclocked your RAM. (6) Perform a clean boot to rule out third-party software conflicts. Most cases are resolved by updating or reinstalling the faulty driver.

Co oznacza kod zatrzymania DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL? (What does the stop code DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL mean?)

Kod zatrzymania DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0x000000D1) to blad niebieskiego ekranu (BSOD) w systemie Windows, ktory oznacza, ze sterownik kernela probowal uzyskac dostep do pamieci na nieodpowiednim poziomie IRQL. W praktyce oznacza to, ze konkretny sterownik urzadzenia (np. karta graficzna, karta sieciowa lub oprogramowanie antywirusowe) zawiera blad lub jest niekompatybilny z Twoja wersja systemu Windows. Naprawa polega na identyfikacji wadliwego sterownika za pomoca plikow minizrzutu i jego aktualizacji lub odinstalowaniu. (In English: This stop code means a kernel driver tried to access memory at the wrong IRQL level. Fix by identifying the faulty driver via minidump files and updating or removing it.)

Can bad RAM cause IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL?

Yes, faulty or incompatible RAM is one of the most common hardware causes of IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. When a memory module has physical defects, is running at an unstable speed (especially with XMP/EXPO profiles enabled), or is seated improperly, the CPU may read incorrect data from memory addresses, causing kernel-level violations. To diagnose, run mdsched.exe (Windows Memory Diagnostic) for a quick test, or MemTest86 from a bootable USB for comprehensive hardware-level testing. If errors are detected, try reseating the RAM, testing one stick at a time, or replacing the faulty module.

How do I fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL if I can't boot into Windows?

If Windows won't boot due to IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, boot into Safe Mode by holding Shift while clicking Restart, then going to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart > F4 (Safe Mode). In Safe Mode, open Device Manager and roll back or uninstall the driver that was recently updated. If Safe Mode also fails, use a Windows installation USB to access the Recovery Environment: go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt and run 'sfc /scannow' or use DISM commands. You can also use 'bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal' from the recovery command prompt to force Safe Mode on next boot.

IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL: Complete Troubleshooting Guide to Fix This BSOD Error

Fix the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL BSOD on Windows. Step-by-step guide covering driver updates, memory checks, and registry fixes to resolve stop code 0x0000000A.

Last updated: March 1, 2026

Last verified: March 1, 2026

2,270 words

Key Takeaways

Root cause 1: A kernel-mode driver attempted to access pageable memory at an IRQL that was too high, typically caused by a buggy or outdated device driver (e.g., network adapter, GPU, or antivirus kernel components).
Root cause 2: Faulty or incompatible RAM (bad memory modules, overclocking instability, or incorrect XMP/EXPO profiles) triggers invalid memory address access at elevated IRQL levels.
Root cause 3: Corrupted Windows system files or an incompatible third-party kernel driver (often installed silently by antivirus or VPN software) conflict with IRQL enforcement.
Quick fix summary: Update or roll back the offending driver identified in the minidump file, run Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86 to rule out RAM issues, and use SFC /scannow plus DISM to repair corrupted system files.

Fix Approaches Compared
Method	When to Use	Time	Risk
Update/Roll Back Driver	Minidump points to a specific .sys file; crash started after driver update	10-20 min	Low
Windows Memory Diagnostic	Random BSODs with no consistent driver pattern; system is unstable	20-60 min	None
MemTest86 (Bootable)	Memory Diagnostic shows errors or you suspect intermittent RAM failure	2-8 hrs	None
SFC /scannow + DISM	Multiple system files corrupted after failed update or malware infection	15-30 min	Low
Disable Overclocking / Reset XMP	BSOD occurs under load or after enabling XMP/EXPO RAM profile in BIOS	5-10 min	None
Clean Boot / Uninstall Conflicting Software	Crash correlates with third-party antivirus, VPN, or virtualization driver	15-30 min	Low
Reinstall Windows	All other methods fail; system is completely unstable	1-3 hrs	High (data loss risk)

Understanding the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Error

The IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error (also known as stop code 0x0000000A) is one of the most common Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors in Windows. The exact error message you see on screen is:

Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart.
Stop code: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

In Polish-language Windows installations, you may see:

Kod zatrzymania: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

The error means that a kernel-mode process or driver attempted to access a memory address that was pageable (or completely invalid) while operating at an elevated Interrupt Request Level (IRQL). Windows enforces that certain memory regions can only be accessed at IRQL levels of DISPATCH_LEVEL (2) or below. When a driver violates this rule, the kernel immediately triggers a bugcheck (BSOD) to prevent data corruption.

Step 1: Read the Minidump File

The most reliable way to diagnose this error is to analyze the Windows minidump file generated at the time of the crash.

Enable minidump creation (if not already enabled):

Right-click This PC > Properties > Advanced system settings.
Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
Set Write debugging information to Small memory dump (256 KB).
Ensure the dump file path is set to %SystemRoot%\Minidump.

Analyze the dump using WinDbg:

Download and install the Windows Debugger (WinDbg) from the Microsoft Store or Windows SDK.
Open WinDbg and go to File > Open Crash Dump.
Navigate to C:\Windows\Minidump\ and open the most recent .dmp file.
In the command window, type:
```
!analyze -v
```
Look for the IMAGE_NAME field — this tells you exactly which .sys driver caused the crash (e.g., nvlddmkm.sys for NVIDIA GPU, tcpip.sys for network stack, ntfs.sys for file system).

Quick alternative — WhoCrashed: Download WhoCrashed (free) from Resplendence Software. It reads minidumps automatically and provides a plain-English explanation of the crash, including the offending driver name.

Step 2: Update or Roll Back the Offending Driver

Once you identify the faulty driver:

If it's a third-party driver (GPU, NIC, audio):

Press Win + X > Device Manager.
Locate the device associated with the offending .sys file.
Right-click > Update driver > Search automatically.
If the crash started after a recent update, right-click > Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.

Common offending drivers and their devices:

nvlddmkm.sys → NVIDIA display driver
atikmpag.sys / atikmdag.sys → AMD GPU driver
e1g6032e.sys → Intel network adapter
MpKsl*.sys → Windows Defender kernel driver
ndis.sys → Network Driver Interface Specification (Windows networking stack)

For NVIDIA GPU drivers specifically: Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode to fully remove the existing driver before installing a fresh copy from nvidia.com.

Step 3: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic

Faulty RAM is a leading cause of IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL errors.

Press Win + R, type mdsched.exe, and press Enter.
Choose Restart now and check for problems.
Windows will run two passes by default. Press F1 to access options and set Extended mode for more thorough testing.
After reboot, check Event Viewer (Win + X > Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System) for entries from source MemoryDiagnostics-Results.

If errors are found, proceed to MemTest86 for a more definitive hardware-level test:

Download MemTest86 from memtest86.com.
Flash it to a USB drive using Rufus.
Boot from the USB and let it run for at least 2 complete passes (8+ passes for thorough validation).
If errors appear at any point, replace the RAM or test individual sticks to identify the faulty module.

Step 4: Repair System Files with SFC and DISM

Corrupted Windows system files can cause drivers to misbehave at the kernel level.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the following commands in order:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

After SFC completes, check the log at:

C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

Search for the string cannot repair to find any files that could not be fixed, which may indicate a more severe corruption requiring a Windows reinstall or in-place upgrade.

Step 5: Disable Overclocking and Reset XMP/EXPO

If you have enabled XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) RAM profiles in BIOS, or manually overclocked your CPU or RAM:

Restart your PC and enter BIOS (usually F2, Del, or F12 at boot).
Navigate to the OC or AI Tweaker section.
Set XMP/EXPO to Disabled or load Optimized Defaults.
Save and exit.

Run your system for several hours or days to determine if the BSODs stop. If stability returns, you can try re-enabling XMP at a lower memory frequency, or update your motherboard firmware (BIOS) to improve memory compatibility.

Step 6: Perform a Clean Boot to Isolate Third-Party Conflicts

VPN clients, antivirus software, and virtualization platforms (Hyper-V, VMware, VirtualBox) install kernel-mode drivers that frequently cause IRQL conflicts.

Press Win + R, type msconfig, press Enter.
On the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
On the Startup tab, click Open Task Manager and disable all startup items.
Restart and observe system stability.
Re-enable services in batches to identify the culprit.

If a specific security product is identified, uninstall it completely using the vendor's dedicated removal tool (e.g., ESET Uninstaller, McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool) rather than the standard Windows uninstaller, as these tools remove kernel drivers that the standard uninstaller leaves behind.

Step 7: Check for Windows Updates

Microsoft frequently releases patches that fix kernel-level driver issues:

Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
Install all pending updates, including Optional and Driver updates.
After updating, check View update history to confirm all updates installed successfully.

If a Windows Update itself caused the BSOD, you can uninstall it via Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

powershell

# ============================================================
# IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Diagnostic & Fix Script
# Run as Administrator in PowerShell
# ============================================================

# --- Step 1: List recent minidump files ---
Write-Host "=== Recent Minidump Files ==="
$dumpPath = "$env:SystemRoot\Minidump"
if (Test-Path $dumpPath) {
    Get-ChildItem -Path $dumpPath -Filter "*.dmp" | Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending | Select-Object -First 5 | Format-Table Name, LastWriteTime, Length -AutoSize
} else {
    Write-Host "No minidump directory found. Enable Small Memory Dump in System Properties."
}

# --- Step 2: Check Event Viewer for BSOD-related events ---
Write-Host "`n=== Recent System Critical Events (last 7 days) ==="
$startDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-7)
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; Level=1; StartTime=$startDate} -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object TimeCreated, Id, Message | Format-Table -Wrap | Select-Object -First 10

# --- Step 3: Check for Memory Diagnostic results ---
Write-Host "`n=== Windows Memory Diagnostic Results ==="
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Microsoft-Windows-MemoryDiagnostics-Results'} -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -First 5 | Format-List TimeCreated, Message

# --- Step 4: Run SFC scan ---
Write-Host "`n=== Running System File Checker (SFC) ==="
sfc /scannow

# --- Step 5: Run DISM to repair Windows image ---
Write-Host "`n=== Running DISM Health Restore ==="
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

# --- Step 6: Check for recently installed drivers (last 30 days) ---
Write-Host "`n=== Recently Installed or Updated Drivers (last 30 days) ==="
$cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-30)
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object { $_.DriverDate -and [datetime]::ParseExact($_.DriverDate.Split('.')[0], 'yyyyMMdd', $null) -gt $cutoffDate } | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion, DriverDate, Manufacturer | Format-Table -AutoSize

# --- Step 7: List drivers sorted by date to spot recent additions ---
Write-Host "`n=== All Kernel Drivers by Date (newest first, top 20) ==="
Get-WindowsDriver -Online -All | Sort-Object Date -Descending | Select-Object -First 20 | Format-Table Driver, Version, Date, ClassName -AutoSize

# --- Step 8: Check RAM slots and memory info ---
Write-Host "`n=== Physical Memory Information ==="
Get-WmiObject Win32_PhysicalMemory | Format-Table Tag, Capacity, Speed, MemoryType, Manufacturer, PartNumber -AutoSize

# --- Step 9: Launch Windows Memory Diagnostic (interactive) ---
Write-Host "`n=== Scheduling Windows Memory Diagnostic ==="
Write-Host "Run the following command to schedule a memory check on next restart:"
Write-Host "  mdsched.exe"
# Uncomment the next line to launch it automatically:
# Start-Process mdsched.exe

# --- Step 10: Export system info for further analysis ---
Write-Host "`n=== Exporting System Info to Desktop ==="
$outputFile = "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\IRQL_Diagnostic_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd_HHmmss').txt"
"System Info for IRQL Diagnosis - $(Get-Date)" | Out-File $outputFile
"" | Out-File $outputFile -Append
"== OS Version ==" | Out-File $outputFile -Append
(Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object OsName, OsVersion, OsBuildNumber, CsProcessors, CsTotalPhysicalMemory) | Format-List | Out-File $outputFile -Append
"== Installed Drivers ==" | Out-File $outputFile -Append
Get-WindowsDriver -Online -All | Sort-Object Date -Descending | Out-File $outputFile -Append
Write-Host "Diagnostic report saved to: $outputFile"

Write-Host "`n=== Diagnostic Complete. Review output above and the saved report. ==="

Error Medic Editorial

The Error Medic Editorial team is composed of senior DevOps engineers, Windows systems administrators, and SRE professionals with 10+ years of experience diagnosing and resolving kernel-level errors, BSOD crashes, and system reliability issues across enterprise and consumer Windows environments. Our guides are grounded in real-world troubleshooting, official Microsoft documentation, and community-validated best practices.

Sources

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