IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error, system cannot boot, C: changed to F:

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May 5, 2014
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As above. Happened on Windows 10.
No programs installed recently. Only changes are probably automatic Windows update.
When booting from USB recovery tool, reset (files preserved) and complete reset (files and apps wiped) does not complete successfully.

I had an identical incident half a year ago and I resorted to a full wipe of the system.

Can anyone provide some advice on this?
Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
Basically whatever you have done windows by default is always installed on the C: drive of your system.

If you were messing around with disk manager in windows it means you changed the drive letter assignment of the C: drive to F:

Windows is looking at the boot sector on the drive, for the drive and path assignments that windows Os is or was installed too.

And because the physical drive letter assignment is now set to F: as the drive windows cannot load.
It can also happen if you recently added another drive to your system where the drive was used in another system.

So you should remove the last connected drive or hard disk if you did so.

You will have to use a boot able windows OS disk, and load the system repair tools from it...
Basically whatever you have done windows by default is always installed on the C: drive of your system.

If you were messing around with disk manager in windows it means you changed the drive letter assignment of the C: drive to F:

Windows is looking at the boot sector on the drive, for the drive and path assignments that windows Os is or was installed too.

And because the physical drive letter assignment is now set to F: as the drive windows cannot load.
It can also happen if you recently added another drive to your system where the drive was used in another system.

So you should remove the last connected drive or hard disk if you did so.

You will have to use a boot able windows OS disk, and load the system repair tools from it.
Change the drive letter Assignment of the drive back to C:

If you find it is being reported as a F: drive.

Once done and set back to C:

Simply restart the system and windows os will boot again.
Irq not less or equal basically means it could not find the device or drive letter of the device, it does not, or no longer exists according to the stored boot information so is incorrect, or not valid when asked to look for it.

Not found where it was told to look or pointed to look.

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A few more tips it can happen if you left the Usb flash device connected to the system and did not remove it after the reset has been performed.

So make sure the Usb flash drive is removed.
As it is likely the Usb drive is or could be the cause labelled as an F: drive.


 
Solution