Windows XP Install Halts On IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

[rickhein]

I'm doing a new system build:
Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz
OCZ Technology Platinum 4GB DDR3 SDRAM Memory Module - OCZ3P13334GK
Sapphire Radeon HD 4850
Seagate Barracuda 7200
Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD
I can successfully load and run Windows 7, but there are applications that won't run on it so I tried to load XP.
It gets to "Installing Devices" then goes to BSOD with:
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
STOP 0x0000000A (0x00000010, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x8051AA58)
I've swapped out the video card and tweaked every setting I can find in BIOS to no avail.
There are no BIOS settings for cache or shadowing.

Does anyone have any thought as to why XP won't load but 7 will?

 

[aford10]

Did you do a full format when installing XP?

If you're using XP SP1, try installing with just 2GB of RAM.

 

[rickhein]

Did you do a full format when installing XP?

If you're using XP SP1, try installing with just 2GB of RAM.

I did do a full format. I did try pulling 1 of the 2 sticks, with the install resuming where it left off. Same error.
Do you believe starting from scratch with just 2GB might do it?

 

[aford10]

Yes, I would start with a fresh format. There are a few things that can cause that error, but it's normally driver related.

 

[rickhein]

That did not solve the problem. I DO believe it's driver related. Everything I can find says that. I suspect it has to do with some of the drivers for hardware on the motherboard, which makes it impossible to remove, eh? And it happens before Windows allow me a opportunity to install my own drivers. Gigabyte, in a response to a help ticket to them, says "There should be no issues running XP with SP2 or higher...". This is starting to sound like an unresolvable problem.

 

[btk1w1]

Have you tried creating an XP install CD with your drivers, and or Motherboard Chipset, SATA drivers etc slipstreamed into it?

You can use nLite (free) to create a slipstreamed install cd:
http://www.nliteos.com/

There are plenty of tutorials online on how to do this, but it is quite straight forward (google link nLite tutorial):
http://www.google.com/search?q=nlite+tutorial&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-nz:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=

 

[aford10]

There aren't any drivers stored on the motherboard. All drivers are installed during or after windows is installed.

Make sure AHCI is enabled in the BIOS.

 

[Guest]

Hi

I spent all weekend trying to resolve the same problem. I was trying to install XP onto a system comprising Gagabyte H57M-USB3 and it gave the IRQL message half way through installing devices. The solution was to use nlite to add XP service pack 2 to the installation files then also use it to make this into a bootable CD. In my case, I also added the Intel driver to save me having to use a 1.44M disk and pressing F6 to load additional drivers.

Having done the above, the installation proceeded without any problem.

Bri

 

[Guest]

Hi

Fuller answer (I've just joined and cannot edit the above message):

I spent all weekend trying to resolve the same problem. I was trying to install XP onto a system comprising Gagabyte H57M-USB3 and it gave the IRQL message half way through installing devices.

In my case, this was with an original XP disk (before any service packs had been included) but I’ve also read (on the www) of this happening to folks using XP SP1 installation disks.

Solution
The solution was to use nlite to add XP service pack 2 to the installation files then also use it to make this into a bootable CD. In my case, I also added the Intel driver to save me having to use a 1.44M disk and pressing F6 to load additional drivers, but that's obviously optional. If you have an original XP disk (like me) you don’t need to add SP1 and SP2 as SP2 includes SP1 (SP3 needs SP1 or SP2 files so don’t try adding SP3 to an original disk)

Method (it's really quick and easy)
You install nLite (on another computer) and then point it to the CD ROM with the Windows XP installation disk; it then copies the files to a directory on the drive. You then download XP SP2 and tell nLite where that is. It then unpacks the SP2 files and adds them to the XP files. You can then (if you wish) start nLite again and add any drivers you need. You then open nLite again and select to make a bootable ISO (though in my case, I then just burned them directly to a CDR) and that is the job done.

Having done the above, the installation proceeded without any problem.

nLite can be found here: http://www.nliteos.com/download.html

Bri

Incidentally, I tried adding SP2 and also SP3 as well, but for some reason, the system wouldn't boot from the CD ROM. Best to stick to just adding SP2 as I know that works.

 

[rickhein]

Best answer selected by rickhein.

 

[rickhein]

Since this was posted, I've installed W7 and think I'll probably stick with.
Having said that, this solution sounds like it's dead on. Too bad info like that did not come up before when I googled "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL". Thanks from me and for anyone else with the same trouble that finds this thread.

Rick

 

[orangemonkey]

just had the exact same problem, found this site, followed the instructions and it worked a treat. Thanks heaps.

Kenny

 

[bwrogers]

Problem resolved. Instructions are spot on. nLite is very cool. I can now play my Falcon again on my new computer. Thank you

Bill "Ratdog" Rogers

 

[buwish]

This topic has been closed by Buwish