Bluescreen "IRQL not less or equal" on start-up
KatEnigma:
Quote from: Jordi on 2007 May 02, 08:11:54
A bios update is not something a n00b should attempt on their own. Any mistake there risks destroying the CMOS and making the system useless.
Try the driver update first (use kate's tool to clean the existing crap), and if it still bluescreens, contact your local geek or local computer store to do a Bios update for you.
Abit has a one-button automagic tool for updating their Bioses that even allows you to save the current one and restore it if something goes wrong and your computer is a brick, and even then, I get nervous about updating. Since the computer is brand new, it will be under warranty, so I'd suggest someone who's not tech-savvy to go through the rigamarole to send it back and make THEM update it, if drivers don't help. The motherboard will have drivers that probably need updating too.
Rose Outlaw:
Thanks for the answers. I couldn't reply earlier because I have been keyboard-less last week. But today I'm home and give Sims another try.
There is another, probably important detail which I forgot to mention: the mainboard comes with a Nvidia chip for onboard graphic, Ethernet and something else. My former computer had a Nvidia card and came up with the same error, sometimes upon trying to start, sometimes during gameplay, that was why I insisted on an ATI card now.
Yesterday, I uninstalled all Nvidia drivers, found out about the Ethernet relation (aka: had no internet nor notwork access all of a sudden) and re-installed the drivers from the mainboard's support disc - except the graphics one.
I also got the most recent Catalyst driver for the x1950 today and installed it properly. The ATI uninstaller tool already came with the computer, thanks :)
Windows Updates were done right after I started it for the first time.
I hoped it would suffice to let the game start - well, it wasn't.
Upon the prompt to insert University disc 1 again, the install was fine again, as expected, until that bluescreen came up again. To my surprise, there is still no desktop icon for University, but the start menu entries are created and it is listed in the Software manager. And though I'm not really certain, I think it took a little longer for the error to happen.
Quote
Might also be a firewall or virus scanner. Got any firewall other than the built-in one? Try disabling it. Ditto for the antivirus.
Got my router as firewall, so the Windows one is disabled.
As antivirus, I got Kaspersky AntiVirus 6. But it is closed or at least inactive when I want to play/install games.
And you're absolutly right - a bios update should not be done by some idiot ... n00b ... someone not wanting to loose their warranty. What a waste that would be, 2 to 3 years of warranty gone just for the sake of one stupid game. It's just that the local computer store/pseudo-geek sucks (... different drama ...), but maybe the partner company of the online store could help, I'd need to check back with them.
That bluescreen suggests disabling like caching and shadowing in the BIOS. Been there now and browsed for the option, but I haven't found them on first glance.
Khan of Wyrms:
Just thought I would throw this out there since I use Kaspersky as well and it has sabotaged graphics driver installation for me in the past. Just closing the program seems to be not enough, one must actually open the 'settings' panel in Kaspersky before closing and uncheck the box labeled 'enable protection' and also the one that says something like 'load Kaspersky on startup'. Both of these issues ruined my graphics driver installation on subsequent occasions. Maybe you have in fact done this, So I don't know if it will help.
BeckerCheez:
If you can, try to update the drivers and BIOS. That's what I had to do when I had this similar problem. Apparently my old drivers did not like it when I took pictures in Sims. ::)
Rose Outlaw:
Kaspersky messes up the graphic drivers? Never heard of that, but never cared for the topic either ;)
So getting rid of it and trying to install again is another option.
Anyway, I tried a "who's more stubbon" way and went on to install the games... so now, there is the base game, Uni. NL, OFB, Glamourwhatever Stuff and FFS, each patched if a patch existed, and the rest is to follow. Only GS installed without a reboot - I got tired of that same old bluescreen, so I switched back to automatic reboot.
According to Everest Home Edition, the BIOS version dates back to December 2006 and there are three updates listed on the ASRock homepage published after that date.
Maybe I'll take the whole thing to the partner store and let them do those updates, the front audio panel needs to be fixed anyway.
... and it is the first and the last time that I chose a customized config instead of a discounter offer. Never had a problem with the latter, but this custom one is slowly getting on my nerves.
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