Hi, I have a dell 8600 laptop that i re-installed windows xp home on directly from the dell xp installation disc. The disc is in great shape and windows loads up great, the next step was to install the drivers, i printed out the list from dell.com on the proper order to install these, did dsektop system software, chipset, video adaptor, nic, sound, modem, wireless card, pointer.

After installing those drivers and i start windows all seems fine till suddenly within the first 3-4 mins of general setup (changing desktop, putting my computer on desktop , basic stuff) i run into a blue screen of death saying.

irql not less or equal
tells me to disable or remove previously installed software, or disable bios caching or shadowing...

There is a code
0x0000000a 0xf8958014, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x805111e0

I repeated the process 3x now of totally deleting the partition, reformatting, re installing windows then going thru the step by step on installing drivers in proper order via dells instructions, yet each time I run into that blue screen of death....

Has anyone got a suggestion as to what I should do next? I was going to try to disable cashing and or shadowing in the bios but figured before I mess too much here I should start asking what might be the problem or fix.

The laptop is running on a cooling pad all vents clean and clear and is running off the ac power, I did some google checks they talked about overheating and bad memory, altho I never had this bsod till i reinstalled windows here.

The only reason I reinstalled fresh windows was because this was my sisters computer and everything was setup for her, and I wanted a fresh start day one type thing for me here now that I have it.

Thanks for any help or advice here...

Bill

I suspect that you have problems with your ram. I suggest that you run a test with Memtest86.

So far this is what I have tried without resolution from asking in a dell forum and google searches....

Updated the bios directly from the dell site for this unit, was a04 now is current a16 version of bios.

Pulled and reseated the ram just in case (still same problem after reinstalling windows got same IRQL error)

Dell has a full diagnostics option via F12 and the drivers utilities disc, ran the full extended search took almost 3 hours and lots of input seemed to run the hard drive and memory thru the paces, everything passed 100%, the computer was running fine just yesterday before i decided to redo windows on here (it was my sisters and i pulled all her pics and docs off it), but it was running ok and dummy me decided to use the dell windows os disc to redo it and make it in my name ughh.

Another person suggested it might be a heat issue, i did pull the cpu and cleaned/reapplied new thermal paste, also confirmed the fan and heat fins were all clear and clean (it was pretty clean already tho) and now the hd averages 95-100 F and cpu averages 125-140 F now, yet still get the IRQL error message.

Right now I am running dban in an attempt to really wipe that drive clean 3 passes, in the thought maybe using the dell windows xp disc to format the disc might have not been deep enough (this is just a desperate attempt) but at this point I am just not sure what else to try...

In the 6 yrs sister had it she never had a bsod, i used it a good 4 hrs yesterday before i did the reinstall, now all the sudden im getting bsod, kinda leaning towards some sort of driver issue or something since hardware wise it has been solid, just me goofing with it and reinstalling windows seems to have made things go nutso here...

Bill

Are you installing all the drivers at one time, without rebooting after each?

Normally this is not a problem but I wonder if in this case it's causing the failure. Try doing them one at a time, rebooting after each.

After installing windows off the dell cd, I was following the order of installation they give on the dell drivers and suppor website, (they recommend a certain order of install) and yes each time i installed something i did reboot before adding the next when prompted.

Here is what I have done so far, but so far none has solved the IRQL error (and its the exact same error each time).

I updated the bios to the newest version A14 vs A04 that it had previously.

I reseated the ram, as well as removed both sticks and tried one at a time in slot A to pinpoint if one of the sticks was bad, same error whichever ram chip i used.

I removed the cpu's thermal unit, cleaned all the fins and mating areas of the chip and cooler, cleaned the exhaust fan as well (none were really too dirty tho), applied new thermal paste and reinstalled, also installed speedfan to determine the units temps and hd averages 95-100 cpu about 130-140 under load, sadly thought this might fix me as it was spoken about in a few google pages I read, but nope still same IRQL error message.

I then stuck in the dell drivers and utility disc and hit F12 running a full extended system test, this puts everything thru the paces and took about 3 hrs, every step passed the tests no issues, yet yep still same IRQL error...

I also confirmed the other two cards under a faceplate on the back (I believe they were wifi and something else im not sure of) but both had connectors so i confirmed they were fully seated and in place...

I also read if there was something on the hd (a virus or something) that maybe the install windows via dell disc might not fully clear it, so i downloaded and ran dban in default dvd 3 passes wipe, then reinstalled windows yet again same IRQL error.

Guess what really stumps me is how the unit didn't have issues other than having a ton of my sisters junk on there docs pics etc, she used it for years and said she never saw a bsod ever, and i used it for about 4-5 hrs the night before i did the reinstall just pulling her stuff off the pc onto an external hard drive, then i go and get the bright idea of just a quick reinstall and this happens UGHH!

I never shoulda messed with it but never realized id run into such an issue here.... I have reloaded many a computer via the restore os discs and never run into something as stubborn as this.

I appreciate any input or ideas anyone else here has, having passed all the load tests, and me doing the ram out ram one at a time etc and cleaning out the exhaust and reapplying thermal paste to cpu, and all the other stuff here ive done im just really not sure what else to look at or try but I am desperate to get this working....

How about trying the latest drivers from the Dell web site instead of using the one on the Driver CD?

Drivers & Downloads for Inspiron 8600

Download them ahead of time and out them on Flash drive so they area available right after the install completes.

I did reinstall windows for the 10th time here, but this time i didnt insert the dell drivers cd, i just played around in windows, games, windows tour, etc, now i dont have any drivers installed yet so nothing really works (internet, sound etc) but it has not crashed in anyway, its gotta be something from the dell drivers disc doing this.

I did go to the dell support site and i can see the drivers and such (newest versions etc) but when i hit download it tries to INSTALL them on my main pc here, which i obviously dont want, i do want to put them onto a flash drive or a cdr and try that way but how do i get the drivers saved onto the flash drive when i hit download for say the video driver etc it automatically tries to install the driver on this computer (vs the laptop i need them on).

Bill

Did you scan your memory with memtest? One of the causes of the error you got is bad memory.

Are you using IE? If so, you click on the first Download button, then a 2nd window open with two download buttons. Chose the bottom one under Download via your Internet Browser. That should bring up the File Download - Security Warning window. Make sure you click on Save, not Run. You should be able to save them somewhere on your hard drive then move to a flash drive.

I did figure out how to get the files off the dell site to thumbdrive, reloaded windows again then instead of putting in the dell drivers disc and following the install method list dell gave me i followed the list but used the newest drivers, (and yes i rebooted after each driver was installed before as well as this time).

I had done this many times (over a half dozen) with no luck but once i loaded windows and didn't put the dell drivers disc in and used the drivers off their website everything went smooth as silk and its been running solid for the last 24 hrs without a problem (doing windows updates).

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas here heck I was running out of ideas to try...

Bill