[geeks] IRQL_NOT_OR_LESS_EQUAL

[Jon Gilbert]

OK so you may recall the thread called "The Registry (?)" from a month  
ago. This is really a continuation of that thread.

The update is that I installed a Windows XP Embedded version of the  
software, which came from a disk image. It needed motherboard drivers  
and a few extra .dll's from Windows XP SP1. I added those and it seems  
to work fine except for one problem.

We get BSoD with "IRQL_NOT_OR_LESS_EQUAL", and as well, the Add New  
Hardware Wizard always pops up at boot-up wanting to add drivers for  
the device called "Unknown" which occupies IRQ's 8 and 2 (though 2 has  
a red cross through it and lists as not available). Windows cannot  
find drivers for "Unknown". It is a PNP device on the ISA bus. I think  
it is the System Timer based on what its HWID shows up as using  
devcon.exe: "ACPI\PNP0103\0 Device has a problem: 01."

I suspect the "IRQL_NOT_OR_LESS_EQUAL" BSoD, which seems to appear  
randomly as the system has set idling for awhile, is related to this  
"Unknown" device; I don't think the system is overheating, because it  
seems to occur even if the case is completely off and the mobo is  
exposed directly to outside air. I always used static wrist straps  
when installing everything and all the components are brand new,  
though I suppose the RAM could be defective possibly.

I've tried various ACPI settings in the Bios, but that doesn't seem to  
help anything. There's no device listed anywhere that I can find at  
IRQ 2 nor 8 in Hardware Manager or devcon.exe. I would note that  
several other ACPI drivers show "Device is currently stopped"  
messages, like the Direct Memory Access Controller (though I'm  
assuming that's just because the device is not currently being used?).

Being new to Windows any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

-Jon