Problem: My computer gives me the various "Safe Mode" options and the options to Load Last Known Good Settings (or something like that) and naturally the option to load Windows normally. However, no matter which i choose, I am always presented with a blue screen with a message telling me that windows was shut down to prevent damage. I'm forced to use another (this) computer to ask for help because mine won't work. Under the message reads "DRIVER_IQRL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" I don't understand what this means. Please help me!!!

What is the actual stop code, and all of the other data on the screen associated with it? I'm assuming it's a STOP 0x0000000A, and it is usually associated with faulty hardware or drivers. Since you're getting this even when trying to boot into safe mode (i.e. no drivers loading), it becomes more likely that a piece of hardware in the machine is causing this. I'd try removing all PCI cards, disconnect all non-critical devices, and put some known-good RAM in there. Basically, boot with one stick of known-good RAM, a video card, the primary hard disk, and a processor - everything else out or disconnected. See if it happens then - if so, contact the vendor of the machine or try to do a repair installation of Windows XP via the Windows CD just in case it isn't hardware. However, most 0x0A stop codes are hardware-related.

Edited April 5, 200620 yr by cluberti

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

*** STOP: 0x000000D1 (0x00000018, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0xF821225F)

*** iastor.sys - Address F821225F base at F8203000, datestamp 42b2df42

Bugcheck 0x1D is a NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE memory dump. The .sys or .dll file listed in the dump is the culprit, so if iastor.sys is listed as the culprit (which I believe is an Intel storage array driver), then I would first suggest updating that driver, or removing the hardware it pertains to.

I'm sorry, but I'm not very computer literate or talented. How would one update or remove the hardware that iastor pertains to? Moreover, how would one determine what hardware it pertains to?

The STOP 0x1D error is being caused by the file iastor.sys, which is an Intel storage controller driver. If you can get the machine to boot, you should update the driver via the Device Manager. If you can't boot the machine, even in safe mode, contact the computer manufacturer that you purchased the computer from to resolve the issue, as they should support it if it's under warrantly. However, if you can boot the machine, simply download the latest driver for your Intel storage controller from the vendor (or from Intel's web site) and update it via the Device Manager.

Thank you very much for your help!

Not a problem.

I disagree, You should a least resort, do a low level format of you HD, That how I have fixe many errors like this.

And I disagree with you - not that a low-level format may not resolve it, but trying something as simple as a driver update before blowing away a drive seems like 5 minutes well worth it if it works .

which I believe is an Intel storage array driver

Yes, it is. You only need it when you have the SATA controller built into the southbridge running in RAID mode.

removing the hardware it pertains to

Can't remove it because it's built into the motherboard.

Either the SATA controller built into the motherboard is going bad or there is another piece of hardware conflicting with it. I'd take the original suggestion of removing everything you don't need to boot the system (sound, LAN, all but one stick of RAM, etc). If it boots then the culprit is one of the items you removed.