The Reason for IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL on Windows 10

A blue screen suddenly appears on our computer with stop code IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. We have found some reasons that will trigger this problem.

1. Damaged system file.
2. Incompatible driver.
3. Overheated CPU.
4. Problematic hardware.
5. Corrupted registry.
6. The software is not installed correctly.

Solutions to Fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL on Windows 10

After getting the possible causes of IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, we have tried the following methods to get rid of it.

Solution 1: Uninstall Malware

We have recently installed a piece of software, and then the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error appears. Therefore, it is most likely that there is a virus on the software, causing the computer to blue screen. Then, we try to uninstall the software to check if it can solve the problem.

Step 1: Click Settings from the Start menu.

Step 2: Click Apps, go to the Apps & features tab, and set Sort by: Install date.

Step 4: Choose the app and click Uninstall.

After uninstalling the malware, the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error should be fixed.

Solution 2: Keep Our Computer Cool

If the computer running with a lot of programs, then it may generate much heat. So if we meet the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error when our computer is very hot, then we need to adopt the following methods to keep our computer cool.

1. Upgrade the CPU fan. If the CPU fan performance is not high, the heat generated by the computer cannot be eliminated in time.
2. Install another fan. A fan may not solve the CPU overheating problem, so installing more than one fan will work.
3. Install the Water Cooling Kit.

Solution 3: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

We may meet the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Windows 10 error when there is a problem with the RAM, so we can run the Windows Memory Diagnostics to check the RAM. Here’s the way to check if the RAM is wrong.

Step 1: Type memory diagnostic in the search box and click on Windows Memory Diagnostic to continue.

Step 2: Click Restart now and check for problems (recommended).

Step 3: Wait for the computer to find the problems for some time. After the search is completed, the computer will display the detected problem on the screen. Then follow the guide to deal with the problem.

Solution 4: Update the Driver

When the drive is incompatible, it is possible because the drive has not been upgraded to the latest version, causing a conflict between the drivers and a blue screen. So we try to update the driver to solve the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL issue. Follow the guide to update the driver.

Step 1: Press the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.

Step 2: Right-click This PC to choose Manage to continue.

Step 3: Choose Device Manager under System Tools option to continue.

Step 4: Right-click the disk device under Disk Drives, then choose Update driver.

Step 5: When the process is finished, reboot the computer to check if the error is solved.

Solution 5: Run Hardware Troubleshooter

Hardware errors can also trigger the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error, so we try to run the Troubleshooter to check if there is a problem with our hardware. Here is the way to run the troubleshooter.

Step 1: Click Settings from the Start menu to continue.

Step 2: Choose Update & security, and then go to the Troubleshoot tab.

Step 3: Click Hardware and Devices and then click Run the troubleshooter to continue.

Step 5: Now wait for the computer to detect the problems. After the scanning process is completed, if there is an error, it will be displayed. And then select the problem we want to fix.

If the computer does not detect any problems, then it may not be a hardware problem.

Solution 6: Run Driver Verifier

When the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error occurs, we can also solve the problem by running driver verifier. Here is a quick guide on how to run Driver Verifier:

Step 1: Enter cmd in the search box and choose the best-matched one. Then right-click it to choose Run as administrator to continue.

Step 2: Enter verifier in the Command Prompt window and press Enter to continue.

Step 3: Choose Create standard settings and click Next to continue.

Step 4: Select what drivers to verify and then click Next to continue.

Step 5: Select drivers to verify at first and then click Finish.

Step 6: Restart the computer and then Windows will place extra stress on our drivers to help us solve the problem.

Solution 7: Reset This PC

There is a powerful built-in feature – Reset this PC, that we can use to get rid of different problems. Follow the steps to do that:

Step 1: Click Update & Security on the Settings page to continue.

Step 2: Click Recovery and click Get Started on the right to continue.

Step 3: Choose whether to Keep my files or Remove everything to reset this PC.

Step 4: Read the subsequent messages and click Reset.

Useful Suggestion

After getting rid of the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error, then it is necessary to use a professional tool to back up our data. And we find that MiniTool ShadowMaker is the best one.

To learn more detailed information about the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error, read this post – 7 Solutions to Fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Windows 10.