Bluescreen "IRQL not less or equal" on start-up

[Rose Outlaw]

I got a new computer about a week ago and last weekend, I tried to install the base game and all expansion packs.
"Luckily", it didn't go further than trying to install University - the install process so far runs smoothly, but after the pop-up window asks to change back to CD 1 at the end of the installation and the drive starts to read the disc, the system crashes. First, it rebooted, then I turned off the auto-reboot option, now I'm faced with a bluescreen.

IRQL not less or equal
(...yadayada-go mess with your BIOS or call a technician-yada...)
***STOP 0x000000A (0x2D41534B, 0x0000001C, 0x00000000, 0x804E26BD)

When I try to run just the basegame, the same screen comes up. Uni obviously didn't install properly. It is not listed under Software to uninstall nor is there an icon on the desktop. I got rid of the unfinished install manually (deleted the created folders and any of its registry entries).

My system consists of an AMD Athlon64 X2 5200+ with an ASRock AM2NF6G-VSTA mainboard, 2 GB Ram, an ATI RX1950Pro T2 made by Asus and a Samsung SATA II hard drive.
I ordered at a well-known and pretty reliable online company. They assembled all the parts and also installed WinXp Home SP2 as OS.
Other games run just fine, at least that's a positive effect.

I'm certain it is not an overheating effect, as the temperatures stay really low, Motherboard 79° F, CPU 84° F, harddrive 75°F on average.
But otherwise, I'm clueless what to do to play again. Can anyone give me a hint, please?

[jrd]

The error indicates an error which is created at the driver level. Probably your videocard (ATI drivers are notorious for a reason).
Uninstall your current videocard drivers, reboot, install the latest drivers. Do not just update drivers, you want to get rid of the old ones first.

Might also be a firewall or virus scanner. Got any firewall other than the built-in one? Try disabling it. Ditto for the antivirus.

[KatEnigma]

As a brand new computer, it will need drivers updated. Start out with the video card and work from there. I seem to have (finally- knock on wood) solved my occasional crashing problems with a Bios update- I'd updated it at least twice before, but this last time, it seems to have done the trick.  But something going wrong during a Bios flash can make your computer have to visit the manufacturer, so leave that to last. 

ETA: I've attached an ATI uninstall tool they offered once, a year or more ago. It will save you some headaches in getting their crap removed properly. 

[Lorelei]

When I got this message (I have an NVidia card), the tech updated the drivers and checked my BIOS.

Both were necessary to fix the problem. I have a Sony VAIO laptop, however, so the BIOS issue may not apply to you.

[jrd]

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.

[KatEnigma]

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.

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.

[Khan of Wyrms]

Kaspersky messes up the graphic drivers?

Kaspersky is anti-virus, I presume, it is for me, and anti-virus messes up everything, including viruses.  Make sure it is not enabled before installing anything, especially drivers.

[Rose Outlaw]

Right, Kaspersky got other crap like anti-spam and such stuff, but I usually refer to the antivirus when I say/write it or KAV.

Today, KAV was uninstalled, then I took the ATI remover tool and got rid of the installed drivers.
Then I went for the Omega drivers, mainly because stupid ATI homepage only came up with "no leeching" warnings instead of downloads.
Well, those drivers make GTA: San Andreas simply look wonderful, but it didn't help for Sims. The last Christmas Celebration pack install was added without a problem, then I went on with Pets. Content installs, "application will now ensure that your product is up to date" or whatever it says in English , ok, onwards... and up comes the Pets splash screen for about a glimpse of an eye. Then the same old story.

Guess that was the last graphic wise solution. So there's now only the BIOS left... crap new computers, crap new graphic cards. My old one ran so fine until it broke.

[DavidC]

I had a similar problem for a while with my card, eventually I found out how to fix it. First I uninstalled my Graphics card driver and updated them, then updated the bios which I was pretty nervous about doing but it went fine. Abit make it easy though other motherboards might not be so straight forward and I don't know if it was necessary.

When its all set up go into ATI Catalyst Control Center and find the SmartGart settings. Set the AGP Speed to 4x and disable fast write. Now your computer should be alot more stable. I have only had one Bluescreen of death since I did this a month or 2 ago and I used to have constant crashes. I did keep my Graphic Card Drivers fairly up to date too so I think it has more to do with the SmartGart settings than anything else.

Sorry I don't have the link to where I found out how to fix this, but I'll add it later if I find it.

[Rose Outlaw]

Got in touch with the service team and I'm eagerly waiting for what they'll say about BIOS update options.

David, I wish I knew that when I had my old computer with an AGP card.
The new one has PCI(e?... *too lazy to check*), so the speed is probably not an option... but fast write? That's not the write combining option found under Hardware Acceleration, is it? Disabling that seemed to help some Splinter Cell players as far as I recall, but I believe you're referring to an AGP thing.