When you’re playing games in Windows 10, if you keep getting IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL blue screen error, it can be frustrating. This error probably is caused by faulty drivers, which are programmed to access improper hardware addresses. To fix this error, simply try solutions in this post.
There are 4 solutions to fix this blue screen error. You may not have to try them all. Just work your way down at the top of the list until you find the one that works for you.
- Update the drivers
- Uninstall the problem drivers
- Perform a System Restore
- Reset or reinstall Windows
Solution 1: Update the drivers to fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
The problem can be caused by missing or corrupted drivers. To fix the problem, update the drivers. If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update the drivers manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.
Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to be troubled by the wrong driver you would be downloading, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing. Driver Easy handles it all.
You can update your drivers automatically with either the 7 days free trial or the Pro version of Driver Easy. It takes just 2 clicks, and you get full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee with the Pro version:
- Download and install Driver Easy.
- Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
- Click the Activate & Update button next to the flagged device to automatically download and install the correct version of this driver.
Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system (You’ll need the Pro version for this – when you select Update All, you’ll get a prompt to upgrade. If you’re not prepared to purchase the Pro version yet, Driver Easy provides a 7-day trial at no cost, granting access to all Pro features like fast downloads and easy installation. No charges will occur until after your 7-day trial period ends.)
- Restart your computer for the change to take effect.
Solution 2: Uninstall problem drivers to fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
The problem can be caused by faulty drivers. To fix the problem, go to Device Manager and find the faulty drivers, then uninstall the drivers. If a driver is having problems, you’ll see a yellow mark next to its device (see the screenshot shown below).
Following steps are for your reference on how to uninstall a driver:
1) Press Win+R (Windows logo key and R key) at the same time to invoke the run box.
2) Type devmgmt.msc and click OK. Then Device Manager window will open.
3) In Device Manager, locate the faulty driver. If the driver is having problems, you’ll see a yellow mark next to the device name. Then right-click on the device name (For example, uninstall graphics card driver.) and select Uninstall.
4) If prompted to confirm the uninstall, check the box next to “Delete the driver software for this device.” then click the OK button. If you don’t see this box, just click OK to uninstall the driver.
5) Restart your PC and check to see if the blue screen is gone.
Solution 3: Perform a System Restore to fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
The last solution that you can try is to do a system restore. If your System Protection is turned on, Windows will create a restore point before you install the driver. Then you can follow these steps to restore the driver to an earlier version to fix this issue.
System Restore allows your system to go back to an earlier state. So some content of your system, like system settings, some programs, the registry, will be affected. But your personal files and data won’t be changed.
1) Press Win+R (Windows logo key and R key) at the same time to invoke a run box.
2) Type rstrui.exe and click OK. The System Restore Window will open.
3) Click Next then you may see the following screen. Select a restore point created before the error occurred. You can tell from the created Date and Time. Click Next to continue and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the restore.
4) Reboot your PC and check to see if the blue screen is gone.
Solution 4: Reset or reinstall Windows
If all else fails, you may have to reset Windows, or maybe even reinstall it together. We all know reinstalling will delete all the data on your hard drive, you have to back up all your important files before doing it.
But treat these options as a last resort, because they both take quite a long time.
Hope the solutions above will help you fix the IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL blue screen error. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave your comments. We’d love to hear any ideas and suggestions.
