Among all of the errors, IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is one of the most frustrating ones. This DRIVER IRQL_LESS_OR_NOT_EQUAL error is the blue screen of death (BSOD) error. In most cases, whenever you face this error, your system will restart automatically.
What Causes Error Driver irql_less_or_not_equal Windows 10 & 11?
There are many reasons why you face Driver irql_less_or_not_equal error. But here are some common reasons for this DRIVER_IRQL_LESS_OR_NOT_EQUAL error.
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Memory Issues: Most of the time, the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error is related to the bad allocation issues. Faulty storahci.sys file: If your storahci.sys file is corrupted or damaged then you will face this BSOD error. System File Gets Damaged or Corrupt: Many users will face this error if their Windows system files are corrupted. Recent software or hardware changes: If you make any changes to your software or hardware then you will see this BSOD error. Corrupt or outdated device drivers: If your Windows device drivers are outdated or corrupted then you are most likely to see this error code. Outdated Windows: If you are still using an older Windows version then you can face this error code on your Windows 10 or 11. Overclocking: If you have overclocked your PC for fast performance then you may face this issue. Antivirus issues: If you are using 3rd party antivirus software then you may face such a BSOD issue on your Windows OS. Here in this article, we will share how you can fix the DRIVER IRQL_LESS_OR_NOT_EQUAL error on Windows 10 or 11.
Method 1: Update your Windows OS
Whenever you face this Driver_irql_not_less_or_equal error code, see if your Windows is running with the latest version or not. To check this, follow these steps: Step 1: Open Windows Settings with Windows + I on your keyboard. Step 2: In Windows Settings, go to Update and Security > Windows updates. Step 3: In Windows updates, click on Check for Updates. This will check for all available updates. If any update is pending, download and install it.
Method 2: Update Drivers
In Windows OS, device drivers are very important. So you have to keep your Windows drivers updated. Here are the steps to update drivers.
How to Update Drivers using Device Manager in Windows 10?
Step 1: Open start menu > search for device manager. Step 2: Open the device manager and then search for your device. In this case, I choose Display Adapters. Step 3: Right-click on it and choose update driver. Now if you already downloaded the driver on your computer, then choose to browse for the driver, otherwise choose search online for the driver. Step 4: You have to select the downloaded driver and then it will automatically install by your system. Make sure you selected the right driver. The wrong driver may corrupt your device. If you selected the search online option, then you don’t have to do anything. This tool will automatically find the latest version of your driver and install it. Step 5:Once done, restart your system.
Automatically Update Drivers
You can also update your drivers automatically using driver updater software. Step 1: All you have to do is, download any driver update tool like Driver Easy. Step 2: Install it and open it. Now click on the Scan button and wait for some time. Step 3: It will scan your system and check for required driver updates. Step 4: Once done, you will see a list of all pending driver updates. Click on update all and wait till it is working.
Method 3: Disable your wireless adapter
Sometimes due to wireless adapters, you will face such issues. Here is how to disable your wireless adapter on Windows 10. Step 1: Press Windows + X to open the power menu and then click on Device Manager. Step 2: Find a wireless adapter from the list and right-click on it. Then choose disable. Step 3: Then restart your computer and see if you are still facing the same issue or not. If not, try to enable your wireless adapter and again check for the issue.
Method 4: Delete the ASUS AI Suite
If you are using an Asus laptop then you will need to delete the ASUS AI Suite app on your computer. ASUS AI Suite is a powerful overclocking tool that will increase your performance but at the same time, it can cause some system-related issues like this. To remove this app, go to control panel > uninstall a program and then find Asus AI. Right-click on it and choose Uninstall.
Method 5: Check your hardware
If you are seeing this Driver_irql_not_less_or_equal error after making hardware changes then check your system. You can use 3rd party tools like Restore to check system hardware and find any issues. Check your hard drive and RAM for memory issues.
Method 6: Event Viewer
If you are still facing the same BSOD error, then use Event viewer which is a built-in tool in Windows 10. Using Event viewer in Windows, you can identify the problem root. Event viewer will record every log about errors and warnings on Windows OS. You have to check each log to identify the reason for the error. To access the event viewer, follow these steps. Step 1: Open the Windows start menu or search and then search for “Event viewer“. Step 2: Click on the Event viewer from the result to open it. Step 3: Click on Windows Logs > Application in the left sidebar. Find all logs one by one and find the cause.
Method 7: Remove Antivirus software
If you are using 3rd party Antivirus app like Avast, or McAfee, on your Windows then delete these apps and then restart your computer. Sometimes these antivirus apps will conflict with your Windows system and cause such BSOD errors.
Method 8: Reset your Windows
If you are still facing the same driver irql_less_or_not_equal error code then the last option is to reset your Windows OS. Resetting your Windows will reset all your changes and restore all default settings. To reset the PC, go to Windows Settings using Windows + I and then go to Updates and Security. Click on Recovery in the left sidebar and click on get started for Reset this PC. That’s it.
