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Anyone have any?

I'm getting an error during startup that leads me straight to a BSOD. Started randomly earlier tonight. Was just Facebooking and bam, computer restarted all on its own. Seemed to be just after closing my Display congifuration after wanting to change my desktop image.

The two main errors I'm seeing are 'IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL' or 'INVALID_APPROACH_ATTACH_ATTEMPT'.

EDIT: Just got 'BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER' and 'DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL'

Apparently this is due to hardware and the registry being a bit confused or something. So I'm supposed to use a registry cleaner to sort it out, though I'm not sure where to start. Like Anti-Viruses, it seems like registry cleaners are prone to hiding malware and such.

Any help?

I personally do not care for registry cleaners. They can do a lot more harm than good. Generally, I find a reinstalling Windows an easier and more permanent solution to major registry errors. However, you can likely fix the problem without the need for a registry cleaner, or reinstalling your OS.

Silly question, but, have you recently installed any new hardware into the machine, or updated an devices drivers?

Jesterhead wrote:I personally do not care for registry cleaners. They can do a lot more harm than good. Generally, I find a reinstalling Windows an easier and more permanent solution to major registry errors. However, you can likely fix the problem without the need for a registry cleaner, or reinstalling your OS.

Silly question, but, have you recently installed any new hardware into the machine, or updated an devices drivers?

If I can avoid using a registry cleaner, I'd like to. Don't trust the look of them.

I don't have the option, unfortunately, of reinstalling Windows as I don't have a Windows Vista CD (I wasn't given one with this computer).

I'd like to say I was updating something but honestly, I have no idea. I was just browsing the net, doing nothing out of the ordinary, when suddenly my desktop changed to some weird wallpaper, which I didn't have a chance to look at properly because of all the windows in front of it, but it was mostly blue with the word 'WARNING' written in red across the top. I figured it was a virus because, in my knowledge, no regular computer software has a need to do that. But before I could check it out, the computer rebooted itself and since then, has presented me with a BSOD every time it boots up. I was able to get back in using 'Start in Safe Mode with Network' on boot up but then that started BSODing too. Now it's rather sparodic, sometimes I can get in, sometimes I can't. I've tried updating drivers while in Safe Mode but it tells me they're all up to date. I've tried disconnecting bits of hardware to see if it runs without them. I suspect it's my Wacom Bamboo graphics tablet, some of its lights have gone out and its been looking a little glitchy (though performance is as great as ever). This all seemed to happen just after I closed my Display Settings window when I went looking for my screen resolution. I closed it, and maybe a couple of seconds later, everything went crazy.

I can barely use the computer at the moment.

Still exploring what it can and can't do currently. Will report back. I have a lot of work to do on this thing and if I can't do it, I'm going to be in a bit of trouble.

Many thanks!

UPDATE:

Had more of a fiddle with it. Still no luck.

I tried swapping the RAM around inside. I had one spare 1GB card, with a 1GB and 2GB alread in the machine. I tried every combination, but any that involved the spare RAM stick made the computer beep in protest at me on startup and not load anything. I ended up using the original 1GB and 2GB cards, swapped over, which allowed me into Vista for a little bit. I tried going about my usual business but then the computer froze completely and I had to restart. BSOD on startup. Back to square one.

I tried unplugging, updating, disabling etc all my items in Device Manager. No luck.

I read somewhere that it may have had something to do with Windows Defender hyperactively stepping in to prevent something, so I disabled that (on startup) and was able to use the computer again, but after a few minutes, I got a 'win32k.sys' error, claiming it was marked as pagable when it wasn't. And since then, BSOD on startup, using any one of its favourite errors.

Really getting frustrated at this point. It seems to be finding new reasons to BSOD at every opportunity.

Also, that WARNING wallpaper is apparently a virus, which can be blamed for most of this, I think, although I haven't seen a trace of it since it first BSOD'd. Not sure what to use to get rid of it, especially considering I can't even get into Windows to download and execute anything.

Anyone know any tech forums I'd be better off asking at?

Help!