bsod irql_not_less_or_equal on windows 7 x64 with utorrent

Maximilian2016 · 06 Jun 2016

Hello,

I am getting the following bsod error on my system and I would appreciate any help from you into solving this issue:
irql_not_less_or_equal

PC details:
Sony Vaio VGN-AW21M
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8600 with Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology
DDR2 SDRAM (2x2GB)
Matshita BD-MLT UJ230AS - HDD 400 GB
Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS

Guest OS: Windows 7 x64

Behavior:
When I have the utorrent started with active torrents for upload/download and I am watching a movie saved on my local hdd, after a while, about 30-40 minutes while the movie is playing in full screen and the torrent is running minimized in the background, I will get the bsod error described above.
If for example I play just the movie, without having the utorrent started, I will not get the bsod error.
If I leave the utorrent running with the torrents active, after a random time, maybe even hours, I will get the bsod error.
I would like to mention that the video chipset was changed on the laptop about 3-4 years ago.
I tried the following tasks on my laptop in order to troubleshoot this error:
-scan the computer for virus infections
-uninstall any antivirus
-perform a health check of the hdd
-scan the RAM memory with memtest
-reinstall the Windows OS from different ISOs in order to avoid a corrupted kit
-upgrade the drivers for wi-fi and video card to the latest drivers by manually downloading them from Sony webiste or by using the so called " Vaio Update tool" which will scan your system, detect and install the latest and the proper updates.
-I ran the DM log collector and I attached the results to this topic.
I believe the torrent by its reads/writes is overheating the HDD and/or together with the movie which plays in the foreground they are overcharging the HDD and the video chip and the system as a protection measure will shut down. I keep the laptop on a table and it does not have any additional external cooler.
Please let me know if any other details are required and I will do my best to provide them to this topic.

Thank you.

**axe0** · 09 Jun 2016

Check Windows Update for updates and install all updates availabl except for Windows 10 update.

Code:

Hotfix(s):                 197 Hotfix(s) Installed.

Maximilian2016 · 11 Jun 2016

Hello,

First thing first I would like to say thank you to axe0 for looking into this topic.
After many tries to make the Windows Update Service work by manually installing different updates (KB947821 fixed it in the end), and many rounds of updates/reboots/checks for new upgrades, I was able to bring the PC up to date. (For now Windows Updates says that no new updates are available and it displayed that green image).
I ran the CCleaner on this PC in order to delete the temp files/dumps/Mini Dumps content under Windows/etc and " prepare" it for a scenario when/if the BSOD will occur again.
For now, I have started again the uTorrent in the background and I will play some movies in foreground to see the new behavior after all Windows updates have been installed (the Windows updates related to different languages which are available as Optional have not been installed)
I will keep you posted based on the " tests " performed with uTorrent and movies.

Thank you

**axe0** · 11 Jun 2016

Ensure that you do NOT use Ccleaner anymore until after troubleshooting.

Maximilian2016 · 11 Jun 2016

Hello,

I left just uTorrent active with active torrents and after a few hours I got the bsod again.No movies were playing in the foreground.
I noticed that the bsod occurred after utorrent started to download some large files from the internet.
I have attached the files gathered with DM log collector to this topic.
Looking forward for any advice.

Thank you.

**axe0** · 11 Jun 2016

As torrents are a good source for malware and malware can cause any kind of known and unknown problems I would like to ensure that your system is not infected.

Diagnostics Test

Malware scan

Please run a threat scan with Malwarebytes*, a full scan with your AV, scan your system with Adwcleaner, Kaspersky TTDSKiller, ESET Online Scanner and SuperAntiSpyware

Note

*(Uncheck trial version in the installation process)

Please upload the scan logs.

Maximilian2016 · 11 Jun 2016

Hello,

I performed a full scan of the PC using Malwarebytes and no virus infection was found. (the report has been attached to this topic).

Thank you

**axe0** · 11 Jun 2016

Please run all requested scans, it could take some time for them to finish.

Maximilian2016 · 13 Jun 2016

While I am still fighting to run all those scans, I have installed and configured Deluge torrent client and I got the same bsod after it started with the torrents active for seeding.
I ran another HDD health check and no bad sectors/errors have been found.
I will upload the scan results of those anti-virus solutions as soon as I have them but I am pretty much convinced that the torrent client is killing the HDD by its reads/writes operations.
Probably the only way to run it will be by settinging some limits in its settings to reduce the number of active torrents and/or the download/upload bandwidth associated to them.

**axe0** · 13 Jun 2016

What HDD health check did you use? Please post the log/result for review