bsod irql_not_less_or_equal on windows 7 x64 with utorrent

[Maximilian2016]

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]

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

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

 

[Maximilian2016]

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]

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

 

[Maximilian2016]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Maximilian2016]

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]

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

 

[Maximilian2016]

I have used Macrorit Disk Scanner and attached are the scan results.

 

[Maximilian2016]

AdvCleaner did not find any virus infection.

 

[Maximilian2016]

tdssKiller did not find any virus infection.

 

[axe0]

I've checked the companies site, I never heard of a NTFS to FAT32 and vice versa converter program what doesn't sound like a very proper program because converting the format properly requires a clean install.

-perform a health check of the hdd

Could you post the result of this check?

If you truly believe that the hard drive may be causing problems, please run below tests and post the results.

Diagnostics Test

 HDD TEST

Run SeaTools to check the integrity of your HDD. SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use - Windows 7 Help Forums
Run following tests

1. Short Drive Self Test
2. Short generic
3. Long generic

If the short generic fails, no need for the long generic.

   Note

Do not run SeaTools on an SSD as the results will be invalid.

Make a photo of the result and post it.

Run chkdsk
Disk Check - Windows 7 Help Forums
Upload the chkdsk log :ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/96938-check-disk-chkdsk-read-event-viewer-log.html

Run HDTune to

• scan for errors, no quick scan but full scan
• check the health,
• benchmark.

It may take some time, but please take the time you need to perform it properly.
When above is done please make screenshots of the following

• the error scan,
• the health,
• the benchmark incl. following
  • transfer rate,
  • access time,
  • burst rate,
  • cpu usage.

 

[Maximilian2016]

SuperAntiSpyware did not find any virus infection.

 

[Maximilian2016]

For now I took out from equation the HDD. I am currently running the Esset scan but probably it will show no virus infection too.Also, I disabled the wireless and I hard wired the PC to the network in order to start again the uTorrent with active torrents with no restrictions in terms of bandwidth/number of active torrents/etc.I will do some " stress" tests with utorrent and movies while the PC is connnected using the cable to the internet - I will leave the PC open with the utorrent active for hours.Since that irq bsod generally speaking points to a problem with a driver or with a faulty hardware component (I believe this is not our cause for now), I am thinking that probably the wireless driver is the problem (causing problems with the kernel, improper addressing the memory, etc - we do not want to go that deep) even if no errors are displayed for it.Probably an option will be to downgrade the drivers for wireless if no bsod will occur on the cable.

 

[axe0]

In a short way:
It isn't improper addressing memory, but referencing invalid memory, with this invalid memory a pagefault is caused after the HAL found out the memory is invalid.
A pagefault isn't the end of the world, but IRQL level 2 or higher only allows non-paged memory to be accessed on which a pagefault doesn't occur, so the pagefault that occured is a violation hence why a BSOD occurs.

 

[Maximilian2016]

Esset scan completed too with no virus infection detected.

 

[axe0]

Good

 

[Maximilian2016]

I was wondering if you have any suggestion in terms of what driver I should use for the wireless.
The official one can be found below but I am not sure that I want to use that one if the tests using the cable will show that the problem is with the wireless.
Sony Support
Option 29 below:
Sony VAIO VGN-AW21M/H Windows 7 drivers | Sony VAIO Driver