Blue screen when I plug a network cable in

[Chrisb41]

So this one has been messing with my head for 2 days now.

Basically when I plug a network cable in, the computer blue screens with error code 0x000000D1 DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.
I have updated the driver to the latest, reinstalled it and that works until next reboot, I have done a system restore back to the furthest point and have done a full malware scan and chkdsk.

It's running XP and is a compaq presario c700.

None of these seem to work and google basically tells me to reinstall the driver which does not work. The wireless still works also.

Any help would be appreciated.
thanks

 

[PCX]

Can you give us some more specific? What is the actual model number (service tag)? This will at least tell us what hardware we are looking at.

Also, what diagnostics have you run (I know guys, I just need to add this to my signature)?

 

[Vicenarian]

maybe just a bad NIC (faulty hardware)?

else; maybe see if there is some type of IRQ assignment option in the BIOS? LOL, totally a shot in the dark, just remember reading about IRQ stuff in the A+ book.

 

[rsarceno]

It's possible your integrated NIC is bad, Disable it on bios and add another NIC card and see what happen.

 

[Chrisb41]

The file associated with the blue screen is Ndis.sys and there is no options in the BIOS relating to IRQL. The service tag is C774TU and this happens in safe mode with networking not enabled also. I have diagnosed the problem to be driver related/software but hardware could be a possibility. This is based on the fact that when I completely disabled the drivers removing it fully the blue screen did not occur. The blue screen happens only when data/power is traveling through the network cable.

 

[citizensmith]

Try using a live linux cd to iluminate windows and check that the hadware works okay or not. Then posibly boot from bartpe alike or msdart for xp and see what occurs. Is the network card a plugin module? is it seated correctly etc? Im
out of ideas now

 

[drickyd]

try this .....

I had this once on a machine someone brought in, a couple of years ago now. It was very frustrating and in the end, more by luck than anything else I guess, I cured it by replacing one of the memory modules. I dont know how I got to this as a possible solution, I think I had tried almost everything else and it may have been in desperation that I started looking at internals, I cant remember, sorry, but I do know I just gave a big sigh of relief and packed the machine quickly back off to the customer. I made a losss on time spent on that job but its one of those things you cant seem to let rest until you get it solved. Give it a try, nothing to lose other than a few minutes work - and best of luck! I will be interested to see how you finally Do solve the problem - please let us know.

 

[Chrisb41]

Im out of the office now but I will defiantly try some Linux distros etc and see if it is hardware or software good idea I will also try the ram idea it's defiantly worth a try. I think the nic is on board but I shall open it up and look for anything that might be damaged. It could of been hit by lightning but that's just a guess. I shall post my results tomorrow thanks

 

[PCX]

Im out of the office now but I will defiantly try some Linux distros etc and see if it is hardware or software good idea I will also try the ram idea it's defiantly worth a try. I think the nic is on board but I shall open it up and look for anything that might be damaged. It could of been hit by lightning but that's just a guess. I shall post my results tomorrow thanks

So . . . no diagnostics what so ever?

Just a note to those who are suggesting a Linux CD: Its a great idea (I suggest it all the time) and it does help to quickly narrow down issues to software or hardware, but its not a end all diagnostics. In fact, its not a diagnostics at all. The problem with solely relying on this is that Linux does not work like Windows. In other words, it probably wont crash when plugging in a network cable and if it works in linux, it does not necessarily mean that some other piece of hardware (like the memory for instance) is not causing it to crash in Windows.

Case in point, run a diagnostics.

 

[Elemdee]

Yeah I'm thinking bad onboard nic due to some damage on the board. Ever try those nifty attachments that are usb on one end and Lan ethernet adapter on the other? You could try using one during the troubleshooting process.

 

[kevinjhaag]

It's possible your integrated NIC is bad, Disable it on bios and add another NIC card and see what happen.

So . . . no diagnostics what so ever?

Just a note to those who are suggesting a Linux CD: Its a great idea (I suggest it all the time) and it does help to quickly narrow down issues to software or hardware, but its not a end all diagnostics. In fact, its not a diagnostics at all. The problem with solely relying on this is that Linux does not work like Windows. In other words, it probably wont crash when plugging in a network cable and if it works in linux, it does not necessarily mean that some other piece of hardware (like the memory for instance) is not causing it to crash in Windows.

Case in point, run a diagnostics.

^^^Ditto...What PSX mentioned...Run a Diagnostics; It could be possibly something else causing the problem. And actually a LiveCD would only prove if it works in Linux. A better test would be to try a fresh installed image of windows because if the computer was at all infected it could very well have been damaged by the infection. I run into them all the time...the malware damages the networking; never got a bsod but anything is possible. If nic doesn't work still then I would say its bad and suggest what @rsarceno mentioned...by installing another nic and using it. If this was due to a storm, its very likely it got damaged by it too. I have ran into them. Well take care and up date us.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Why not replace ndis.sys?

 

[PCX]

Why not replace ndis.sys?

You can replace corrupted system and driver files all day long, but it wont matter if the HDD or something piece of hardware is failing and causing the problem.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

You can replace corrupted system and driver files all day long, but it wont matter if the HDD or something piece of hardware is failing and causing the problem.

I do agree, but if Ndis.sys got corrupted from an infection replacing would in theory fix the issue and would be a fairly quick process especially if you were in Linux testing already.


It does sound hardware related though.

 

[PCX]

I do agree, but if Ndis.sys got corrupted from an infection replacing would in theory fix the issue and would be a fairly quick process especially if you were in Linux testing already.


It does sound hardware related though.

Yeah, I would say that if all the hardware tested good, then this most certainly would be one of the next troubleshooting steps. Other things that can be tried is chkdsk and sfc /scannow.

 

[Chrisb41]

Problem solved

Faulty RAM module and I ran it all day testing it after reboots unplugging it etc covered every possible combination and it all passed.

I got the customer to plug it in while it was in the store to make sure it worked when they did it and they tested it at home and it worked fine.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Problem solved

Faulty RAM module and I ran it all day testing it after reboots unplugging it etc covered every possible combination and it all passed.

I got the customer to plug it in while it was in the store to make sure it worked when they did it and they tested it at home and it worked fine.

Good one.
FYI...when you see this IRQ less than equal blue screen....it's related to a driver...and the driver crashing in memory. You mentioned before you were looking for the IRQ in the BIOS...it's not a hardware IRQ like we used to have back in the Win3/Win9X days. It is an interrupt request in memory...of the driver. Usually a faulty driver..but as you found...can be faulty memory also..the driver crashed in its memory address.

 

[drickyd]

........ and it proves MY memory is not so bad either!

Glad you got the thing working. I knew I recalled a similar problem but it's just so obtuse that I couldn't be 100% certain. Anyway, not only did it solve it for you as well, but I can understand now from the previous post (YeOldeStonecat) why something I did almost intuitively turned out to be the right thing - we all live and learn - thanks guys!

 

[PCX]

And yet another example of why you should aways run a full diagnostics before you start any repairs. I'm glad you figured it out.

 

[andcorptech]

And yet another example of why you should aways run a full diagnostics before you start any repairs. I'm glad you figured it out.

I agree with this when possible. Its hard to do this though when a customer drops a computer off for a specfic problem and wants it done before end of day. With these we just fix the specific issue if possible . If we cant then they just have to wait till a diagnostics is complete or take it back unrepaired.

Do you get ones like this PCX or do you just refuse the job if they wont let you run the full diag ?