Previous Topic Next Topic

Blue Screen when attempting to Install Windows XP on laptop IRQL

Solved/Closed
Strikku - Dec 30, 2014 at 09:03 PM
Strikku Posts 1 Registration date Tuesday December 30, 2014 Status Member Last seen January 2, 2015 - Jan 2, 2015 at 08:43 AM
Hello,

I have a Dell Latitude D610 laptop which doesn't boot into the OS. I'm currently trying to reinstall Windows XP on it, however every time I attempt to do so, I get a BSOD error during the install process immediately after the message at the bottom of the screen reads "Searching for previous Windows Installation": IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

After much research and looking around for possible answers, I have found none of the available remedy my situation. I do not have an option in the BIOS to choose Hard Drive configuration, and I'm pretty sure that there is not a physical problem with any of the hardware itself because the Dell Diagnostics Tool disc has been run and given a green-light pass on all essential hardware within the laptop. Hard Drive is good, fan is good, memory is good, battery is good, etc.

However even after using the Diagnostic Tool, Windows XP Professional SP3 always gives me that blue screen error before I have the option to give any meaningful input.

Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.
Related:

1 response

Answer 1 / 1
Strikku Posts 1 Registration date Tuesday December 30, 2014 Status Member Last seen January 2, 2015
Jan 2, 2015 at 08:43 AM
Fixed the issue myself. Turns out the problem was a still fully installed working windows partition along with all my old files and documents on the hardrive, but a few files were corrupted which prevented it from booting properly or being fixable by the Windows XP disc.

The solution was downloading Xubuntu Linux and booting the PC into that. Within xubuntu, i was able to manually replace certain system restore files of my windows installation to get it working again. For exact instructions, simply google around for "use ubuntu to repair windows xp". There are a few well detailed results which could get any potentially unbootable (but previously bootable) system up-and-running again.
1