Are you in debugging mode?
Today my second RAM module arrived, so I said to myslef “Hey, let’s look into that impossible shut down problem too, since we’re feeling techy today!”
What impossible shut down? Well, here’s the background: whenever I tried to shut down my Win XP, it automatically restarted. Kinda weird, but it didn’t bother me too much, because I got used to just put in stand by mode anyway. Until today…
Step 1. Find if anyone else has encountered the same problem. Apparently, they did, and there is even Ken Schaefer’s comprehensive 3 part post on the web dealing with it. Reading it leads you to understand what the restart actually is, and there’s a good chance that by following the instructions provided you’ll solve this nagging problem.
Step 2. Run Driver Verifier to see if there’s a faulty driver floating around.
Step 3. Download, install, and run Debugging Tools for Windows (or WinDBG).
Step 4. At last, come to the correct conclusion that the crash is caused by my Sony DVD Hanycam driver. Unnerving but, again, I’m not the only one… Thank you, Sony! *sarcasm*
Step 5. Uninstall the whole package, get rid of the drivers, delete the directory etc. In other words, clean up Sony’s mess.
Step 6. Enjoy the native ability and the natural given right to be able to shut down your computer at will!
With this, my debugging mode ended and hopefully I won’t see too soon again that defiant message on a Blue Screen of Death: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. Equal with what?!
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