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0X0000000A

Blue Screen (BSOD) IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Applies to: Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11

What it means

Almost always a driver issue — most commonly network, audio, or graphics drivers.

Also seen as: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, 0xA

📝 From a real case study: this page was updated after Meera Iyer investigated Tracking Down an IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Crash to One Driver — a real reader-reported problem, not a hypothetical one.

Quick fix steps

  1. Boot into Safe Mode to confirm it's driver-related.
  2. Update your network adapter driver first — the most common cause.
  3. Roll back any recently updated driver from Device Manager.
For the full step-by-step walkthrough, see IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Blue Screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL a driver problem specifically?
Most of the time yes, particularly network adapter drivers — but disk errors and unstable overclocks are also known, real causes worth ruling out.
Do I need technical knowledge to fix this myself?
The main steps (updating drivers, running sfc/DISM, checking disk health) are accessible to most people following the guide — you don't need to already know which specific driver is at fault.

Other error codes

0X0000001A — MEMORY_MANAGEMENT

Points to a problem with how memory is being handled — faulty RAM, a driver mismanaging memory, or disk corruption.

0X000000EF — CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED

A core Windows process crashed unexpectedly — often tied to a recent update or corrupted system files.

0X0000001E — KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

A driver running in kernel mode hit an error it couldn't recover from — usually a specific faulty or outdated driver.

0X0000007B — INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE

Windows can't access the drive it needs to boot from — often after a storage driver change, BIOS setting change, or drive connection issue.