IASTOR.SYS BSOD w/ Dell computers

[Blunted One]

Let me get right into this problem...

Yesterday I was using a few programs to access my email, im, internet phone, etc. and everything was running fine until all of the sudden when trying to do one of the tasks I do just about every day the computer gave me the dreaded BSOD. I had to physically turn it off and when it came back on for a minute everything seemed fine. I got into windows and then all of the sudden I got another BSOD. From then on it would not get into windows but would just bring me to the same BSOD each time I start the computer.

I Know some would say boot into safe more or use the last good config. Well, I have attempted that many times and each time the same result and same BSOD.

Here is what I get at the top of the screen....

Driver_IRQL_not_less_or_equal

and near the bottom it lists...

iastor.sys w/ stop and a bunch of number next to it.

When I ran a hard drive diagnostic it told me that one of my two mirrored drives failed the test and reported a error code 7.

I found out this BSOD has affected other Dell computers before and was lead to believe that this was related to the system drivers for the Intel Matrix component that connects my hard drives. Dell tells me that when I restored the comptuer last time I installed the drivers in the incorrect order and that caused the system to distabalized. They are willing to send me new parts, but I really want to get this working and use my data or at least move it off and start over without losing all my work.

How can I resolve this issue? What steps can I take to get back into windows again and save my data? I tried to use the WinXP cd, but when I try to go to the recovery console it goes BSOD on me so that is a lost cause. Anyone had this type of issue before or know of a way around it?

[morganlefay]

Easiest way to get the data off the disk is to slave it into another machine an copy it over...

I would do this before anything else...specially if you have data on the machine...

Then you can reinstall or follow Dells advice...

MLF

[r3b00+]

Download the latest drivers from here as per this site

[Blunted One]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I already read the post and downloaded the driver files. I cannot get into windows at all and every time the loading logo for windows comes up after a few seconds I just get the BSOD. I also cannot run the recovery console from the XP cd so I cannot replace the file physically. Does anyone have anything else they can suggest I do to resolve this BSOD?

[r3b00+]

You say it still wont boot in safe mode?
Why are you unable to run the recovery console?

[r3b00+]

Are you sure youve downloaded the correct drivers for your storage device?

[r3b00+]

Also have a look at this site, page 6 has a suggestion from intel

Edit: Check this out too

[Blunted One]

To get into safe mode it has to load the iastor.sys file and same goes for recovery console beacuse the iastor.sys seems to be the driver file for the intel matrix which connects the hard drives. I don't know how to get around this.

Could I run the win xp cd repair option? Or can I hit F6 when the XP setup is running without losing or formating my system?

It seems all I would really need to do is replace the file iastor.sys, but being that I can't seem to access the drives this doesn't seem plausible. Any ideas?

[nihil]

Hmmm,

Is this your problem:

http://www.ydeologi.com/2006/04/26/d...de-0x000000d1/

What happens if you remove the defective drive?

Dell tells me that when I restored the comptuer last time I installed the drivers in the incorrect order and that caused the system to distabalized

That has to be total bullcrap. If you screw up the installation of drivers the device doesn't work. OK you can get flaky ones that produce intermittent faults *cough* ATi *cough* but that certainly isn't the case here.

Also when you buy a brand name system it should come with software such that it cannot be installed in the wrong order Dell have really taken a turn for the worse of late. I would never buy another one based on what I have been seeing recently.

Finally, I am really impressed by Dell's implementation of a Sata RAID1 array............... one drive goes down and the whole system is out of action? That does not happen with ones that I build!

I would go for them supplying a new system..............but I don't know if you have consumer laws like we do

[r3b00+]

Try running repair from the xp cd, this will give you a recovery console. If you can get the command prompt you can replace the file.

p.s. f6 only gives you the option to load scsi/sata drivers so that the windows install can detect any of the aforementioned devices