IASTOR.SYS BSOD w/ Dell computers

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?

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

Download the latest drivers from here as per this site

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?

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

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

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

Edit: Check this out too

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?

Hmmm,

Is this your problem:

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

What happens if you remove the defective drive?

Quote:

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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

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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 :rolleyes: 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? :eek: 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 :)

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

Thanks for the ideas and thanks for confirming what I already knew in the back of my mind.

It is total BS that installing drivers in the wrong "order" would make a system crash. I wish they would hire competent people over at Dell. They told me they would send another hard drive, but WTF am I supposed to do with the current one? Also I can't believe the raid array didn't work I specifically had it set up so that if something like this happened I could just use the other hard drive. Now nothing works and all I get is the BSOD over and over and over.

Should I be worried that the repair function from the xp cd would harm my computer? Or is this a safe method to try? Also since in theory only one of my mirrored drives is bad how can I get the other drive to be the bootup drive and just continue working with the one drive instead of the two mirrored drives. Thanks for all the help and input guys as it is much appreciated.

This is not a h/w failure, it is a dodgy driver that allows windows to access the drive!
Repair option is completely safe, so long as you dont start deleting system files, give it a go once you have the updated drivers saved to disc.

If I have no floppy drive in this computer I can still use a CD correct? This damn dell doesn't have the proper connections for a FDD and only have two cd drives and a multicard reader. Would a usb Floppy drive work? Man I am starting to hate Dell and I feel like making them pay for my downtime in productivity.

Could I use the multicard reader? Or is that only recognized in windows?

cd is fine...youll need another computer to download the file to, then burn it to cd

Hmmmmm,

I presume that you ran the drive diagnostic from a CD? which diagnostic tool was it?

Try running the machine with only the "good" drive attached and see what happens...........note any messages in full, numbers and all.

I would get the new drive from Dell, don't give them the old one until you have tried it............. "confidential data" and all that ;)

In theory you should just have to install it and it should recognise it, and prompt you to build the RAID1 array. OK RAID5 needs a little skill, but RAID1 should be a total no brainer.

Also, try swapping the two drives around and trying it again. Run the disk diagnostic with it like that as well and see if you get anything different, remembering that the drives are in a different order now :D

Something caused this to happen, and a drive failure would fit the bill.

I would still go at them for a replacement, and I would certainly get one in the UK...............a RAID1 array that behaves as yours has, would irrefutably be "not fit for purpose" under our Sale of Goods Act

:cool:

I just swapped the connections to the hard drives and windows just got stuck on the windows logo loading screen. Any ideas what that means? Thanks for all the help guys and your right I should really get on dell for this and maybe even send my complaints to some government or quality assurance agency as this is some total BS.

I'll have to try just running the good drive and see what happens. If anyone else thinks they know of a solution just send it my way.

Please run the disk diagnostic with both drives in the swapped state, and let me know what happens.

Drives do die after a short while, and this might have provoked your experience.

I would not expect a diagnostic to give you an error code and Dell be prepared to replace the drive if it was a mere driver problem?

:)

EDIT: It means that Dell might be able to run a piss up in a brewery, but they sure as hell cannot set up a RAID1 array ;)

I have run the diagnostic that is accessible from the boot menu. It has told me that the drive which was no. 2 and i changed to number 1 has an error. The other drive reports no error at all. Perhaps this drive is about to kick the bucket? What should I do or test next?

So, just to refresh, the drive with the reported error gets it whether it is in #1 or #2 position?

If that is the case it is what I suspected................Dell are not a charity, they would not have offered a replacement unless they were pretty certain that it was defective.

Just disconnect the cable from the defective drive and do a cold reboot. Please let me know what happens...............in particular the messages.

So, FIRST THING is to go into BIOS setup and turn off fast boot...... that way we get all the sad error messages ;) whilst you are there, turn off power management, have it always on.

:)

My hat is off to you nihil. By unplugging and manually selecting the other drive in the raid 1 array that is still good I was able to boot into windows with no problem. I have updated the iastor.sys drivers and program which I hope will stop the issue from happening again. I have made some copies of important files and whatnot just in case this BSOD comes back. The other drive is basically useless and dell will be sending me out a replacement soon.

I can't believe dell told me to format or reinstall windows and start over...what a bunch of crap.

I do get a message now while I type this response that the second hard drive in the raid 1 array is gone and I was wondering what I should do about that. Can I make this drive in a non-raid drive? Or should I just wait for Dell to send me a replacement hard drive and then recreate the array by using that as the new no. 2 drive? Just wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions after this near total loss of data. My raid array shows its status as degraded, which I am sure is because it is missing the other drive in this mirror setup.

I have called up and informed both Dell and Intel about this issue and demanded that they get the word out on this problem hopefully others won't have to go through the same crap I did.

Thanks again.

Blunted One

PLEASE DO NOT MESS WITH IT

Haven't you had enough aggravation already? :D

What you are seeing now is how RAID1 should work. Drives are in pairs and there is 100% redundancy. According to RAID theory at least, the "degradation" message should simply mean that one or more of the mirrored pairs is compromised, which you know about anyways.

This is what it should have told you in the first place, but due to some sort of error it was still trying to communicate with the dead drive......................hence your symptoms.

Now, when you get the new drive you should be able to just install it and boot up, and your RAID1 system should prompt you to let it rebuild the array. It should be that simple, but I wonder if it will be?

Under no circumstances should you mess with your system as it stands now

Do NOT load new drivers unless you get them from Dell and are specifically told to do so.

At the moment you have them under the terms of their warranty and your consumer rights. As soon as you start messing about you will invalidate BOTH :eek:

Why is it I have this strange feeling that I shall be hearing from you again? :D

Thanks again for all the help Nihil. I just requested yesterday to get a new HD from dell and it was here when I got in this morning. Guess their fast delivery is the best part of Dell...haha.

So I have the new HD now and I am hoping by removing the old drive and using this new one that everything should be fine and the array should rebuild. The only thing I have updated since I got my computer back up and running was the new Intel Matrix Storage driver as there is an urgent update on both Intel's and Dell's website for the new driver/program to be installed.

You were right that you would be hearing from me again, but hopefully it is all good from now on at least with this situation. This has to be the worst raid controller and computer I have ever used. My custom machine at home which is raid 0 striped (since I didn't have enough drives for a raid 5) has never had any issues (I am still going to make sure it backs up each day for safety sake). It runs like a gem and very rarely do I get any problematic messages or errors of any sort. Then again it doesn't use a single Intel or Dell part.

By the way I always wanted to comment on your name since the name of the company I work for is called Nihilitic. Thanks again my friend and have yourself a good one.

Hi Blunted One

Glad to hear that it worked, but the theory said it had to...............so Dell/Intel must have tested their RAID management by just removing a HDD rather than killing one in mid-flight?

I suppose we can be humorous now that we have a solution?

"No hard drives were harmed during the production of this RAID software"........... a bit like the movies? :D

Your RAID0 at home is not a true RAID :eek: which I would insist requires fault tolerance. If you lose one drive you stand to lose the lot. OK I can do a partial recovery, but it is mostly down to luck as to what can be recovered?

RAID5 only takes 3 HDDs...................granted, there is hellish redundancy with a system that minimalistic :(

As you seem to have a speed/security requirement, might I suggest you look at RAID6?

Perhaps you could start another thread in "General Computer Questions"................. ?

Cheers,

Johnno

BTW "nihil" means "nothing" in Latin

Thank you for all of the information in this thread.
Unfortunately out of the blue I now have the same issue. But I can't boot into Windows at all, nor do I have a floppy drive to load the drivers through F6 (tried using a USB thumb drive but it's not compatible with Windows setup).
I also cannot:
Boot into safe mode
Run the Windows Recovery Console
Boot into Windows (as stated above)

When I try to boot into Windows, if it doesn't give me a BSOD, it runs a CHKDSK which states that "The volume is dirty" and freezes completely at 73%.

Can anyone recommend anything? This PC has been a dream until this happened.

Thank you for any help that you may provide.

Do you have a backup...if not you may be slightly screwed. You are having the same issues I had and it all comes down to faulty crap that Intel and Dell put in your computer. I haven't had this issue since I updated the iastor drivers from intel's site.

I was lucky enough to have a mirror raid running and it saved me, but you may not and I am sorry for the hell you must be going through. Sorry I can't be of more help. If you have any other questions just ask. Best of luck.

Quote:

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Originally posted here by Blunted One
Do you have a backup...if not you may be slightly screwed. You are having the same issues I had and it all comes down to faulty crap that Intel and Dell put in your computer. I haven't had this issue since I updated the iastor drivers from intel's site.

I was lucky enough to have a mirror raid running and it saved me, but you may not and I am sorry for the hell you must be going through. Sorry I can't be of more help. If you have any other questions just ask. Best of luck.

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Unfortunately not.
I'm trying to load the drivers in somehow but in order to do that I need a specific external drive or I'll look around for an old floppy drive somewhere.
Otherwise is there a manual way to do this? How could everyone else be able to access windows with the same issue?

I will repeat...if you dont have a backup...and you have all your photos, documents, email,data etc on the drive....before you go mucking with the drive..

BACK IT UP!!!!@!!

Slave the hardrive into another machine...and pull your data off....BEFORE you do anything...

then....do what ever you want..call dell..down load stuff...

True story...many moons ago....I was listening to a persons dell support call...and after 2 hours the "tech" told him to put in the recovery CD....I warned the user that this could wipe out his year plus worth of business data.....and when he asked the "tech" if that would happen...the "Tech" replied....yes...but your computer should work again :rolleyes:

Be VERY carefull...OSes and programs can be reinstalled...data has to be recreated

backup backup and backup again ;)

MLF