How to Fix BSOD IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0x0000000A)

By ErrorFix · Updated October 17, 2026 · 8 min read

What error 0x0000000A means

Deep inside Windows, every piece of kernel code runs at an "interrupt request level" — IRQL for short — which is basically a clearance level that decides what kind of memory it is allowed to touch. Device drivers and core Windows processes are supposed to respect these levels. When a driver reaches for a chunk of memory that its current IRQL does not permit — say, paged-out memory that is not currently available — Windows refuses to let it slide and deliberately crashes the entire system with the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL blue screen, stop code 0x0000000A.

Here is the part that makes this error diagnosable: the blue screen almost always names the file that made the bad grab. A name like ndis.sys points at network drivers, nvlddmkm.sys at NVIDIA graphics, and ntoskrnl.exe (the Windows kernel itself) usually means faulty RAM or hardware rather than software. Whatever the cause, the trigger is nearly always one of three things: a buggy, corrupted, or mismatched driver; failing RAM feeding drivers garbage addresses; or an overclocked CPU or memory pushing timing past what kernel code can tolerate. That is also the order you should investigate them.

Common causes

• A bad or outdated driver: graphics, network, and chipset drivers run at high IRQL constantly — a buggy update is the single most common trigger of 0x0000000A.
• Faulty RAM: a dying memory stick corrupts the addresses drivers use, so the driver looks guilty while the memory is the real culprit — classic cause of random, pattern-less crashes.
• Recent hardware or driver change: new RAM, a new GPU, or a driver installed in the last few days that conflicts with your Windows build.
• Overclocked CPU or memory: XMP profiles, manual RAM overclocks, and aggressive CPU overclocks break the timing assumptions kernel code relies on.
• Corrupted system files or disk errors: bad sectors and damaged Windows components can make a kernel process reference memory that no longer resolves, tripping the same blue screen.

How to fix error 0x0000000A — step by step

Work through these fixes in order. Step 1 gives you the evidence, steps 2–4 resolve the large majority of cases, and the last two cover the stubborn ones.

1. Capture what the crash names before it disappears. Open Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings, then under Startup and Recovery click Settings and uncheck Automatically restart. The next blue screen will stay on screen so you can photograph it — the file named right after IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (often something like ntoskrnl.exe, ndis.sys, or a .sys file from your graphics or network driver) is your prime suspect for step 4.
2. Undo anything that changed right before the crashes started. Boot into Safe Mode (hold Shift while clicking Restart, then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, and press 4), and if the blue screens began after you plugged in a new device or installed new software, unplug the hardware and uninstall the program. Device Manager will let you roll back a recently updated driver: right-click the device, choose Properties, open the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver if the button is available.
3. Test the RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic. Search the Start menu for Windows Memory Diagnostic, choose Restart now and check for problems, and let it run through at least one full pass. Bad RAM is one of the most common triggers of 0x0000000A because a flipped bit can make a driver request an impossible memory address. If the tool reports hardware problems, remove your memory sticks and test them one at a time to find the faulty one, then replace it.
4. Update or clean-install your main drivers. Back in normal Windows, open Device Manager and update the drivers the crash file pointed to — graphics, network, and storage controller drivers most often. For the most thorough fix, download the latest driver from the hardware maker's site and do a clean install, checking the clean installation option if the installer offers one, so no corrupted remnants of the old driver remain.
5. Repair system files and the drive with SFC, DISM, and chkdsk. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then run sfc /scannow once more. Finally run chkdsk C: /f /r and reboot to let the scan finish. These commands fix the corrupted system files and bad sectors that can make a kernel process reference memory that no longer exists.
6. Reset BIOS settings and undo any overclock. Restart into your BIOS or UEFI firmware (usually by pressing Delete or F2 during boot) and load the optimized defaults, disabling any CPU or RAM overclock and XMP memory profiles. Overclocked or overvolted hardware corrupts timing-sensitive kernel operations and is a classic cause of 0x0000000A. If crashes persist at stock settings, the remaining suspects are failing hardware — run a full drive health check and consider professional testing before the system degrades further.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• Blue screen stays visible (auto-restart off) so the suspect file is known
• Recent driver rolled back or hardware change undone in Safe Mode
• Windows Memory Diagnostic passed with no hardware errors
• Main drivers clean-installed, SFC and chkdsk finished clean

If the blue screens continue after all six steps, open Event Viewer (Win + X > Event Viewer), go to Windows Logs > System, and filter for BugCheck events around each crash — the details can confirm which driver keeps tripping the access violation. Check C:\Windows\Minidump with BlueScreenView too. Crashes that survive a full clean driver set, tested RAM, and stock BIOS settings point at genuinely failing hardware, usually the motherboard or power supply, so back up your data before the next crash.