That error usually has helpful/useful information to help determine which file system or driver is causing the BSOD.
Example: See http://outpostfirewall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13425
In the above link to Outpost forums, the user experienced the DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error on FILTNT.SYS which is the driver of Outpost Firewall.
If your friend only noted what is with the BSOD then there is chance to know what is the caused.
BTW, see also http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmd_stp_ottj.asp
In http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883775 you will the list of Device drivers known to cause instability in Windows XP Service Pack 2
It is known issue that installation of SP2 will not succeed if the system has spyware so you might want to advise your friend to use antispyware and antitrojan software to scan the system and make sure it is free from any malware before installing SP2
A friend of mine never upated to SP2 until today (she told me she had but is fairly computer illeterate).
After d/l'ing from the MS site, her computer came up with a blue screen, and there were a bunch of messages, including the following, in CAPS (sorry this is the only one she wrote down):
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
We did a system restore and computer is back to working. I don't want to have her redownload SP2 until I'm sure we can get her pc to work with it.
Other relevant facts (keep in mind she's computer novvie and I'm only working with what I know). Intel Pentium 4 1.6ghz, 512mb RAM, 20 gig HD with less than 5 gig available.
One more thing.. Last week I cleared out 27 trojans. She lives 300 miles away so I had to rely on her to do things as I told her. I had her send me report logs to ensure she had done what I asked but I cannot be absolutely sure she explicitly followed my directions. She might still have something lurking. She did a scan a few days ago and cleared out a few more.
Thanks for any help.
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