How to solve R61 blue screen problem caused by athr.sys ?

[tvluoyi]

I encountered a blue screen problem recently and I am wondering whether someone can help me out.

I received my new R61 last month and had a clean install of windows Vista home basic edition by using the anytime upgrade disk and following the guide in the forum. But recently, my notebook had a blue screen problem. It happened one or twice a day and usually happened after I turned on the notebook and used it for 1 or 2 hours. It’s very annoying since they all happened when I was working on my stuff.

I copied the error message after the restart which is as following:
______________________________________________
Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.2
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: d1
BCP1: 0000049C
BCP2: 00000002
BCP3: 00000000
BCP4: 88F45317
OS Version: 6_0_6000
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini102507-01.dmp
C:\Users\****\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-61183-0.sysdata.xml
C:\Users\****\AppData\Local\Temp\WERB07.tmp.version.txt

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___________________________________________
I installed WinDbg and read the .dmp file. It told me the error was“ Probably caused by : athr.sys ( athr+81317 )”
I searched the web and found out it is a wireless network driver. The wireless card I have is 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Express Adapter and I have no Bluetooth.
And I checked the device manager, the information of the wireless card driver is:
Driver Provider: Atheros Communications Inc
Driver Date: 6/18/2007
Driver Version: 7.3.1.42

The driver seems to be the lastest version and can not be updated.

I have read the posts in this forum and still don’t have a clear idea how to fix it. Is here anyone can give me some suggestoin? Is there something I missed to install or updated. Or I need to re-install the system from the recovery disk?

Thank you!

[crates]

Having same problem. Same driver. Lenovo X60s under Win Vista Ultimate SP1. Earlier, I had this problem with a later version of this driver, so I rolled back to this one, which is more stable, but still occasionally crashes. Rather annoying. Might need to try to find an even earlier driver (off Lenovo's support site).

[Waldo Wainthrop]

Have a possible solution for this!

I had this exact problem with my T61p (purchased in June 2008) which led to severe BSODs seemingly out of nowhere. It was a "Driver IRQL Not Less or Equal" BSOD often citing athr.sys and also occasionally usbhub.sys and ndis.sys. The problem would occur at all times, but tended to be related to wireless network use. I didn't experiment with it much, but it seemed to only occur when connected to a wireless network, i.e. if I were not connected the driver would not be acting up. Sometimes I would get a system freeze with no mouse movement and a completely frozen UI.

I have been trawling the message boards finding problems without solutions. I can't tell you how many threads like this I have run across.

I had recently (properly) installed new graphics drivers and had just installed Windows Updates as well. While it is possible that either of these was the cause, I am still unclear on it. I tried changing gfx drivers as well as the Atheros drivers with no effect. Memory and hard drive testing showed no errors. I decided to use my Lenovo restore discs that I had made to bail me out. With a completely fresh operating system, I thought I was safe. But the problem happened again! Constant and slightly unpredictable BSODs just like before. This was a nightmare -- if it was something I had done, surely a wipe of my system should have undone it.

The possible solution: go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers and change the name of the file athr.sys to athr.sys.old

I have not run into the problem again yet since making this simple adjustment, but not nearly enough time has passed for me to be certain that I have solved it. It's worth a shot since the alternative was going to be taking it in for repairs under warranty. That was not something I was looking forward to because of mixed experiences with servicing, and the fact that this problem has been known to not go away even with a new motherboard or other hardware! If this solution works, it suggests to me that the problem was entirely driver-related and only cropped up under odd or non-universal circumstances leading to driver failure in Windows. Additionally this solution suggests that updating drivers doesn't solve the outstanding athr.sys file sitting in the \drivers directory which must be causing the problem.

I will let you know if this solution works out.

[Waldo Wainthrop]

Still some crashing, but not as often or severe, and no more crashing from that particular driver. Working on it.

[Waldo Wainthrop]

I know I'm pretty much talking to myself at this point, but I have now updated to a newer Atheros wireless adapter driver. I found it here: http://www.opendrivers.com/driver/28...-download.html

So far so good.

This problem is awful by the way. Web searches indicate that Thinkpad owners (and a few Toshiba owners) have been having this problem since at least mid-2007, and continue to have it as recently as a month ago. Who knows what the cause of this faulty driver issue is, since the problem doesn't occur for all users?

[twentyscientists]

Originally Posted by Waldo Wainthrop

Have a possible solution for this!

I had this exact problem with my T61p (purchased in June 2008) which led to severe BSODs seemingly out of nowhere. It was a "Driver IRQL Not Less or Equal" BSOD often citing athr.sys and also occasionally usbhub.sys and ndis.sys. The problem would occur at all times, but tended to be related to wireless network use. I didn't experiment with it much, but it seemed to only occur when connected to a wireless network, i.e. if I were not connected the driver would not be acting up. Sometimes I would get a system freeze with no mouse movement and a completely frozen UI.

Oh thank god for you -- I have been having this exact same issue on a T61 I got in Sept. 2008. Exact same system files cited and everything. Please let me know how that new driver works out, as it makes sense to me that it is a wireless issue. When at my school, I never have problems with BSOD's, but now at my home there is a different wireless router and it makes sense that it could be causing the problem.

[Waldo Wainthrop]

It works out great. I have had no problems since I installed the new driver. Since it is newer, it still seems to be compatible with the T61's Access Connections software, so there doesn't seem to be an apparent downside yet.

You will have to manually install the driver from the contents of the zip file using device manager. There is no installer in the download.

[twentyscientists]

That is fantastic news -- I just installed the driver and am hoping for the best. So far so good. Thank you so much for finding this!

[DeshX]

The new driver exactly works. Thank you so much,
How do I confirm it? I have same Athr.sys befoe, and I focus on it for a while, it occasional bluescreen with my T61.
I install the HP P1505N with wireless network these days, unable to print a single paper via network printer. every time the print test, T61 bluescreen with so-and-so error, mostly refer to Driver IRQL Not Less or Equal, and athr.sys; HP support has nothing to do with it as the printer is fine with my other cabled PCs.
This new driver 7.6.0.172 fix it, the network printer works fine via T61 wireless network now. Just test it well.
Thanks again

[farfromit11]

I've had this problem for a while now too, ever since I ran the System Update a week after getting my T61p. I just downloaded the new driver and will let you all know if it solves the athr.sys and Driver IRQL Not Less or Equal BSOD.

I want to settle this before I install Windows 7

Thanks for your help with this OP, I'm crossing my fingers it works for me