Windows XP fails to startup

doberryfirkin

I am sure there are many posts about this but here is my tale of woe. I have an XP Home PC and today it refuses to startup properly. It goes through the motions but ends up at the options offering 'safe mode', 'load last safe config' or 'start windows normally' etc. If you chose 'normally' it gets to the windows logo but then returns to the starting options. If you choose 'safe mode' it goes through a list of files but halts at 'Mup.sys'. Either way it doesn't get to starting Windows.
I thought it might be the hard drive but using the facility 'Ultimate Bootup CD' (accessed through this forum - thanks) I found that the HD was still visible and OK. Therefore I can only guess that the Windows files are corrupted or something and will need re-installing. I am considering that the only way round this is to buy Windows XP since the PC had it pre-installed and there isn't a CD. before I commit to buying a copy of Windows XP I wondered if anyone on this forum has any possible fixes?

D

PaulK_3

Have you got a I386 folder on the PC? If you have a proper license key for XP on your PC then all you need to do is "source" the correct version and install it using your legal key. All you are actually paying for is a license to use the software on a PC.

bern494

Hi
If you can load windows in safe mode then you can get to system restore (presuming you had it turned on) then restore your system to an earlier time.

Hope this helps
Bern

doberryfirkin

Thanks PaulK
I do have a licence key but not sure what the 'I386 folder' is or where it is. As said before I cannot get past the startup options and at the moment I am trying to get an emergency boot disk.

Browntoa

ANY xp Cd will do a repair install,

with UBCD you may be able to do this

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

ignore all the temp file lark and just copy the files from the restore points to the

c:\windows\system32\config\sam

c:\windows\system32\config\security

c:\windows\system32\config\software

c:\windows\system32\config\default

c:\windows\system32\config\system

after naming the original files in that loaction to

copy c:\windows\system32\config\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default.bak

restore points are here

Any Restore Points that are created either manually by you or automatically by your OS are stored under C:\System Volume Information

doberryfirkin

OK Bern, as I said when I choose the 'safe mode' it runs through a list of files, halts at the 'Mup.sys' and the returns to the startup options. Seems to go round in a loop or refuses to go past a point.

Browntoa

if you have a usb mouse it can cause this problem

if you can run chkdsk somehow

You could always use the chkdsk bundled with ntfs4dos which is on the disc

doberryfirkin

Just to keep you guys posted I have found the following thread
http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/31874/?o=20
which seems to go on for ages about the Mup.sys problem and apparently not alone. Quote of interest is....
'SP2 is bad for PCs older than 6months'
Offers a number of possible options including replacing the Mup.sys file with another from another PC.
D

bern494

Hi
I should of said using the "command prompt"
I did a little search on your behalf and came up with this fix.

Once we knew that something in BIOS might be causing the problem, solving it was a snap. We downloaded the most current firmware revision from Dell's web site and flashed the BIOS and that was that. (Some motherboards come with an ESCD rebuild option in CMOS, so it would not be necessary to flash the BIOS.) The system booted without a hitch and performance was right back to where it had been before the problems started. If it hadn't been for Sean's insight, we would have spent time and money replacing the PERC controller, which unfortunately might well have solved the problem because replacing the board would have refreshed the ESCD.

Good luck
Bern

doberryfirkin

OK Bern this sound pretty complex. Whilst I kindof understand the 'flash the BIOS' bit it seems a bit radical and my current strategy is to try and get as close to the 'system restore' as I can in an attempt to get back to a restore point earlier that may work.