XP service pack 2 and mup.sys | Tech Off

Cairo
I want my waffle sundae, give me my carbs!

So what does one do to find out why a machine running XP Service Pack 2 reboots shortly after loading mup.sys?

I know it's not mup.sys itself, it's the next thing in the list (whatever list it's using), but the machine reboots before I can see any name on the screen.

Running "disable mup.sys" from the recovery console doesn't help. I still don't see the next item loaded -- only the previous ones (ntfs.sys and ndis.sys).

prog_dotnet

in system properties,(right click my computer-->properties)-->advanced -->startup and recovery -->under system failure, uncheck automatically restart and check the wirte an event to the system log if not already checked. Next time around, make a note of the error message/BSOD and post it here.

Cairo
I want my waffle sundae, give me my carbs!

prog_dotnet wrote:

in system properties,(right click my computer-->properties)-->advanced -->startup and recovery -->under system failure, uncheck automatically restart and check the wirte an event to the system log if not already checked. Next time around, make a note of the error message/BSOD and post it here.

The next time I get it to boot, I'll do that. Of course, if I can get it to boot, I will have solved my problem. Wink

troposphere

Hi, I know you may already know this, but I thought it might help. If you have access to a working SP2 machine, you might be able to find out what it's loading right after mup.sys by starting it in safe mode.

I know that when I start my system in safe mode, it lists everything that it loads, so maybe you can get a clue from that.

HTH,
Rich

dj6

I had this same problem with a Sony VAIO Desktop machine. Booting a linux live CD (with the -noapic kernel parameter) showed what was wrong. The linux kernel complained that the BIOS was assigning invalid or incorrect values for the on-board IDE.

If you can't get a DOS based BIOS update to flash it with, then your only option may be to disable the on-board IDE and add a PCI IDE controller. Sony had only a windows based BIOS update available for it, so I was bummed. Ended up just using it for a linux machine before realizing I might be able to go the PCI IDE route. Oh well.

Of course, you'd have to re-install Windows XP if you do the add-in IDE, though. Good luck, bro.

/dj6

AndyC

Cairo wrote:

I know it's not mup.sys itself, it's the next thing in the list (whatever list it's using), but the machine reboots before I can see any name on the screen.

agp440.sys is the next driver typically.

If disabling that makes no difference, I'd try chkdsk /r first. Though as others have said, it maybe a BIOS issue.

Cairo
I want my waffle sundae, give me my carbs!

AndyC wrote:

Cairo wrote:
I know it's not mup.sys itself, it's the next thing in the list (whatever list it's using), but the machine reboots before I can see any name on the screen.

agp440.sys is the next driver typically.

Curiously, the machine doesn't have that driver on it... Thanks for the tip, though. I'll try the chkdsk.

Does anyone know where to find the list of drivers that gets loaded on boot? There has to be a list somewhere. It's most likely machine-specific. I just don't know where to look on this machine.

Cairo
I want my waffle sundae, give me my carbs!

I booted from a BartPE disk and changed the boot.ini file to disable "auto reboot", which let me see the STOP error.

0x7B. Inaccessible boot device.

So, I'll be reinstalling Windows...

... unless I can figure out how to replace the driver w/o reinstalling.

prog_dotnet

So about 86 % of all BSOD are caused by faulty drivers. All you need to do is find the driver causing the problem and keep it from loading during the kernel boot phase.

There are a couple of ways of doing that. First by disabling the auto reboot, so you can write down the error message. If you can’t boot at all, enable boot logging.(Press F8 for accessing safe mode)A text tile are created (ntbtlog.txt at system root) containing information about the boot sequence. Then boot from recovery console, and copy the file to a floppy. ( use the following commands )

set allowallpaths = true
set allowremovablemedia = true

Another way is to boot in safe mode(only the small subset of your drivers will load ), and take a note of any log files.

You can also download the Administrator's Pak Emergency Version from winternals, boot from erd commander 2005, use its system restore feature and access any restore points created on your system.

http://www.winternals.com/Products/AdministratorsPak/EmergencyDownload/Default.aspx

Inaccessible boot device, That’s a new error right?

It seems that you have configured the boot.ini file wrong.
Boot from recovery console, and run bootcfg /rebuild

Cairo
I want my waffle sundae, give me my carbs!

Digging deeper, the machine is complaining about \windows\system32\config\system being corrupt or missing.

So, if chkdsk /r doesn' twork, and restoring from \windows\repair doesn't work, then it's time to reinstall.

msemack
Embedded Systems Guy

Even if you reinstall, you still haven't isolated the cause of the problem.

The 0x7B stop code and the corrupt registry file (\system32\config\system) point to a failing device in your storage subsystem. Check your hard disk and IDE cables.

Your hard drive maker probably offers a drive test utility as a free download. Get a copy and run it. Make sure there are no bad blocks on the drive.

Also, double check your IDE cables. Make sure they are all 80-conductor. Also check cable lengths. Any IDE cable longer than 18" is bad and should be thrown out immediately. Likewise for those sliced/narrow IDE cables.

It may also be your IDE controller, especially if you are using a cheapo IDE RAID controller.

Another oustide possibility is that it's bad memory. It may be worth running an overnight cycle of Memtest86.

prog_dotnet

Cairo wrote:

Digging deeper, the machine is complaining about \windows\system32\config\system being corrupt or missing.

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

Cairo
I want my waffle sundae, give me my carbs!

This is a Dell SX280. I did a "repair" installation from an XP-SP2 slipstreamed CD and it's been running fine since.