XP stops booting at mup.sys

[kelly]

Compaq laptop - XP Home

When booting to Windows, you get the message that it didn't boot properly the last time and are given the options of Safe Mode, Last Known Good Config. etc.

If I try to boot normally or Last Good Config, Windows starts up, but screen goes black and it doesn't continue.

If I boot to Safe Mode, it stops after loading mup.sys.

Maybe this is a clue: When I booted with Acronis Rescue Disk to image the drive, the trackpad doesn't respond. Anyway, right now I'm imaging the drive before working on it. I'm thinking the next step is an XP repair.

[Freehold Fred]

It is the NEXT driver/thing after MUP.SYS that is preventing a successful boot. It you can't get to the SAFE mode, then I would guess it is your video driver that isn't loading. Any video changes? Or as you suspect remove the trackpad. Of course you won't 'see' any of this unless you want to take the trouble to slave the drive and look at Bootlog.txt (in C:\Windows).

Repair shoud do it, but jic the info above may apply.


Compaq laptop - XP Home

When booting to Windows, you get the message that it didn't boot properly the last time and are given the options of Safe Mode, Last Known Good Config. etc.

If I try to boot normally or Last Good Config, Windows starts up, but screen goes black and it doesn't continue.

If I boot to Safe Mode, it stops after loading mup.sys.

Maybe this is a clue: When I booted with Acronis Rescue Disk to image the drive, the trackpad doesn't respond. Anyway, right now I'm imaging the drive before working on it. I'm thinking the next step is an XP repair.

[kelly]

I did the XP repair - it didn't work. When the machine restarted to finish the Windows repair, received 'lsass.xex - System Error - An invalid parameter was passed to a service to function.

I did the Repaid 2X.

btw: the trackpad IS working. This machine has a switch that turns off the trackpad and it was in the OFF position.

[Seth]

I did the XP repair - it didn't work. When the machine restarted to finish the Windows repair, received 'lsass.xex - System Error - An invalid parameter was passed to a service to function.

That's a reg problem. Since the repair doesn't address that part of the hive, the repair won't work.

Boot to the recovery console and run a chkdsk /r and see if the system boots. If not, go back to the RC and give this a go:

rename "c:\windows\sytem32\config\security" to security.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security

If that doesn't work, this should:

cd \windows\system32\config

ren system system.bad

copy \windows\repair\system

[kelly]

RC wanted password for to get into Windows to fix it. I don't have a password and don't know why this customer would have enabled one. I left the password blank - didn't help.

Right now, the machine comes up at that part of the XP install where it says there's 39 minutes or so until finish and stops with the error message I mentioned in the previous post.

Maybe I'll put the drive out of the laptop, strap it onto my XP machine and try renaming as you suggested.

[Seth]

EBCD (http://ebcd.pcministry.com/) can wipe that password. I've also discovered that sometimes as soon as you type "1", immediately start tapping enter as fast as you can and you may able to slip by the password.

You should be able to run those commands from a 98 boot floppy. I think EBCD might even have a command prompt option.

[Freehold Fred]

Isn't the default Admin p/w a null. Just hit ENTER.???

Recovery Console will let you look at bootlog.txt for clues. Also, you CAN do a System Restore from Recovery Console.

http://www.myfixes.com/articles/system

I have never tried it, though.

That's a reg problem. Since the repair doesn't address that part of the hive, the repair won't work.

Boot to the recovery console and run a chkdsk /r and see if the system boots. If not, go back to the RC and give this a go:

rename "c:\windows\sytem32\config\security" to security.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security

If that doesn't work, this should:

cd \windows\system32\config

ren system system.bad

copy \windows\repair\system

[Seth]

Isn't the default Admin p/w a null. Just hit ENTER.???

Recovery Console will let you look at bootlog.txt for clues. Also, you CAN do a System Restore from Recovery Console.

http://www.myfixes.com/articles/system

I have never tried it, though.

The RC will ask for a password even if no password exists. And yes, the default is blank and you just hit enter, but Tony already tried that.

I'm pretty sure the repair install deletes the restore points.

[kelly]

Thanks guys - I have the drive slaved to another machine.

1) There is no bootlog.txt file on the drive.
2) There is no Windows/System32/Repair folder on the drive.

I'll continue looking for a solution.

[kelly]

I restored the drive from an image I made when it came in here. Back to the beginning. This time, I'm able to get to Recovery Console - ran chkdsk /r. Problem persists.

The files Seth mentioned don't exist on this drive. I verified that when I had it slaved to another machine. So, XP repair doesn't work. Any other suggestions?

[kelly]

Today, using the XP install CD, I reinstalled XP over the old. I was hoping that it preserve the applications, but it didn't. Oh well.

[Seth]

Sorry I couldn't help you any more with the issue.

I couldn't begin to tell you how many hours I've spent trying to fix XP reg problems. If you google the issue, you'll find many different methods. There is no way to tell what one will work for a particular version of XP.

Regarding the over the top: The whole registry is replaced, so any applications that incorporate themselves into the registry (most do) will still be in program files, but they won't work.

I've also read that OTT will delete the Documents and Settings folder, but I've never had that happen.

[kelly]

OTT didn't delete the D&S folders. Also, the applications didn't show up in the Start menu.

Question: do you know which file Windows uses to determine which drivers load and in which order? Maybe it can be edited to 'not load' the driver that normally loads after mup.sys.

[Seth]

The apps should still be in C:\Program Files.

Not sure about the driver question.

[kelly]

I copied the system.bak to system32\config\system - didn't work.

I thought I asked this, but haven't found the post. Is there a file that Windows uses to determine which drivers to load and in what order. If I could get to that file and delete the entry after mup.sys, maybe I can get past this.

(again, excuse me if I posted this yesterday. I thought I had, but can't find it)

[dbarrow]

Repair is in %\Windows\repair
Copy \repair Sam, Security, System, Software files to
\Windows\System32\config

[kelly]

That actually worked. I copied the files as Doug suggested. Now it boots OK into Safe Mode, but won't boot normally.

What's interesting is that if I turn off everything under selective Startup in msconfig - it still won't boot to Normal, only to Safe Mode.

[Seth]

Tony,

Load a program like Ccleaner that shows the startup entries. These types of programs can show startup entries that msconfig won't. I think Process Explorer has a lethal startup tool as well. Anyway, disable all the startup's you can.

Did you run a good virus scan when you slaved the drive?

Also, it still could be a bad driver. Is anything needless attached to the lappy?

[kelly]

Nothing attached to the machine other than the power cable. When it tries to start normally, you see the Windows XP screen come up with the three blue buttons running across the screen for a few seconds and then it just reboots.

[Seth]

Now that it boots to Safe Mode, I would try Last Known...again.

Failing that, go into Safe Mode and disable auto restart on errors. Hopefully, you'll get an error code instead of the restart.