Windows XP suddenly stops booting

**stardeep2000** · June 23rd, 2004, 04:25 PM

I have had this problem 3 times now! after reinstalling a new copy of windows xp on my computer it will stop booting without warning or provocation. I am not sure why its doing it, I didn't install anything new or do anything different on it. It was just restarted. Xp will not boot into safe mode, it seems to freeze on MUP.SYS. THe computer POST's just fine, and I can get all the way up to the splash screen for windows after picking the os *I have 2 installations of xp on my computer* I have tried to do a install repair, no luck either. I was just wondering if anyone else had the same issues.

MSI motherboard w/ VIAKT333 chipset
1024 MB ozc (sp?) DDR 333 memory
2x 120GB WD 8mb 7200 rpm in raid 1
integrated promise lite riad controller
ati all in wonder radion 7500
amd althon xp 2100
intel pro 100 ethernet pci
usb keyboard and mouse

if you want to know anything else I will still be able to get email on my mac ! [email protected]

**Diver01** · June 23rd, 2004, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by stardeep2000

I have had this problem 3 times now! after reinstalling a new copy of windows xp on my computer it will stop booting without warning or provocation. I am not sure why its doing it, I didn't install anything new or do anything different on it. It was just restarted. Xp will not boot into safe mode, it seems to freeze on MUP.SYS. THe computer POST's just fine, and I can get all the way up to the splash screen for windows after picking the os *I have 2 installations of xp on my computer* I have tried to do a install repair, no luck either. I was just wondering if anyone else had the same issues.

MSI motherboard w/ VIAKT333 chipset
1024 MB ozc (sp?) DDR 333 memory
2x 120GB WD 8mb 7200 rpm in raid 1
integrated promise lite riad controller
ati all in wonder radion 7500
amd althon xp 2100
intel pro 100 ethernet pci
usb keyboard and mouse

if you want to know anything else I will still be able to get email on my mac ! [email protected]

First thing I would suspect is the RAM. You do not mention how many sticks of ram you have but you maywant to try removing 1 stick and try booting it.

I had a similar issue with my PC and it was a bad memory stick straight ought of the box. RMA to Newegg and got a replacement. Worked like a champ.

Other than that, you have 2 drives Mirrored? Could be a bad sector maybe?

**stardeep2000** · June 24th, 2004, 04:11 AM

Originally Posted by Diver01

First thing I would suspect is the RAM. You do not mention how many sticks of ram you have but you maywant to try removing 1 stick and try booting it.

I had a similar issue with my PC and it was a bad memory stick straight ought of the box. RMA to Newegg and got a replacement. Worked like a champ.

Other than that, you have 2 drives Mirrored? Could be a bad sector maybe?

This hasn't been a ongoing problem, its cropped up recently and I am also hoping with both fingers crossed that its not hardware related. The drives are mirrored in raid 1 with the onboard promise controller. When I had the problem the last time I booted with a disk set of partition magic and wiped my windows partition and made 2 up (one 15 gig and one 40 gig) and loaded to separate installs of XP them and they both will not boot, The 2 drives are matching WD 120 gig drives with 8 meg caches and 7200 rpm speeds. I am guessing that I partitoned them in a way that windows doesn't like (3 NTFS all primary) The frustrating thing is it works great for about 2-3 weeks and then flips out... ? in that instance its hard to pinpoint a problem.
P.S. my motherboard (MSI KT3 Ultra ARU) has an onboard led diagnostic display that tells me if anything is amiss and it always says there is nothing wrong, also picked a memory manufacturer that MSI recommended for the board. But will try it anyway !

Thanks for the input, thinking about doing a rain dance around it too. :P just in case.

**confus-ed** · June 24th, 2004, 04:20 AM

MUP.sys is the sort of 'catch everything left' "driver" (I use that word very 'advisedly' there) its very simmilar in usage to vmm32.vxd in 98 - in that its 'created' by windows to match up all your stuff & sort out any interdependancies between equipment ..

What I'd advise here is a completely clean install (judicious use of FDisk advised) using absolutely no third party utils (PM does cyclinder boundaries 'wrong' as far as windows is concerned) & then restore the install from a backup (which is 'minus' the hardware keys of course) ..

**stardeep2000** · June 24th, 2004, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

MUP.sys is the sort of 'catch everything left' "driver" (I use that word very 'advisedly' there) its very simmilar in usage to vmm32.vxd in 98 - in that its 'created' by windows to match up all your stuff & sort out any interdependancies between equipment ..

What I'd advise here is a completely clean install (judicious use of FDisk advised) using absolutely no third party utils (PM does cyclinder boundaries 'wrong' as far as windows is concerned) & then restore the install from a backup (which is 'minus' the hardware keys of course) ..

Yea, and now to find some way to get the 85 GB's of info to soemthing else, I have an idea but like most of my ideas its long and drawn out, adding 2 80GB drives that are for another pc to my computer, moving it all (data) wiping the raid, and start new with windows... and move it back. I really like the raid for games and encoding video, so I don't wanna lose it, but this problem needs to be fixed *not botting makes the computer a very expensive paperweight* .. I was hoping that someone had this problem and had an easy fix .... oh well maybe next time...