Windows XP Pro SP2 wont boot!!

[Javawag]

Hi, the problem I am having with my other computer is that when I try to boot it, it gets to the Windows loading screen (with the flag and the blue loading bar) and then it beeps and reboots :blink:

I cannot boot into safe mode, safe mode with networking, or safe mode with command prompt as when I do this it gets to the file "Mup.sys" and does the same thing, beeps and reboots. Last known good configuration does the same.

After checking my BIOS settings, the only 2 things that the computer can boot from are Floopy drive and hard drive. I created an ms-dos startup disk from another computer with a fresh mup.sys file on it, however, I could not access my hard drive from MS-DOS.

I do have an XP CD-ROM, however, the BIOS does not allow to boot from a disc (ATAPI Incompatible I think is the error message it gives), so I cannot use XP setup or the recovery console.

I did think that mup.sys was some form of system driver, so I tried unplugging everything from the back of my computer (other than monitor and PS/2 keyboard)- still the same problem.

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks in advance

-Javawag

[Scarecrow Man]

You can boot XP/2K from 4 floppy disks. It takes forever to boot, but it works.

You can find the files here

then log into recovery console and type 'chkdsk /p' after that is finished, type exit and take the floppy disk out.

[savak]

Can these 4 floppy discs be put on a pendrive and boot from there?

I have the same problem on a laptop but have no floppy or cd access

[Scarecrow Man]

Yes?

I have not tested this. As long as your BIOS supports booting from USB I cannot see why not.

[Alan2273]

If you have an XP CD with SP2 and an intel processor read this.

Re: Windows xp freezes at mup.sys

This can be caused by a known problem in Service Pack 2 for WinXP and Intel Prescott processors

http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm

I found this tool and ran it.

http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df...3084/eng/fidenu

31.msi&ProductID=441

and it found the following

Level 2 cache 1MB

CPU Revision 0

I was unable to get a bios update for my motherboard so instead I made a fresh install of WinXP and copied the update.sys file to c:\ and renamed it update.bak

I then installed SP2 for WinXP and as usual the system couldnt boot back into windows.

I went into the recovery console using the XP CD then copied the update.bak file I created back into its original location

(c:\windows\system32\drivers)

I deleted the update.sys that was there

Renamed update.bak to update.sys

rebooted

Its all running again

I am concerned that making this change may affect future updates of the OS but Im continuing to harrass tech support to provide a bios update to fix the problem.

Essentially the problem stems from the Level 2 cache only being 1MB and this being incompatible for SP2's network security functions. Disabling the Level 2 cache apparently works as well altthough your PC will be so slow you'll end up throwing it out the window.

Hope this helps some of you.