mattykegs Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Hello, I've been unable to start Windows. When I try to start it the furthest I get is to the desktop but it's completely empty with no task bar or anything else. I've been able to get it up in safe mode but it is extremely slow in there. So slow that it took several minutes for icons to appear on the desktop and several more minutes just to open a folder. Most of the time the PC makes little noise but there will be periods where it sounds like it's working hard.One note when I started in safe mode the screen showed several lines of DOS code that saidMulti(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system32\driver followed by a list of filenames. I wonder if this is a driver issue.Any advice is greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Would be helpful to know which Windows O/S you are using :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattykegs Posted May 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Hi. I'm using Windows XP. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Would it not be best to do a fresh install, then get a plug in hard drive and save a mirror image in a program like Acronis? This would avoid such a problem in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattykegs Posted May 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Would it not be best to do a fresh install, then get a plug in hard drive and save a mirror image in a program like Acronis? This would avoid such a problem in the future.Are you saying I should save the backup to the plug in hard drive before or after the reinstall? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Before you start disturbing the software check the hardwareTake the side off the the PC and blow all the dust out. Then, if you can, start up in safe mode and download a copy of CrapCleaner and run both parts of that.Then try PC boot again.If that has not made things much better then think about RAM.If you have two sticks take one out and try it with just one. It may slow things down a little but it should still work if that bit of RAM is OK.Then repeat this test with the other stick of RAM.if this fails try a box of matches and a bucket of petrol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system32\driver followed by a list of filenames. I wonder if this is a driver issue.Is the last line displayed ? :-multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\mup.sysDo you have a proper XP installation CD (rather than some sort of manufacturer restore CD) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattykegs Posted May 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Is the last line displayed ? :-multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\mup.sysDo you have a proper XP installation CD (rather than some sort of manufacturer restore CD) ?Yes, the last line is exactly the same, ending in Mup.sysI don't believe I have a full blown XP install disc.Another note, it has been pretty warm where I am the past few days, which could definitely be contributing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Yes, the last line is exactly the same, ending in Mup.sysI don't believe I have a full blown XP install disc.If you can get hold of (borrow ?) a full XP disc try a repair installation of XP. See :-/>http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/repair_installation_xp/repair_installation_xp.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted May 5, 2010 Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 Would it not be best to do a fresh install, then get a plug in hard drive and save a mirror image in a program like Acronis? This would avoid such a problem in the future.Are you saying I should save the backup to the plug in hard drive before or after the reinstall?If you do a new install, save a mirror image AFTERWARDS when everything is running correctly. Then make a fresh back up regularly as you install updates etc. Try the others suggestions first of course. You say that you may not have a full installation disk. This is just one reason why I won't ever buy a commercially produced computer. Many on here make their own. I am not clever enough to do that, but always buy from a local shop, and insist on a full installation disk being supplied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattykegs Posted May 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 Thanks for all the feedback. I'm still working on this. Right now I'm backing up my most important files to a USB through the Safe Mode Command Prompt. This is going to take some time but I'll post results when I get them... hopefully this weekendCheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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