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BigSkyCountryFlag for United States of America

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windows XP won't boot in safe mode after windows os update install

I have a Dell machine running windows xp sp2 - auto update came up , downloaded & installed, then did a boot. After the boot it stuck at the windows splash screen with the load bar just rolling back & forth.  Finally forced it down, tried a restart at "last known good" - didn't work,  tried a restart in safe mode - sticks at mup.sys.  Had just updated norton before the os upgrade and ran a full scan (clean) - don't think it's a virus - quite sure it must be related to os update - any suggestions would be appreciated. I really hate to reload to os from scratch.  

Thanks
Avatar of Millie4Life
Millie4Life

What form of safe-mode did you use? Compand prompt only? With network support?

What happened when you tried the "Last Known Good" configuration? I can't remember if that option even is selectable if such a path was not turned on, which hopefully it was.
Avatar of blandyuk
Found this article on this issue:

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-71958.php

Someone on another forum managed to fix this problem. It seemed to be with the BIOS but I got to admit that it could be anything. Worth a try thou. Here it the post + the URL:

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Yeah, same problem everybody has been talking about... Mups.sys. In my case, the system would eventually boot up... maybe 30 minutes or so to do, then it was another 20 minute wait to get the desktop. Thereafter, all the app's crawled. Bascially, the system was not usable. I went through hell trying to fix this problem and spent $600 replacing parts to no avail. Basically, I now have a new machine. Gosh, I'm good at installing windows too since I have done it so many times now. In my case, booting the system up with a CD in the DVD/RW tray caused the problem. Typically, the CD was something I was using in the reinstall process and not the XP CD. I can now reproduce the problem. Maybe this wouldn't be a problem if I switched the first boot device to the harddrive in the BIOS but I have not test that. Of course, your mileage may vary. Good luck to all.

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1158099135
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You could also check Google as your not alone is this ;)

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=hang+mup.sys&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Does your Dell box have the "F12" option available during the boot cycle.
If so, it will get you into a 'Diagnostic' mode and you may be able to identify a different problem.

You can also try using one of the "Boot CDs" that are available.
That would at least get you in looking at the system, HDD, Event Viewer ect to try to figure out what went wrong.

Vic
Many of the older Dells needed a BIOS update to work with SP2 . . is that the update that was downloaded? . . You can go to Dell support, put in your Service Tag number to see if yours is one of the models . . the BIOS will "correct microcode" . . Dell speak for " we messed it up the first time.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
simpswr,
I wonder if "undocumented features" can be fixed by "correct microcode".

BigSkyCountry,
This could also be some kind of malfunction from your Norton application.
If you can get any kind of boot mode going (Safe Mode or Boot CD) disable the Norton/Symantec services while you're in there looking around for clues.

You can always re-enable them after you solve the problem - if you want to keep that product.

Vic
The first thing I do in these cases is a chkdsk /r from recovery console. Boot from a Windows XP cd and wait while it loads. Choose "r" at the "setup up Windows XP Now" screen to start recovery console. Enter your administrator password when prompted (just enter for blank). then type chkdsk /r at the recovery console prompt. It should take about 20 minutes unless there are serious problems.

The second thing I do is a repair install. Boot to the Windows XP cd and hit enter at the "setup up Windows XP Now" screen. Accept the license. Choose the XP installation to repair and hit the "r" key.

You may need to reapply SP2.

I most often see the SP2 update go wrong if someone doesn't reboot immediately after applying it.

Cheers.
Avatar of BigSkyCountry

ASKER

Hello - sorry for the delay in replying to all your comments (thanks by the way - much appreciated). To answer a few questions.  The OS update was not sp2 (already installed) just some security updates auto-update said it needed. once installed it did it's auto restart and thats when the problem started.  I don't really think it's norton - I had just done a renew on it - live update & a full scan without problems before the os update thing.  The Dell is only about 1 1/2 years old with no history of problems.

Once it failed the first time - I forced down, did a restart with safe mode - network.  It hangs on the mup.sys line (all the time), then after about 10 minutes goes to a blue screen with this message:

STOP: C0000135 {Unable to locate component} This application has failed to start because basesrv was not found. Re-installation of the application may fix this problem.

I tried all the safe-mode options & they all do the same thing.

I tried putting an OS disk in the top CD slot and reboot but it did not kick into install.  I was going to make a CD boot disk and see if I could get it to boot into something that I could work with (haven't done this yet this morning). I'm not sure how this machine is set to boot - it almost appears as if it doesn't look to the CD ROm for 1st boot given it ignored the OS install CD I tried (bummer)  I tried F12 - not to sound too dumb - but at what point in the boot might this work? At the safe-boot option? there is no message to indicate the F12 might be something I could do.

Any ideas?  Thanks again for the responses-
Which is the exact model of Dell?
Yours may be different from the ones we have.
The 'F12' option usually comes up during the first couple of screens when starting up from a 'Power Off' situation.

"F2" is also an option (at the same time) - to take you into the BIOS configuration setup.
That is where you can change the 'Boot Order'.

Vic
Hi - F1 got us into confi mode- set the boot to go off the CDROM - put the xp os install disk in and booted - got into install mode - select 'R' for repair, - it hung again at same spot.  This is a DELL Dimension 8400 running XP Pro.  I did alot more searching on the Internet - and it sure points to SP2 - I'm reasonably sure SP2 wasn't in the updates - they were all KB - security issues - however I have doubts from all the postings on this error with SP2.

Thanks
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younghv
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Thanks! - I'll read the articles first before I attempt it again.
Please take a couple of minutes to review this one:

This is another excellent article on how to perform an XP repair:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm


It may be one of the most referenced site on E-E.

Or this one from one of the geniouses here:

http://www.alaynah.net/shehar/expert.htm
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simpswr,
Great sites - I'll save those.

BigSkyCountry, the 8400 should have come with a Floppy drive.
If it did not, here is a link to creating an XP CD with SATA drivers on it:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=3708


Vic
Hi - hey great information - I do so appreciate it - I'll be working on this machine on Saturday when I have no one else bothering me :)  This machine doesn't have a floppy so the link on creating one will be of great help.

 by the way- I found out that this machine was still under warranty with Dell so I emailed the tech group - they told me to use this link to fix it

"Here is a link to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article on that stop error code: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885523"

I followed the link and it appears to not be what is my problem - they sort of blew me off & said to use it or just reinstall the os.  Love the value of my extended service.

Thanks for your assistance - I think I'll be able to put this back together tomorrow thanks to your help
FWIW . . floppy drives are dirt cheap these days . . you can buy a drive and a ribbon connector for less than $20 . . temporarily attach for the install ation or install perminently.

The Dell reinstall CD's do not lend themselves to slipstreaming very easily
BigSkyCountry,

Thank you for the points - it is always gratifying to get them.

With that said, I think one of the most important pieces of information given here was on the SATA drivers by simpswr.

If you're not familiar with the 'Points Splitting' option, the link is here: https://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi69

If you could ask a moderator to re-open the question, you can split up some points to recognize the research and sharing he did.

Thank you again and I'll see you around the forums.

Vic
Hi - thanks for the email - I felt bad about that- I intended to split it and breezed through - I wasn't aware you could reopen & rectify it.  How do you reach a moderator?
I've never done it, but I think you can just post a question here: https://www.experts-exchange.com/Community_Support/askQuestion.jsp and a moderator will respond.

Thanks,
Vic
Thanks . .