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November 16th, 2005 13:00

The owner of the notebook PC reported (a short while ago) that none of the options worked.

I just started and tried 'Last known good configuration that worked'

The Windows XP 'flag' and gas guage displayed for awhile (about a minute) and then the system reverted to a totally black (empty) screen / display (and this is a lot of black. The screen is quite large.)

Now what?

141 Posts

November 16th, 2005 14:00

You can also use the option to install the drive internally into another system to recover the data (but connect it as a slave and keep your master drive as the boot drive). You can have the drive detected in the BIOS prior to booting and data recovery. which should also display the condition of that drive once the information is displayed (BIOS). Once accomplished, the boot drive in the system extracting the data, can also format the drive as well.

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November 16th, 2005 18:00

Get what data off the drive you can before trying any repairs.

If you have an XP Pro SP2 cd then you could try running a Repair Install. In the unlikely event that the problem is with mup.sys, rename mup.sys and copying a new mup.sys from XP cd. A few answers in this thread (scroll down):

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_20584708.html

btw, on this board you have to enter the entire search term; mup won't do.

 

 

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November 17th, 2005 18:00

I checked a Dell Precision 670 workstation's XP Pro and found yet another time stamp value:

08/04/2004 06:00AM 107,904 mup.sys

Should I take the one with the latest time stamp (highest version number?) and put it on the failing system, after renaming?

 

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November 17th, 2005 18:00

Thank you very much.
I am comparing the failing machine (a notebook) to a working one (Dell Optiplex GX280) with the following findings:
 
Bad one:
08/04/04 02:15A 107,904 mup.sys
 
Working one
08/04/04 05:00A 107,904 mup.sys
 
My memory tells me that the time stamp is used in files of this type to record the actual version number, so I am wondering whether this is the case in this instance.
 
Also, the owner confided in me that the failing notebook system originally came with Windows XP Home but that another person supporting this owner (spouse of a friend?) at some point copied the important data and, for some reason, installed the Professional XP version, which is what is on it now.
I do not know whether the differences in version (time stamp) have anything to do with Home versus Pro versions. Does that difference pertain?
Also, the notebook is hp pavilion ze4400
 
 

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November 17th, 2005 19:00

On the CD from the Recovery console I can see (DIR M* )

08/29/02 04:00p 52,852 MUP.sy_

Is there a command for me to "extract" that file and put it into C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS in place of the mup.sys already there (but apparently not working)?

I am familiar with DOS commands but do not know Recovery Console

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November 18th, 2005 13:00

maxd

I used EXPAND MUP.SY_ C:

The date stamp (new) is 10:12P on the resulting MUP.sys

Behavior on boot-up is unchanged now (halts after

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)particion(a)\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\Mup.sys

[ My brain suggests that it would not be the MUP file that blocks this but rather the file that FOLLOWS mup.sys when a boot is successful. Where is my thought process astray? ]

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November 18th, 2005 14:00

Forget about mup.sys.

My brain suggests your boot.ini file is wrong and working with the bootcfg command (from the Recovery Console) may fix it. No experience with this but I'd try these commands first:

bootcfg

If that doesn't do anything after exiting and restarting try this one:

bootcfg /default (note space)

Here's a link to work off of. http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=291980

PS Here's the experts-exchange link I tried to post earlier in this thread.

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_21351704.html

Message Edited by maxd on 11-18-2005 11:42 AM

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November 18th, 2005 16:00

Thank you.

Just for the record -- when I found this error might have something to do with recent hardware, particularly USB, I asked the owner. What I learned is that, yes, recently the person did plug in a digital camera using USB -- the camera was a Nikon.  point-and-shoot, autofocus, probably about $200

Does this (new) information change anything?

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November 18th, 2005 16:00

bootcfg /rebuild
 
"Scanning all disks for Windows installations.
Please wait, since this may take a while..."

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November 18th, 2005 16:00

The Windows installation scan was successful.

Total identified Windows installs: 1

[1]: C:\WINDOWS

Add installation to boot list? Yes/No/All: y

Enter Load Identifier: 1

Enter OS Load Options: []

Is it Ok to leave this blank?

2 Intern

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November 18th, 2005 16:00

[ Will I be answering "2" -- to Add ? ]

bootcfg /default

"...

Total entries in boot list: 2

 

[1] ""

OS Load Options:

OS Location: C:\WINDOWS

[2] "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"

OS Load Options: /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

OS Location: C:\WINDOWS

Select installation to add: []

2 Intern

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2.4K Posts

November 18th, 2005 21:00

Not sure. I think you could type this is in though:

/fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

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November 19th, 2005 12:00

From the instructions at the MS link I understand that value is for SP2, the second part being left off if NOT Service Pack 2.
Everything I have done so far has resulted in no improvement, although it has not made anything worse either. I was also working on two other notebook computers (both Dell) and was able to complete those during the work week. The owner is taking this one back for the weekend and pondering what her next step may be (in consultation with her non-technical husband). I will be considering the problem during my night dreams (and shower/shave/walk).
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