Helo All
I am running windows xp professional
A few weeks ago my pc shut down on its own. When i went to to switch it on, it wouldnt boot and i just got a black screen. When i press the restart button, it gives me the option to go into safe mode or start normally. When i start normally it freezes and does nothing and when i start in safe mode it shows a load of files as if they have been deleted.
I have re-installed windows and when the pc restarts itself its fine (i.e when installing the graphics card and restarts it starts normally). However when i turn the pc off and switch it back on i get the same problem.
any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance

p.s i'm thinking it may be a hard drive problem but im not sure

Hello Gazc1253, welcome to PCHF! I have marked this thread as open to encourage the more technically minded amongst us to come and have a look.
Stick with us and someone will be with you asap to assist

thanks smokeycheech

My welcome also, gazc1253!

The list of files that you see load up in Safe Mode is nothing more than Windows listing the drivers that it will use during a Safe Mode session.

Do you have your original Windows OS disk? I would like to suggest that you try a Windows Repair. A very thorough guide to Windows Repair can be found here

Windows XP Professional Repair Guide

Thanks for your reply
I have re-installed windows 3 or 4 times now and the same thing happens. The system is ok when i restart but screws up when i switch off and switch back on. These are a list of errors i get when i enter safe mode just before it freezes (there are a couple missing from the top)

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\l_intl.nls
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\acpi.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\wmilib.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\pci.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\isapup.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\pciide.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\pciindex.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\viaide.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\mountmgr.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\ftdisk.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\dmload.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\dmio.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\partmgr.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\volsnap.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\atopi.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\disk.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\classpmp.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\sr.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\ksecod.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\ntfs.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\ndis.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system 32\drivers\mup.sys

Have you added any new hardware to that system recently? I'm finding many possible reasons for Safe Mode stalling at mup.sys. New hardware is one of them.

Another site suggests removing the CMOS battery, allow the system to sit for a few minutes before replacing and attempting startup.

EDIT: Yet another site, suggests that a format & reinstall is the only solution. Your experience to-date almost confirms that..... ;-(

I will continue to research.

and the oddest solution of all by far.....

but well worth the try ;-)


Hi my XP Pro system got the mup.sys error just out of the blue today. Here's what I did:
1. Ran XP setup and logged onto my C:\windows
2. EXPANDed the d:\i386\mup.sy_ file to C:\windows\system32\drivers folder
after a failed reboot or two I then followed the advice of whoever wrote about pulling out their mouse lead during safe mode boot.
I was running a Logitech cordless mouse off that system at the time and I did the following to get XP to boot successfully:
1. made sure ACPI, Plug & Play, USB all enabled in BIOS 2. moved mouse from the ps/2 port to the first USB port
3. booted using safe mode
4. waited until it hung at Mup.sys
5. removed the mouse cable from the USB port
6. (3 seconds or so pass, the screen went black and safe mode appeared)
7. restarted system
8. booted normally into XP Pro