multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\Dr

[superqueen]

I have a Toshiba Satellite A100-529 running XP Pro SP3. 2 nights ago I shut down as usual. yesterday morning I started up and everything was normal. My desktop loaded as per usual but I could not select ANYTHING on it. The only thing I can do is open Avast from the tray and run a general scan which says everything is ok, and I can open up the Start menu, but not select anything, and I can open up the Task Manager which shows a bunch of processes happening but no applications, and I can open up a Run command box but nothing happens. The hourglass keeps spinning (or in this case, the dinosaur keeps walking). I tried to start in Safe mode but I get along list of drivers on a black page, ending in multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\Mup.sys. If I leave that onscreen for a few minutes, it then flashes to a BSOD, saying Windows has encountered an error and needs to restart (can't see the rest) and then goes back to the screen asking me which mode to start in and when I select Safe mode again, it then starts up and goes to the desktop which doesn't work again. I can see everything just sitting there, and I can't access a single thing! I do not have an XP disk, as my old laptop came already installed. I am in Africa in the middle of nowhere and am a total amateur who can follow instructions well (basic knowledge from fooling around with things myself). I could use my Toshiba recovery disk, but that would format my laptop and I have not been able to do a backup in a few weeks, as a family of spiders decided to make their home in my external HD and it had to be repaired and formatted! And I need everything on it, as we use the laptop as our hotel reception computer and it has EVERYTHING on it. Really worried and hoping you can help! Thank you! Lauren

[Tripredacus]

Well since you are getting an error, we can start there. When you go into the F8 menu (to choose Safe Mode), choose the Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure. Then when you try to go to Safe Mode and you get the BSOD, it won't reboot automatically and you can tell us what it says.

[jaclaz]

UNfortunately the "mup.sys" error means "nothing", as Tripredacus adviced, first thing you must stop the rebooting from happening, so that you can read the BSOD and it's STOP ERROR CODE.

BUT, it seems to me like you have two (possibly separate) issues:

1. Normal Mode actually boots BUT you cannot "select" anything
   
2. Safe Mode goes out to BSOD
   

You can open Task Manager (I presume with CTRL+ALT+DEL), right?

Can you run from Task Manager an App (Applications Tab, New Task)?

Like if you have on that laptop 7-zip or any other file manager, can you start it?

Or can you start cmd.exe from Task Manager?

(the idea is to let you copy/backup your data before anything else)

jaclaz

[superqueen]

Thanks so much for replying! I now have a new problem - although I am tapping F8 like a madwoman, it just does a normal startup and goes to my desktop as usual. While I was waiting for a response here, I clicked the normal Shut Down button on the Start menu and it tried to shut down but one of those "ending program" boxes popped up and after I let it run, I had to choose the End Now option. The program was apparently called TPSMainWnd. When I tried Googling it, I got some weird stuff popping up - you know, like random words strung together with that program name inbetween. Is it possible this is a virus or something? Will keep trying to get into the startup modes page...

[superqueen]

Hi jaclaz - only refreshed after replying to the first responder. Thanks to you too!

I have tried to do various tasks in Task manager, but each time they create a freeze. The only thing I can do is delete processes (I deleted random ones like Avast and Google updater, just to check). Anything which requires a response from the computer creates a freeze. I can normally still click Start to open up the menu, but also cannot select anything on the menu. I am so confused! I have read about 50 different forum topics today and nobody has a problem quite like this, so have tried bits and pieces from all over to no avail.

Any suggestions welcome. I'm holding thumbs!

[superqueen]

Finally got it on F8 - hang on a minute...

[superqueen]

I had to take a movie of the whole process because it was still doing the auto restart from BSOD. My movie was a bit chopped off on the left, but the Technical info at the bottom says the following as far as I can see:

STOP: 0x0000000A (0xF7co7354, 0x000000FF, 0x00000001, 0x804E2E51)

Hope that means something....

Thanks!

[submix8c]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314063

3d party hardware (drivers) or software.

Suggested from KB article (assuming software problem) -

How to start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature

To start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, follow these steps:

1. Start your computer.

2. When you see the "Please select the operating system to start" message, press the F8 key.

3. When the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, use the ARROW keys to select Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked), and then press ENTER.

4. If you are running other operating systems on your computer, use the ARROW keys to select Microsoft Windows XP, and then press ENTER.

Otherwise, it suggests a "repair install" (we won't discuss that yet, as there are "rules" you must follow to do that).

If you are able to get to that KB article, read Part 1 - "Hardware" (could be RAM even...).

Note: "TPSMainWnd" appears to be a TouchPad file...

Spiders - hmmmm... better crack the lappie open and check for "stuff" inside (clean it!).

[superqueen]

Heya submix8c. Good morning from my neck of the woods!

Sorry, I never mentioned that I had tried that already (last good config) Same problemo. Will go to read that article now. And will check for spiders as best as possible - just scared to take things apart in case I end up with one screw left over when putting them back...

Thanks everyone for your patient manner in explaining things.

[superqueen]

Hi. I am at a dead end again....any advice on where to go next? Thanks

[jaclaz]

Can you just attempt doing the following:

1. bring up task manager
   
2. change to the Application tab
   
3. press the button New Task
   
4. type in it cmd.exe
   
5. press OK button
   

Descrbe EXACTLY what happens when you try doing EXACTLY the above, when exactly (at which steps it freezes if it freezes, etc., etc.).

Apart from this:

Do you have the Toshiba recovery CD/DVD with you?

Can you on another working machine make a DIR /S of it and post it?

Can you byurn (on the other machine) a CD/DVD?

Or have you got a USB stick that you can use?

In some cases it is possible to recreate a XP "install disc" suitable for "Repair" from the recovery CD/DVD.

jaclaz

[superqueen]

OK, I did those step by step instructions and as soon as I press OK, the New Task box vanishes, apart from a little bit stuck on the screen . After a while, that vanishes and I am left with a blank Task Manager box - it just has its frame with the title and minimise/close buttons. And everything is frozen again - I can't close the Task Manager, it gives me the End Now option, but when I click End Now it just brings up that darn dinosaur.

To answer the rest:

Yes, I have the Toshiba recovery disk.

The other machine I am working on is a Mac. Can I make a DIR /S on a Mac, and if I can, will you tell me how?

I can burn CD/DVD on the Mac.

I also have various memory sticks and another 500G hard drive which is not spider-ridden

[superqueen]

Forgot to mention I also have a netbook which has no CD/DVD drive but is working perfectly with Windows7 (also already installed, no disk).

[jaclaz]

OK, I did those step by step instructions and as soon as I press OK, the New Task box vanishes, apart from a little bit stuck on the screen . After a while, that vanishes and I am left with a blank Task Manager box - it just has its frame with the title and minimise/close buttons. And everything is frozen again - I can't close the Task Manager, it gives me the End Now option, but when I click End Now it just brings up that darn dinosaur.

Hmmm.

What happens if you terminate the Explorer.exe process before attempting to go to the "New Task"?

Also, try to input instead of CMD.EXE, C:\Windows\System32\CMD.EXE ....

To get a DIR of the CD, since you will need anyway to work on it on a Windws based machine, easier would probably be:

• make a .iso image of the CD/DVD (should be through the Disk utility on the Mac)
  
• copy the .iso image on the USB stick (the stick needs to be partitioned/formatted with a filesystem that Windows 7 can access)
  
• get on the Windows 7 machine 7-zip (if you haven't it already: http://www.7-zip.org/ )
  
• use 7-zip to extract contents of the .iso to a folder (please use a "simple" path with No spaces in it's name, like C:\mytoshcd\)
  
• open a command prompt in windows 7
  
• Run these two commands:
  

  DIR /S C:\mytoshcd>C:\mydir.dir
  DIR /S /B C:\mytoshcd>C:\mydirB.dir

  
  

• compress the two .dir files into a .zip archive and attach the archive to your next post (or upload it somewhere and post a link)
  

jaclaz

[superqueen]

Thanks jaclaz!

Will get working on that and hopefully come back with a successful result. I'm a bit slow (and running the lodge with a new baby!) so will probably be back sometime tomorrow

Thanks very very much!

Lauren