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

A driver before mup.sys causes this. Name the drivers before mup.sys.

Real issue can be hardware or software.

Which external hardware can you use?

USB floppy, USB keyboard, USB mouse

Hi!

@jaclaz: it would not allow me to terminate explorer.exe and I got the same result as before when typing in the longer command. Busy doing the DIR bit - will post results soon.

@cdob: the drivers before Mup.sys are: 1394BUS, ohci1394, NDIS, Ntfs, KSecDD, PxHelp20, DRVMCDB, sr, fltmgr, CLASSPNP, disk, atapi, VolSnap and a few more (not sure if you want the whole list?). These are in order from the first one above Mup, going upwards.

I can use my USB mouse, but I have disconnected all USB devices from the laptop.

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

A driver before mup.sys causes this. Name the drivers before mup.sys.

Real issue can be hardware or software.

Which external hardware can you use?

USB floppy, USB keyboard, USB mouse

Usually I would think it would be whatever is after Mup.sys. Doing a step-by-step confirmation boot would allow you to know exactly which item causes the error.

@jaclaz: just wanted to let you know I haven't abandoned this post - just have a busy hotel at the moment. I found something else out - when I looked at the recovery disk info, it tells me that the laptop came loaded with XP Home, not Pro. My fiance (who's old laptop it is) then told me he go XP Pro from his brother's disk ages ago. Can you please tell me if this will create a problem and make getting the DIR files obsolete?

@tripredacus: I thought the same, as I have been told that by a few people already. I don't know how to do a step-by-step boot, so will wait to see if I must carry on with jaclaz's operation

At early Windows boot loads drivers from hard disk to RAM: black text background.

Last boot driver is usualy mup.sys. Drivers are not active so far.

Next drivers are initialized: driver communicate with hardware: graphic background

Given a false driver or broken hardware, you may get a BSOD. This relate to a driver before mup.sys

Of course there are erros after mup.sys too.

Can you read any driver name at BSOD?

PxHelp20, DRVMCDB are non default drivers: seems to relate to Sonic's RecordNow!.

A long shot:

can you disable the touchpad in BIOS?

can you disconned the DVD drive?

Which USB hard disks do you use?

Did you ever dismantle a USB hard disk?

Idea: remove hard disk from laptop. Insert to USB chassis. Attach the USB laptop disk to Windows 7 netbook .

Which data do you miss?

Which applications did you used?

Hullo all you lovely helpful people

My brother is coming to Malawi from a more civilized place and he is bringing me a SATA/USB cable. Will that allow me to get everything off so that I can then use the recovery disk?

Hoping and hoping....

Hi there

I didn't want to ask for help and run - but thanks to everybody for your advice and suggestions. I managed to use the SATA/USB cable to get everything off my hard drive and then used the recovery disk to start afresh. Interestingly enough, I had the same problem happen yesterday and I had to re-format!!! Don't know what's going on, but that SATA cable has paid for itself many times over.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Yep , but it is "abby something" :

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/quotes?qt=qt0504329

that you have two such issues in such a short time.

If I were you I would check (and double check and triple check) the internal hard disk and ALL software you installed for any kind of Virus/malware.

jaclaz