Windows XP Serious windows XP problems

[Jimjimini]

Hello all

Here are my specs:

Windows SP3
AMD athlon dual core 3800 +
2 gig ram
BFG 8800 GTS
MSI K9N SLI motherboard

some background info:

I have been having some problems with my computer recently. It started when out of the blue, the image on the screen began to break up and distort - basically artifacting - for no apparant reason. So i downloaded and correctly installed some new drivers for the graphics card (assuming that was the problem) and the image break up still happened. It got to a point where, after turning on the computer and getting to the screen telling me that windows shut down unexpectantly and offered me the options to boot in safe mode, run normally etc etc, the monitor could not seem to display that message correctly; it was breaking up that message and became unreadable.

so i whipped out that 8800 and installed my old 7950 GT. I managed to get to the screen that told me my computer had shut down unexpectedly etc etc and i could actually see the options to boot normally and so on. So it was fair to assume that the 8800 had probably degraded over time. The graphics were appearing fine on the monitor (with the 7950 GT card); the image was normal.

Here is where I am stuck:

So i tried to boot in safe mode, so i could remove the drivers for the 8800 GTS and install the drivers for the 7950, just to be 100% sure it was the 8800 that was playing up. However whilst safe mode was loading, the screen hung on:

" \WINDOWS\system32\drivers\mup.sys "

The screen would not progress further than that. I looked up what MUP.sys is and some articles suggested that it was not mup.sys that was the problem, it was something else. Some other articles suggested i used the recovery disc. So i stuck in the recovery disc; however, the process hung when i got to this point:

" Examining 190780 mb disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on nvatabus... "

So i cannot actually get to the recovery screen. I've already tried looking up solutions, but the solutions conflict - if i try and fix the mup.sys problem, the solutions say to boot with the recovery disc (which i cannot do) and if i look up solutions for the recovery disc issue then they say to boot in safe mode (which i cannot do). I was not given the XP CD with the computer, only the recovery disc.

Thanks for reading if you got this far: Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

 

[Jimjimini]

Note: I have also tried booting in VGA mode, last know good configuration mode and running windows normally mode. Each time i get to the same screen; the windows loading screen with the little blue bar scrolling under the logo. It seems to be hanging there.

 

[TriplexDread]

Have you tried safe mode (f8)

 

[Jimjimini]

Have you tried safe mode (f8)

thanks for the response,

I can get to the menu that offers me options (vga mode, safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with cmd prompt) but when i try safe mode, it starts to load then hangs on this message:

\windows\system32\drivers\mup.sys

i cant manage to boot into safe mode

 

[fazda666]

Hi,
maybe you should try a 'live os', to check if it is the hardware which is going wrong or its windows. I hope you understand what i mean by a live os.

 

[Jimjimini]

Hi,
maybe you should try a 'live os', to check if it is the hardware which is going wrong or its windows. I hope you understand what i mean by a live os.

i certainly do however i fear discussing it openly on a forum may not be the best idea .

 

[fazda666]

well normally for me i try linux, to help out and solve the problem. Apart from that i dont kno if there is anything you can do. Maybe giving it a whack might work!

 

[Jimjimini]

well normally for me i try linux, to help out and solve the problem. Apart from that i dont kno if there is anything you can do. Maybe giving it a whack might work!

i'll have a go with linux and see if i can get it to at least boot from the cd, thanks for the help

 

[Madxgraphics]

i certainly do however i fear discussing it openly on a forum may not be the best idea .

A live OS is nothing more than Linux Live CD, there would be nothing wrong with discussing it here..There are a few Linux nuts on this forum..Failing using a Linux Live CD, you could borrow an XP CD from somebody and use that to do a repair install..Just remember if you are on XP home to use and XP home disk and the same for XP Pro with XP pro..

 

[Anon_F]

Maybe giving it a whack might work!

5lb lump hammer works well!

 

[fazda666]

i see feckit u been tryin out the whacking style! 5lb lump hammer ouch! i wouldnt want to be ur computer!

 

[Jimjimini]

right i have found an XP PRO cd (yes i know its not the right one) so give me a moment to get back to you all

 

[Madxgraphics]

right i have found an XP PRO cd (yes i know its not the right one) so give me a moment to get back to you all

Well if you don't have XP Pro installed on your machine it aint going to work. Simple as that.

 

[Jimjimini]

Well if you don't have XP Pro installed on your machine it aint going to work. Simple as that.

i've reformatted about 60% so far then install xp pro, dont see how thats a problem!

 

[Madxgraphics]

i've reformatted about 60% so far then install xp pro, dont see how thats a problem!

Ok I am getting a bit confused here. Are you doing a fresh install of XP Pro ?

 

[Jimjimini]

Ok I am getting a bit confused here. Are you doing a fresh install of XP Pro ?

yes, i have done that and it has worked, the OS is running ok. I am struggling to connect to the internet though. Should i post that problem here or in other part of the forum? thanks again for your help

 

[Madxgraphics]

yes, i have done that and it has worked, the OS is running ok. I am struggling to connect to the internet though. Should i post that problem here or in other part of the forum? thanks again for your help

Thats good then, I was under the impression you were trying to do a repair install of XP home with an XP Pro disk..
Might aswell post your problem here as it all relates to the same machine i'd say.

 

[Jimjimini]

Thats good then, I was under the impression you were trying to do a repair install of XP home with an XP Pro disk..
Might aswell post your problem here as it all relates to the same machine i'd say.

yeah i changed my mind, it was simply impossible to engage in any repairs. i even tried repairing on the xp pro disc and it said itself the hard disk was either too damaged or corrupted for any repairs to even be engaged.

Basically, my computer connects directly to the internet. the other computers on my network connect to the internet through my computer (through a hub/router). The internet works fine (this laptop is wirelessly connected to router and the internet), the physical connections are all there.

My computer can't seem to pick up the network, or any sort of connection, despite being directly connected to the internet. I've tried the wizard a few times but with no luck. do i need to change a setting somewhere with the network? any ideas?