Mup/bios/ahhh

I have never really used Windows XP and I am attempting to fix my parents computer. When it reboots I tried to get into the bios by hitting F1....this obviously isn't the right key to hit. So instead of using process of elemination I figured I'd just ask which key it is; also can you say the exact time that this key should be pressed.

My Mom claimed she was on AOL and it was running painfully slow so she decided to reboot. When it was rebooting it froze at the loading windows screen. She then called me in and the problem continued to occur. I attempted to go into safe mode and it froze right at loading the mup.sys file. I realize there is a million things on the internet and even on windowsbbs talking about this problem but yet have I to find a solution.

They are running a new dell 2.4 ghz that came with windows xp home installed. They are also plugged into a router/cable modem. But that router connects to my computer and the internet is working perfect for me....so that obviously isn't the problem.

If you have any suggestions PLEASE HELP

Matthew Stanford
ms1730@ship.edu

 

Matthew it's either f8 or delete not qite sure which but try any way.One of them will work,good luck

 

Thanks Tric. I am at work right now but I will be sure to try when I get home; trying 2 is much better than 13 haha. It is just such a pain you'd figure brand new computers (5 months old) wouldn't just get messed up without changing any settings. My parents barely use the darn thing for anything except e-mail and basic word functions and such. Hopefully I can figure it out and I won't have to deal with dell support people; because their solution to everything is just reformat everything and that doesn't solve the problem it just supresses it.

 

Make sure everything is plugged in and turned on before you start the system.

For most Dell machines, believe it or not, it is the Del key that gets you into the BIOS setup program to change parameters in CMOS. Clever, eah? Ok, it's also a standard.

New Dell? Dell should be a resource.

Keep tapping the Del or Delete key from the time you turn the machine on until you get dumped into the set-up program. Sometimes it takes awhile for the display to show the required key--like the screen lights up after the display of the key (and the opportunity for the branch) is gone.

While you are in the set-up program, turn the Dell logo off so that you get some diagnostics on startup. The menu selection for this varies with different Dell systems, but the terminology in this paragraph should lead you to the selection.

If the Skip diagnostics or shortened POST (startup) is selected, reset it for the full scan at startup until you determine what the problem is.

Are you getting any beep codes when the system starts up? If yes, call Dell. Do you have status lights on the back of the system that flash during startup? Get your Dell documentation out and see what it indicates, and if it doesn't indicate healthy then call Dell.

Is there a removable hardware peripheral device not plugged in?

Can you boot to safe mode in Windows, by tapping F8 continuously until the startup menu appears? (Then select safe mode.)

When you are there, you could try running the AV software scan.

Also you could run SFC from the START~RUN dialog box.

You could check System Properties~Hardware~Device Manager to see if there are any flagged icons or devices not functioning properly.

Check the hard drive with chkdsk by right clicking the hard drive icon and selecting properties, then click on Tools and click on Check Now.

 

Oh, forgot the MUP part. Duh. The above information maybe useful before (like removable peripheral device plugged in and maybe specifically a ZIP drive) and after the disable MUP part described by Arie. But maybe the problem is occuring just after MUP...

 

Thank you everyone for your responses. I get home around 5 or so I will try out your suggestions and let you know how it turns out. Hopefully we can find a concrete way to fix this so that in the future when people have this problem they will be able to go oh okay that's how you fix that. ,


Matthew Stanford
ms1730@ship.edu

 

Matthew,
If it's only five months old isn't it still under warranty? I know it would be here (Australia) and it seems to me that it should be returned to Dell.
Anyway I'll leave it to our friends here to advise you as I'm no tech,good luck.

 

Thanks everyone for posting I really appreciate it. After hitting Delete to get into BIOS it gave me an option of pressing F-10 to run some Diagnostics. After the diagnostics the hard drive failed miserably so it was at that time I did call Dell. As expected they wouldn't say the root of the problem nor would they explain how this happend they just said we'll send someone out to install a new hard drive. I thought up an interesting question though yesterday that I don't think I have ever seen discussed. When your hard drive is replaced why shouldn't you get to keep your old one so you can dispose of it yourself. Just because they are too lazy to find the problem and fix it doesn't mean they still can't get data off there. I know for a fact you can even get data that has been deleted if you know what you are doing. Morally shouldn't the secure information we posses remain that way. Also if they are just going to get rid of the hard drive, why do they have to take it back? Haha sorry for that little rant I just thought it was something interesting to ponder.


Matthew Stanford
ms1730@ship.edu

 

Hi again Matthew,
Do Dell really take back your hard drive????Down here(Australia) any part replaced is given back as soon as it's removed.Even the smallest part you can think of,I thought it would be the same wherever you are.(duh) Still I guess you learn something everytime you come to this forum!!!

 

Tric I waited until today to respond because the repair guy didn't come until today and I wanted to make sure I was right. The answer is YES he really did take back my hard drive. I really think that this should be illegal. Luckily the hard drive didn't have any credit card info or anything of that sort, but still this is rediculous. They shouldn't legally be allowed to do that. If the hard drive is really dead as they claim...why can't I keep it to dispose of it. It is all pretty shady if you ask me.

 

Quote

"Oh, forgot the MUP part. Duh. The above information maybe useful before (like removable peripheral device plugged in and maybe specifically a ZIP drive) and after the disable MUP part described by Arie. But maybe the problem is occuring just after MUP... "

Unquote

You are exactly correct, it is the driver that loads after mup.sys which is usually the Video controller or motherboard Chipset drivers, which in some cases includes the Video controller.

You didn't have a HD problem. Most likely a Video problem.

Since they will burn an original factory image for that particular model you can look for 2 out comes.

If your Video controller is OK all will work.

If your video conrtroller has a problem, it will do exactly as it did.

Mike