I have the barebones essentials installed (see below) and am trying to install windows xp or 2000, but neither will run. I booted from the cd and installed both operating systems on different partitions on the same WD drive (2000 then xp), and setup went fine until I restarted. Then whenever i booted into the OS it would hang at the starting windows screen on both XP and 2000. Upon starting it in safe mode, it stops at MUP.sys in BOTH cases (xp and 2000 installations) and the computer locks up. I tried installing just XP on ANOTHER freshly formatted and NTFS partitioned brand new Western Digital IDE hard drive and got the same result. So I updated my motherboards bios to the latest version but to no avail as I still get the same problem. I swapped out the memory with new memory, hoping that would be the culprit but still a no go. The memory is good because it works on another computer fine. It hangs at Mup.sys but since that loaded the file after that might be causing the problem.
I'm at a loss right now. I have no idea what to do. The only thing I haven't replaced or swapped out is the motherboard and the processor. I hope there is a software solution/configuration that would remedy the problem but all signs point to a hardware glitch. Any suggestions on what I can try to get the comp to boot into the OS? I'm about to throw the entire box out the window in frustration.

Specs:

Supermicro PIIIDM3 Motherboard Bios Revision 1.5
Pentium III 500Mhz
Western Digital 80gb HD
Plextor UltraPlex 40x max scsi cd-rom
1 GB PC133 Memory (2) 512mb simms
Diamond Viper Ultra Video Card

I've researched the mup.sys problem on the web and ive found that quite a few people have had a problem with this file but could not find any answers or possible solutions to even try other than swapping out hardware, renaming the file or disabling it.

I have swapped out and replaced the following:

Memory
Hard drive (clean install on brand new hard drive)
Video Card

Not swapped out:

Motherboard
Processor
Cd-Rom

Disabled:

Onboard SCSI
Onboard Sound
Onboard NIC

Still I have the same problem with everything enabled, disabled. Could it be a problem with the motherboard? I will try to install windows 98 and see if that boots up fine, but win2000 and xp both hang at the mup.sys file.

I've heard that not loading the mup.sys might lend something to a solution, albeit temporary, but I do not see any options on the xp boot mode menu when i press F8 or Shift+ F5 to load files one by one. Should there be one?! I'm running out of things to do, check or replace!

Any suggestions are greatly welcomed. Thanks.

Bret

If you found a solution for this problem please let us know we have the same!

Thanks
Hofies

I installed windows 98 and it loaded fine and i have no problems booting into the OS and installing/running programs on it. I installed it on a FAT partition.

I tried installing XP on a newly partitioned 8gb fat32 partition next but it still hangs on the mup.sys file when i go to boot it up.

I swapped out that hard drive and put in a brand new WD 80gb drive and partitioned a 5gb NTFS file and tried installing NT Workstation 4 but it hangs on the blue kernel screen where it shows the processor and memory at the very top on 2 lines. Does this every time.

What gives? How come windows98 is the only OS that will install? Does it have something to do with the Western Digital Hard drive and onboard IDE controller? Should i buy a PCI based IDE controller and try installing the OS's using that? I'm going to contact the Motherboard manufacturer (supermicro) and pose the problem to them. I will post the results of that if i ever get a response. Does anybody have any other suggestions on things to try in the meantime? Does this sound like a faulty IDE controller or mobo problem?

Thanks in advance.

Same thing happened to me on 9/22/02 or was it the day before. Anyhow my system hanged on the mup.sys driver aswell. Last thing I did prior to reboot was the latest ms security update 1.8mb was the size I think, and some tweaking. The tweaking may have fubar my system but I doubt it. I figured, ah crap reinstall the os, but when I boot from xp install disk it checks hardware and seez loading windows. Then just a black screen, just hangin. Ive since install debian linux woody, which kicks ass with the kde desktop, but there some games I play and want em back.

When I booted during this problem my harddrive sounded like it would crash at the mup.sys load point. I read somewhere to disable usb legacy support in bios, gonna try that. I wonder if my geforce3 might be a problem for xp installing. Oh well, back to experimenting.

Well, turned out to be the geforce3 after all, tried a few bios changes to no avail, and luckily I still had my old tnt2 around. Slapped that beatch in, low and behold, I can install xp. Good ole MS, how much does XP cost? pfff

btw, my geforce is of the visiontek 500ti flavor.

In my case it seemed to be the vidcard, but I dunno what started this mess. Cant wait to install xp and put the GF3 back in. Yeehaw, can-o-worms time.

remove the your memory which add after.

sounds as though have same problem with mup.sys on xp home - happened out of blue and no matter how i try safe mode, last good seettings it always hangs on mup.sys and tells me to disable it - any ideas how?

i have photos of my new born daughter on hard drive that i'm desperately trying to retrieve - please help!!!

I just encountered the same problem. However, this did not happen until I put in a the new USR5699B modem. This modem just came out, and as soon as I swapped my old one for this one the mup.sys phenomenon occured. I have a Hercules GeForce2 GTS, and don't think it has anything to do with the video card, but who knows. Man what's with this crap. I guessing it might be a bios setting, but then again...?

I know isnt it aggrevating? My XP Pro was working for 3 months then i must have installed some updates from microsofts website (the critical recommended kind) then it wouldnt boot one day hanging on mup.sys.

Does anyone know what comes AFTER mup.sys because mup.sys loads and it might be the file after it that is causing the problems ive been told. But being that i can't install xp i don't know what file comes after it.

I took everything out of my system but the bare essentials (as noted in my initial post) and tried 3 video cards and 3 matched memory modules all of which are compatible and run win98 fine. I upgraded the bios on my supermicro mobo to the latest version. Still waiting for them to respond after i emailed them this problem scenario. Do you think emailing or contacting microsoft would get us anywhere? I already used up my one support call already and i hear they charge an arm and a leg for support these days. You'd think they would fix a problem they made ya know. My last resort is to ditch the BRAND NEW hard drives and get a new one and a new controller and throw xp at them. If that doesnt work im just gonna go out and buy a freakin laptop with xp preinstalled. This is just balls.