NTKRNLMP.exe Corrupt or Missing 1

[DeacL]

I'm building a new system and trying to install Win XP Pro for the first time.

When booting the first screen shows the correct CPU (there's only one) and the other components I've installed. It proceeds to boot from the Win XP Pro CD and after a few screens shows the following error message:

--------------------------------------------------------
The Entry "ntkrnlmp.exe" in the [SourceDisksFiles] section of the INF file is corrupt or missing.
Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit.
--------------------------------------------------------

According to my research, this message means that setup thinks I have a multiprocessor system, but it's only uniprocessor. On bootup the correct single CPU is identified as Pentium 4 2.66 GHz which is supported by the L4VXA2 motherboard with VT8754 Northbridge and VT8235 Southbridge chipset.

What's my next step to troubleshoot and correct this?

Thanks much,
DeacL

 

[bcastner]

If it is a Hyper-threading P4 then you can use the uniprocessor or multi-processor model. If Hyper-threading the multi-processor selection is generally made if the BIOS is enabled to support the HT processor in this use, the BIOS is set or auto-detects the HT processor, and the ACI table is properly built to be read by XP during install.

It may be that the message is literally true: that the file is damaged or missing; and that multi-processor is possible as an ACPI model for you.

Try a re-installation of Windows. When prompted to Hit F6 to add SCSI or RAID devices hit F5 instead and select the unimodel ACPI model and see how you fare. If you should later decide to change to the MP form, this is one of the few instanced where the ACPI model can be changed in Device Manager without a re-installation of XP.

 

[DeacL]

To bcastner,

Excellent thinking and I appreciate the ideas. I've checked the Intel site and the 2.66 GHz P 4 is not a hyperthreading model. Also, I can't find HT anywhere in the BIOS or BIOS manual for this motherboard, so I suspect that's not the problem here.

The INF file is on a CD so is not corrupt, though it does not contain a section named [SourceDisksFiles], nor does any other Win XP CD that I checked.

I booted from a different CD, Powerquest DriveImage, and it came up with the same error message. It's Autorun.inf just says to run autorun.exe.

So something else is causing the boot CD to look for the ntkerlmp.exe file.

Any other ideas?

Thanks much,
Deacl

 

[DeacL]

PS to bcastner,

I did try the F5 at the F6 Add SCSI or Raid prompt and it just offered to enter Automated System Recovery (F2) which requires a floppy recovery disk I don't have (since it's a new install). If I don't hit F2, it just continues to my old error message. So, good idea but it didn't work out.

-deacl

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;299340

Quote:

To force in a system Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) during an upgrade or installation of Windows XP, note that during the Text-mode phase of Setup, you receive the following informational message across the bottom of the screen:

Press F6 if you need to install a third-party SCSI or RAID driver.

When this message appears, press F5. You can now make HAL choices by viewing the different options. Note that if you instead press F7, the Standard PC HAL loads, and the ACPI compliance check is bypassed.

After you press F5, you will see the following list of computer types (listed in bold). A brief description of each HAL is included below as a reference.

ACPI Multiprocessor PC: Use for a multiple-processor ACPI computer

ACPI Uniprocessor PC: Use for a ACPI multiple-processor board but with a single processor installed

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC: Use for a single processor motherboard with single processor.

Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor or 100% Compatible: Use for a Compaq Systempro computer.

MPS Uniprocessor PC: Use on non-ACPI computers dual processor motherboard with a single processor installed

MPS Multiprocessor PC: Non-ACPI computers with a dual processor running

Standard PC: Any Standard PC, non-ACPI, or non-MPS. Could be a 386, 486, Pentium, Pentium II, or Pentium III

Standard PC with C-Step i486

The screen only displays two computers types at a time. You must scroll up using the arrow keys to see the complete list.

 

[bcastner]

Error Message: Ntkrnlmp.exe Could Not Be Loaded Error Code 7

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;812580

I note from some browsing that causes for this are also listed as:

1. Overclocked CPU and/or FSB for RAM
2. BIOS not set to defaults
3. Bad RAM.

You might consider a ram test:

http://www.memtest86.com/#download0

 

[DeacL]

bcastner,

You nailed it - BAD RAM.

I did the test you suggested and had many errors, so since I had 2 RAM chips, I pulled one at random and the remaining chip passed the test and worked for the installation.

One question, where did you come across the 3 factors you listed:
1. Overclocking
2. BIOS not set to defaults
3. Bad RAM

Thanks a million for your help. I'm now on the air.

Deac

 

[bcastner]

I Google'd newsgroup listings for "xp ntkrnlmp.exe" and read about sixty listings. I quickly dismissed any thread talking about HAL issues and focused on off-beat issues and solutions. My gut instinct was RAM.

I was in particular looking for overclocking issues with your motherboard, or FSB related issues on a hunch.

Several threads suggested that overclocked RAM failures, or RAM failures in general had led to problems with nstkrnlmp.exe as the indicated point of failure.

I summarized what I had read and posted here.

Bill Castner

 

[DeacL]

Bill,

Thanks so much for your help.

I hate to press my luck, but now I have a new problem. After putting in Corsair DDR RAM, it now boots to CD and starts installation of Windows XP, but after 10 to 20 minutes it hangs. Once it hung during copying of files and the other times it got past there, rebooted and was in the actual installation phase hanging with 39 minutes and 37 minutes remaining. I let it cook for a couple of hours, but it was clearly hung - no mouse response.

It almost sounds like it could be heat, but I'm sure that's not it since the case is open and there's plenty of air, or possibly some sort of intermittent conflict, but I have no idea what.

It's a new motherboard, CPU and RAM and an old video card, DVD drive and Hard Disk. I just put the hard disk on another machine and did a complete scandisk (chkdsk) and am successfully copying tons of files to it and it's working fine. That's all there is to the machine.

Any ideas on this one? Intermittents are bears to find, yes?

Thanks,
Deac

 

[bcastner]

Are you using an installation disk with SP1 pre-installed? And are any USB devices plugged in, including keyboard and/or mouse?

Could be this if so:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;815319

The article contains a hyperlink to the hotfix for the problem.

 

[bcastner]

Check to be certain there is not a ROM BIOS upgrade for your machine. If so, apply it.

The sanest way after that is to do a bare bones installation. The ElderGeeks site puts it this way:

Remove everything that is installed or connected to your computer so the only things remaining in the case are:

Motherboard, processor, and cooling fan
Graphics card
One stick of RAM
One hard drive
One CD ROM drive

That's it. No sound card, no network interface card, no modem, no extra hard drives or CD ROM drives. Especially important is not to have more than one memory stick, and it should be a minimum of 128MB. Connect up the monitor, the keyboard and the mouse and power up the machine. Go into the BIOS settings and look for a setting for the basic BIOS default configuration. Select it, then make sure that if you're booting from a CD ROM that the CD drive is the first boot device.

 

[computermeister]

Deact,

You have yet to confirm successfully forcing in a system Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) on installation--you mentioned trying and failing and never referred to the process again. BCastner is, as usual, completely correct in what he's told you, and it looks to me like you've taken off after the RAM possibility and ignored following through on Bill's suggestion re. the HAL change.

Tip: If the "force HAL option" fails for you, abort & restart the install process and next time around *immediately* upon seeing the F6 option start vigorously dancing on the F5 key and don't stop till you see the various HAL options displayed. I believe there may even be another page that opens up in the process, but don't stop hitting the F5 key several times a second until you get what you want. (The very first time I tried this process the HAL options didn't open for me either, so I adopted the "tap the F5 key into submission" approach and it's worked every time since--approx 6 or 8--so it works.

The moral here for everyone is to follow through to completion each tip you're offered, esp. those from the real wizards like BCastner & others whose credibility is well established within this user group.

If this tip gets you back on track to the solution of your problem all points, obviously, go to Bill.

'Best,

meister

 

[DeacL]

Bill and Meister,

You guys are great keeping me on track. But the newest problem continues. I tried Meister's comment:
>> Tip: If the "force HAL option" fails for you, abort &
>> restart the install process and next time around
>> *immediately* upon seeing the F6 option start vigorously
>> dancing on the F5 key and don't stop till you see the
>> various HAL options displayed.

by rebooting numerous times and doing this procedure and no HAL list displayed. I hit F5 10 to 12 times on different iterations before the F6 option disappeared and rolled over to the next normal screen offering F2. I dunno why. But that problem of getting the original error message of "NTKRNLMP.exe Corrupt or Missing" no longer happens after I put in the new Corsair DDR RAM chip.

Perhaps I should start a new thread as my new problem continues in that a few minutes on into the install of Windows XP Pro, the system just hangs. Either during copying files or later in actual install with 39 or "37 minutes remaining" it stops proceeding, the mouse becomes non-responsive and the hard disk activity light stays on.

I stripped the system down to motherboard, cpu with fan, 1 Corsair DDR chip, video card, DVD ROM drive for installing and one hard disk drive. I put the hd in another machine and did a CHKDSK on it, copied about 14 GB of data to it to exercise it and then reformatted it. Still the same problem back in this machine.

It's not excessive heat as the case is open and there's a temp sensor reporting 80 degrees F.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Deac

 

[bcastner]

See my checklist for BIOS issues in this thread on IRQL_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL issues during installation: Thread779-429616

 

[computermeister]

Deac,

Thanks for refreshing my memory--the other page I alluded to that opens up during the "dance on the F5 key" process is the screen offering F2 as an option. I've often still been hitting F5 at this page to finally get the HAL dialogue to come up. As I said, "...don't stop till you see the various HAL options displayed." Please give this a shot and let us know.

Meister