Problems following installation of Kaspersky Internet Security on older XP SP3 laptop with Broadcom

[Ngolem]

A friend of mine has asked for help solving a puzzling problem.

He was given an older Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop which was wiped clean of user files but the computer operated reasonably well. The battery was shot but it operated on the AC adapter ok.

To add virus protection he installed the free version of AVG and started to use the computer for basic internet stuff and letter writing. AVG never found any malware on the computer other than a few tracking cookies.

When the computer booted the screen showed the Dell logo and then went into a routine of trying to load Broadcom UNDI.... it was looking for a cable and something else and not finding it would then load XP in the normal manner with no problems.

After a while he decided to purchase a better anti-virus as he had plans for more intensive use of this machine on the internet.

So he purchased Kaspersky Internet Security and installed it on this machine. The installation went well and seemed normal. He updated the software and then ran a "quick scan". Apparently it found an incidence of malware that was not found by AVG. the software advised him to restart his computer to complete the disinfection process.

The computer never restarted... it runs through the same procedure to activate Broadcom and when it finds out that this cannot be activated it then gives a message that it cannot start the operating system.

I have a feeling that the malware identified by Kaspersky is related to Broadcom. I tried pressing F8 to get into Safe mode but since XP cannot be started that does not work.

It almost sounds to me that this Broadcom is a chip installed on the mother board or something like that. Can I remove the broadcom problem???

I don't think it is an XP problem per se but I hope placing this issue here will give me some ideas

Jim Broadbent

 

[rclarke250]

The broadcom undi, is the machine has the network adapter in the boot order, and it is searching for a pre-boot environment packet or PXE boot image, this should be turned off or removed in the boot order unless you want to keep seeing the message. Eventually it times out and goes past it and should boot from the hard drive. Please tell me, that before Kaspersky was installed, AVG was removed? either way, it seems like you need to reload windows, you could try a repair install of XP, ( google if you need the steps on how to do this), or, you could wipe the drive, and lay down a fresh install of the OS, if you do not have disks, hunt for them on ebay, or time to give Linux a try.

 

[goombawaho]

If you remote the PXE boot from the options and the PC will NOT boot to OS or even try to, it may be that your hard drive has failed or your O.S. has been completely corrupted. You should boot to a hard drive diagnostics CD and check that disk.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Ngolem]

Thanks for your responses.

I guess he lived with the fact it was looking for Broadcom as it booted and when that failed booted XP. He did uninstall the AVG before installing Kaspersky at least he knew not to just delete it.

the problem arose when he was scanning after the installation of Kaspersky. It said it found a piece of malware and disinfected it. It required a reboot to complete the disinfection and that is when we have the problem. I don't think it is a physical crash of the HD as there has been no alert in the past about possible disk failure... or he would not want to upgrade to a better antivirus.

He said he has two internal hard drives... I suppose the previous owner had partitioned his disk into 2 sections as from the specs there should be only one HD.

I do have an original XP installation disk from my own desktop. Perhaps I can use this to override the natural boot.

Jim Broadbent

 

[Ngolem]

What would be the name of the file that I would have to edit to get rid of the Broadcom reference in booting the disk.

I am used to the old days when you had a config.sys and Autoexec.bat file... but there does not seem to be such files in XP

Jim Broadbent

 

[Ngolem]

Ok... PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE!

First of all I noted what was going on with the startup... the following is displayed on the screen

Intel Base-code
PXE-2.1 (Build 082j)
Copyright (c) 1997-2000 Intel Corp
PXE-E61: Media Test Failure check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting Broadcom PXE ROM
Error Loading operating system...

It seems to me that the Broadcom is a chip or card of some kind in the computer
This time I restarted the computer but I was faster pressing F2 and caught it during the Dell flash screen.

I entered the setup menu

All seemed normal as far as health of the machine but there were sections that were confusing to me:

(a) Integrated NIC enabled

(b) Internal LAN on-board LAN Controler enabled

(c) Mini PCI status enabled

Is one of these the Broadcom chip?

I then looked at the Boot Sequence

1. Diskette Drive
2. Onboard NIC (Broadcom chip??)
3. Internal HDD
4. USB Storage
5. CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive
Card Bus NIC (did not have a number)

So I moved Internal HDD to the top of the list... closed and saved

NOW the message that appears on startup is simply

Error Loading operating system...

So... as I see it I should now bump up 5. CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive to the first position.

Is there some kind of diagnostic that I can figure out the problem? The version of XP installation disk is a Home edition whereas there is XP Professional on that computer. Not sure I want to install this if I can avoid it... not sure of a comparision of XP Rpo and Home editions as to what features would be lost.


Jim Broadbent

 

[strongm]

Something has stomped on your XP installation.

 

[edfair]

Broadcom is the integrated network part of the computer and it has drivers loaded for it.

Use the [F2] during bootup while the splash screen is displaying the setup portion, go into the hardware at the boot order and change the PXE part (may be in networking, can't remember) to get eliminate the PXE boot.

It won't hurt to put the CD at the top of the boot order but it incrimentally slows down boot it there is no CD.


Might help is you would download the drivers for the machine. They come from dell.com and are specific for the machine line. Can best be identified by the service tag #, either on a tag or possibly in the BIOS.

Worst case is to get all the drivers and a rebuild CD and do a nuke and pave reinstall.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Ngolem]

ok.... more progress

I was able to now test the Pre-boot diagnostics and I doubt very mush there is anything wrong with the HDD... it passed every test with flying colors.

It was interesting when I exited the diagnostics:

the first time I did it I saw the XP flash screen before the "Error Loading operating system..."

I was not expecting that so I decided to do it again... I went through the pre-boot diagnostic again... Then I might have pressed F10 I cannot remember it happened so fast. I did not see the XP splash screen but went to the screen that asks how I wanted to open XP... I chose Safe With Dos Commands (I think that was it)

Well the screen whipped through a lot of files as it started to load... then it stopped on one file I should have noted what that was (I think the address was... *MOV.DLL) I am not sure I don't quite remember but I can do the test again... I wonder if this is the bad file. Could Kaspersky see this as malware and isolated it but did not remove it from the list of files in a boot of the OS???


Jim Broadbent

 

[Ngolem]

Ok... this time I paid attention and it is not MOV.DLL

It is MUP.SYS and in searching the internet there seems to be some problem with this file and the Dell Inspiron computer.

this is one reference I have found but not read the replies yet. What he/she is talking about is very similar to what I am experiencing.

Could this be the bad guy that Kaspersky isolated???

Jim Broadbent

 

[goombawaho]

The symptom of hanging at MUP.SYS is common to XP and unrelated to your anti-virus or Dell in particular. It just means the O.S. is screwed up!

I think you're down to a reload and you have to have matching install media to what the license is on the C.O.A. on the side of the computer. You can't mix and match HOME installation media with PRO license and vice versa.

Access the hard drive as a slave to another computer and copy all the files in C:\Dell because there will be many of the drivers you need there (possibly) making you life easier when you reload. They may not be the latest from the Dell site, but they will get your network cards and video cards going.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[strongm]

>It just means the O.S. is screwed up!

As I suggested earlier ...

 

[goombawaho]

Also copy C:\drivers before reload if there is that folder - another driver location.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Ngolem]

Access the hard drive as a slave to another computer and copy all the files in C:\Dell because there will be many of the drivers you need there (possibly) making you life easier when you reload. They may not be the latest from the Dell site, but they will get your network cards and video cards going. "

I have never made a second computer a slave to another. How would I do that given that the computer hangs when booting saying that is cannot start the operating system?

I would assume that I would connect the computers via their respective USB ports so I would have to buy the appropriate cable.

The only time the computer stops without hanging is when in the Setup Menu ... of course there is a countdown in the screen later which decides the Boot method so that is not available.

My Desktop has XP Pro (I bought it used and the seller gave me the Home edition original disk when I got it.) Perhaps I could simply copy those drivers and overwrite the ones on the other computer??

Jim Broadbent

 

[edfair]

You've just raised another issue, lack of restore capability on your desktop system, but I'll ignore it for now.

Is the XPH CD either 1) a Dell install CD, 2) an OEM install CD, or 3) a retail CD? The answer will point us to how we can help you.

I would normally say install the home version on the machine that is having problems but there is no guarantee that it will match the sticker key code. If it has a sticker with it then it should install OK using that.

The discussion about slaving the drive means putting the drive in an external case that has a drive to USB interface so the drive will be recognized and made part of the operating system.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[goombawaho]

Problem 1 - XP is out of date. Time to dump it. PC must be old too. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Problem 2 - You have to have a matching CD to go with the COA sticker. If it's a Dell computer and a Dell CD, you should be cool and won't even have to activate or enter a COA.

Problem 3 - Slaving the hard drive is via a USB to SATA adapter connecting the bad hard drive to another computer. You can also boot with a bootable linux or windows PE CD and copy to a USB stick using just the bad laptop. If you don't have either one or the technical ability, don't worry about it. You can download the drivers.

Problem 4 - based on your responses, I think you're in over your head. No offense.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Ngolem]

@goombawaho

"Problem 4 - based on your responses, I think you're in over your head. No offense. "

None taken... I am over my head...true. THAT IS WHY I AM HERE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE, right??? If I knew what I was doing I would not be here... 'nuff said.

It is an older computer...fine... I do not believe the HD is broken. I had another computer where the HD was failing and there was a warning to that effect before the operating system loaded.

"Problem 1 - XP is out of date. Time to dump it. PC must be old too. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. "

It may be old but prior to this event my friend was using this computer fine for his purposes using AVG as the anti-virus. It may not be Kaspersky's software's fault but until I can demonstrate to him it is hopeless I won't trash HIS machine.

My father had a good expression "If something is broken and you are going to throw it away. Take it apart and try to fix it. You cannot make it worse and you might learn something in the process"

I have used that philosophy throughout my adult life and have solved many a difficult problem that way. It is my time that is the only cost and he does not have much money. I still think it is fixable and will try using the HD as a slave and try to repair the damaged files.

@Edfair

"The discussion about slaving the drive means putting the drive in an external case that has a drive to USB interface so the drive will be recognized and made part of the operating system. "

I know where I can get one for a reasonable price and shall get it and see what I find out. Perhaps it is as simple as erasing the existing MUP.SYS and copying over the one on my machine. There might be registry issues but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Jim Broadbent

 

[edfair]

I assume from the age of the machine that you are dealing with IDE. I can't remember that machine. You match the external case to drive type.

When I do slaving for laptop drives I don't mount them in the external case, just hook them to the interface.

I think you are going to find that the MUP from your pro machine is going to crash the home, not because of the OS differences but because the hardware is different. IIRC MUP is built as hardware is detected during OS build.

I use AVAST AV for my systems and those I configure for customers and friends.

Although Goombawaho is right about XP being past prime it will continue to operate for years, maybe a bit risky for those surfing bad places, with some issues with sites written for later browsers and newer programs failing to install.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[goombawaho]

Let me clarify what I meant: We can't talk you through everything. At times you need to call someone in to take care of things. Plumbing and me comes to mind. I won't touch it.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Ngolem]

In my search for answers I stumbled across from this one

" The hang up on MUP.SYS actually has nothing to do with the MUP.SYS file. This is simply the last file loaded by windows when an attempt to boot in safe mode has been selected. There are a number of issues which can cause this error. As I stated above, in your case it was likely McAfee."

Comments?

I was thinking of running the same boot from and look at the order that the boot is processed... if it is exactly the same then the next file after MUP.SYS could be the bad guy

Jim Broadbent