Error Message: MPREXE Not Responding

ID: Q178084

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you log on to Windows, or after you install Windows, you may receive the following error message, and your computer may stop responding (hang):

MPREXE not responding


CAUSE

This behavior can occur for any of the following reasons:

  • Your password list (.pwl) file is damaged.


  • A service or application loading during the startup process is conflicting with another service or application.


  • You are using User Profiles.


  • There is a hardware conflict on your computer.


  • A hardware driver on your computer is missing or damaged.


  • If profiles are enabled, Windows may not be able to contact the primary domain controller's Netlogon share when looking for a Config.pol file. (Windows checks for a Config.pol file even if policies are not used.)


RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use the following methods. After each method test to see if the issue is resolved. If the issue continues to occur, use the next method.

Re-Create Your Password List File

To re-create your password list file, use the following steps.

NOTE: If you are using a personal certificate, you should export it before renaming your .pwl file. If you do not do so, it may be unavailable when you send e-mail. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q190296 Unable to Use Personal Certificates in Outlook Express
  1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.


  2. In the Named box, type *.pwl, and then click Find Now.


  3. Right-click the <username>.pwl file, and then click Rename, where <username> is the name you use to log on to Windows.


  4. Rename the <username>.pwl file to <username>.old, and then press ENTER.


  5. Restart Windows.


  6. When your computer restarts, you are prompted for a user name and password. If you want, you can choose to create a null password. If you create a null password, you are no longer prompted to log on when Windows starts. To create a null password, leave the password box blank, click OK, and then click OK to confirm the password.


Conflicting Service or Application

To prevent a conflict with a service or application, clean boot your computer.

For information about clean booting Windows 95/98, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q156126 Troubleshooting Windows 95 Using Safe Mode
Q192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98

Disable User Profiles

To disable User Profiles, follow these steps:
  1. Right-click Network Neighborhood, and then click Properties.


  2. On the Access Control tab, click Share-Level Access Control, and then click OK.


  3. Restart your computer.


Hardware Conflicts

To resolve hardware conflicts, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.


  2. Double-click System, and then click the Device Manager tab.


  3. Double-click any device that contains a yellow exclamation point or red X.


  4. Click to check the Disable This Device check box, and then click OK. Repeat steps 3-4 for each device that contains a yellow exclamation point or red X.


Missing or Damaged Driver

Download the latest drivers for your hardware from your hardware manufacturer. For information about how to download the latest drivers for your hardware, view the documentation included with your hardware, or contact your hardware manufacturer.

Enable Load Balancing

To prevent Windows from contacting the primary domain controller, enable load balancing. For additional information about enabling load balancing, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q197986 How to Configure Windows 95 Policies with Load Balancing


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Windows 98.


MORE INFORMATION

A network adapter that becomes inoperable or unseated can also cause this error message. Try to reseat, replace, or reinstall the network adapter.

This error message can also occur if one of the following reserved words is your user name:

  • UX


  • CON


  • COM1


  • COM2


  • COM3


  • COM4


  • PRN


  • LPT1


  • LPT2


  • LPT3


  • LPT4


Change your user name to something other than a reserved word.


REFERENCES

For additional information about Mprexe.exe issues, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q151708 XCLN: Page Fault in Mprexe.exe When Starting Client

Q154092 Err Msg: MPREXE Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Kernel32.dll
Q166898 OL97: Windows 95 Service Pack 1 and Password Issues

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv kberrmsg win95 win98
Version : WINDOWS:95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: October 27, 1999
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