<windows root>\system32\hal.dll HELP!

[Quiex]

Flicked switch on back of computer to turn it off cuase it was locked up, turned it back on, got this message when i tried to re-boot. <windows root>\system32\hal.dll missing or crouppted (spelling sucks).
i use Windows XP home edition.
Tried to use the Windows XP Cd to repair the installation, nothing.
Went on the web and got a couple suggestions.
From: Koyaanisqatsi on 01/12/2004
One way to edit this file is to Use the Bootcfg utility in the Recovery Console... this is good if your Windows won't start (reformatting and reinstalling Windows may be necessary to perform this task):
Use the Windows XP CD-Rom to start your computer (put it in your cd-rom and then restart).
When you receive the message to press R to repair Windows by using the Recovery Console, press the R key.
Select the Windows installation that you want, and then type the administrator password when propted. [if you never created one try just pressing enter]
Type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER.
When the Windows installation is located, the following instructions are displayed:
Add installation to boot list (Yes/No/All)
[Type Y in response to this message.]
Enter Load Identifier:
[This is the name of the operating system. Type Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition.]
Enter OS Load options:
[Leave this field blank, and then press ENTER].
After you perform the preceding steps, restart the computer, and then select the first item on the bot menu. This should allow Windows XP to start normally.
After Windows XP has successfully loaded, the Boot.ini file may have to be modified to remove the incorrect entry. For additional information about how to edit the Boot.ini file, go to Microsoft and search for the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
289022 HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP

This didn't work either, one other person said that maybe id fried some memory and i should try to swap the sticks, that didn't work either.

In despration (yes i was dumb i didn't back up stuff like i KNEW i should have) i tried a clean installation of windows XP, still got the same problem.

if anyone else can give me some ideas as to what i can do id really appreate it, i really don't wana have to resort to re-formating the hard drive and then trying to go out and find all the info that i need again. (tracking down e-mail addresses, favorite websites, drivers, programs)

any help would be appreated. tks.

 

[4dm]

I have come across this twice before at work. I hate to say it, but both times i came across it, a format and reinstall was the only solution. You can go into recovery console and copy the hal.dll to the system32 dir, but on the next boot, you will get a different file missing. Replace that one and reboot, then you will get a third one missing. Replace that and it still says the third one is missing. I don't remember the names of the other 2 dlls, but the problem on the machines i worked on was bad sectors on the hard drive. We replaced the harddrive through our vendor, but you might not be able to do that. If you have a second system you can slave your harddrive up to, you definitely need to format and scandisk/chkdsk that drive and attend to those bad sectors.

 

[huesmann]

I would try a Repair install before doing the whole reformat-reinstall rigamarole.

 

[Quiex]

tried that

 

[Askalon]

did you try all of the above or just one thing?

 

[Quiex]

tried a repair install, didn't work

don't know know what commands to use to use the repair consoul to copy the missing file from the cd to the hard drive.

i do have my old hard drive that im useing now thats not currpoted, but try as i might i can't get it to locate or even notice the new hard drive (it's one of those serial ATA drives), ive used the adapter to make the plug in IDE, ive moved the jumper settings, the BIOS doesn't reconize the new hard drive when you go to change the setting and ask it to detect but, the COMS (err whatever) gives you a choice as to weather to boot it up and that allows you to reconise it or not.
before my new hard drive got this probem i was able to get both hard drives to be noticed by windows XP, but trying to do that with the old hard drive as the primary doesn't work.

 

[Quiex]

TA DA! Once again i have disovered somthing that was right under my nose and now i feel like a complete moron. *smacks self upside the head*

just needed to download all the updates for windows XP on my old hard drive and presto, access to my bugged hard drive. everything is now back up. so now i can just massacare my hard drive any which way in an attempt to fix it without caring what happens. JOY!

 

[tyanni]

Its corrupted. Sorry, it was bothering me. Bump!

 

[huesmann]

Originally posted by: Quiex
tried a repair install, didn't work

don't know know what commands to use to use the repair consoul to copy the missing file from the cd to the hard drive.

Doesn't sound like you did a Repair install. Sounds like you tried to fix it from the Recovery Console. Not the same thing.

 

[Nkcowboy]

Hey,
Sorry to rehash this, but I have had exactly the same problem! I was actually doing a complete format and reinstall of windows home upgrade (with old 98 cd for verification), and I have tried virtually everything thats been suggested on the net (copying hal.dll from diskette, from cd, doing rebuild, etc) and everytime I restart I get the same corrupt file, replace.

So is it decided that it is a bad drive then, or what? The drive has worked fine every other day, so it seems unlikely, and I have reformated my disks twice now. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Quiex
sticks, that didn't work either.<BR><BR>In despration (yes i was dumb i didn't back up stuff like i KNEW i should have) i tried a clean installation of windows XP, still got the same problem.<BR><BR>if anyone else can give me some ideas as to what i can do id really appreate it, i really don't wana have to resort to re-formating the hard drive and then trying to go out and find all the info that i need again. (tracking down e-mail addresses, favorite websites, drivers, programs)<BR><BR>any help would be appreated. tks.

support.microsoft.com has an option to search the knowledgebase; that came up with a few hits for "hal.dll missing or corrupt" - you might check those out....

http://support.microsoft.com/d...4477&amp;Product=winxp is one that is promising.