After a power outage, the drive letters changed! C:\ became E:\, and gives a
error message that a file 'HAL.DLL' is either corrupted or missing and must
be replaced before windows will start. I copyed the file and pasted to
E:\window\System32 which contains the op sys, get same message.

I have XP Home sp2, AMD Sempron 1800, three hard drives (2 IDE, 1 SATA). The
Sata is 80 gig split 1/2 C:\ 40gig & D:\ 40 gig now E:\ contains Windows

likely that
you simply have
to reset the boot up
drive order
in cmos....

"Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:6E116A8A-41F7-46CA-8590-(E-Mail Removed)...
> After a power outage, the drive letters changed! C:\ became E:\, and gives
> a
> error message that a file 'HAL.DLL' is either corrupted or missing and
> must
> be replaced before windows will start. I copyed the file and pasted to
> E:\window\System32 which contains the op sys, get same message.
>
> I have XP Home sp2, AMD Sempron 1800, three hard drives (2 IDE, 1 SATA).
> The
> Sata is 80 gig split 1/2 C:\ 40gig & D:\ 40 gig now E:\ contains Windows

hi.

This happen to me once ...Try this... as the pc start up press whatever
key your bious uses for the boot menu ( mind was f3 it will say on bottom
of screen ) Then select the drive you wish to boot to ( E: in your case )
If you miss this menu turn off pc and try again it will go by fast .
If windows works after this the your drive and its boot files are ok ? . I
think there is a way to change the letter of your boot drive but I don't
remenber how ! .... I THINK ??? I unplug all other drives ( just the
power plug while power was off !! ) except the boot drive then change
letters using windows " Computer Management " back to C: ... If I recall
it would not let me do this to the boot drive unless it was the only drive
windows could see ???

hope this help
sorry but I forgot to backup my brain when this happen to me ..............

Your idea for unplugging the other hd's worked, almost, now it will boot to
the main XP logo screen with the moving progress bar The bar just keeps going
and going! I can now access the startup options (F8) It will not start in
safe mode it hangs up about 1/2 way through, will not start in normal stops
at progress bar same for last known working state.
What else cant i try? I'm almost there!

"nothere" wrote:

> hi.
>
> This happen to me once ...Try this... as the pc start up press whatever
> key your bious uses for the boot menu ( mind was f3 it will say on bottom
> of screen ) Then select the drive you wish to boot to ( E: in your case )
> If you miss this menu turn off pc and try again it will go by fast .
> If windows works after this the your drive and its boot files are ok ? . I
> think there is a way to change the letter of your boot drive but I don't
> remenber how ! .... I THINK ??? I unplug all other drives ( just the
> power plug while power was off !! ) except the boot drive then change
> letters using windows " Computer Management " back to C: ... If I recall
> it would not let me do this to the boot drive unless it was the only drive
> windows could see ???
>
> hope this help
> sorry but I forgot to backup my brain when this happen to me ..............
>
>

Warren

Have you tried booting with a Windows XP CD in your CD drive. If it works
you
might try a System Restore using a Restore point dating from before the
power outage.

All about System Restore
http://bertk.mvps.org/


--

~~~~

Gerry

~~~~~~~~
Enquire, plan and execute.
Stourport, England
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:8698023C-679C-41E8-B018-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Your idea for unplugging the other hd's worked, almost, now it will boot
> to
> the main XP logo screen with the moving progress bar The bar just keeps
> going
> and going! I can now access the startup options (F8) It will not start in
> safe mode it hangs up about 1/2 way through, will not start in normal
> stops
> at progress bar same for last known working state.
> What else cant i try? I'm almost there!
>
> "nothere" wrote:
>
>> hi.
>>
>> This happen to me once ...Try this... as the pc start up press whatever
>> key your bious uses for the boot menu ( mind was f3 it will say on
>> bottom
>> of screen ) Then select the drive you wish to boot to ( E: in your
>> case )
>> If you miss this menu turn off pc and try again it will go by fast .
>> If windows works after this the your drive and its boot files are ok ?
>> . I
>> think there is a way to change the letter of your boot drive but I
>> don't
>> remenber how ! .... I THINK ??? I unplug all other drives ( just
>> the
>> power plug while power was off !! ) except the boot drive then change
>> letters using windows " Computer Management " back to C: ... If I
>> recall
>> it would not let me do this to the boot drive unless it was the only
>> drive
>> windows could see ???
>>
>> hope this help
>> sorry but I forgot to backup my brain when this happen to me
>> ..............
>>
>>

"Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:6E116A8A-41F7-46CA-8590-(E-Mail Removed)...
> After a power outage, the drive letters changed! C:\ became E:\, and gives
> a
> error message that a file 'HAL.DLL' is either corrupted or missing and
> must
> be replaced before windows will start. I copyed the file and pasted to
> E:\window\System32 which contains the op sys, get same message.
>
> I have XP Home sp2, AMD Sempron 1800, three hard drives (2 IDE, 1 SATA).
> The
> Sata is 80 gig split 1/2 C:\ 40gig & D:\ 40 gig now E:\ contains Windows


"Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:8698023C-679C-41E8-B018-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Your idea for unplugging the other hd's worked, almost, now it will boot
> to
> the main XP logo screen with the moving progress bar The bar just keeps
> going
> and going! I can now access the startup options (F8) It will not start in
> safe mode it hangs up about 1/2 way through, will not start in normal
> stops
> at progress bar same for last known working state.
> What else cant i try? I'm almost there!


Warren:
That all this, i.e., the drive letters reversal, happened as a direct
consequence of a power outage is quite odd to say the least. But if that's
the situation - that's the situation.

There's really not much you can do about this now in terms of some simple
process to reassign the C: drive letter to your current E: drive. I assume
one of your two PATA HDDs is the one containing the OS and is now designated
the E: drive.

You can either live with the current situation or make a fresh install of
the OS onto that HDD now designated as E:, understanding of course, that all
data will be lost so it will be necessary to reinstall your programs &
applications. If you take that course, be sure to disconnect *all* other
HDDs from the system prior to undertaking the XP install process. This is
the only practical way I know of to return your boot drive to a C: drive
letter designation.

Obviously since the system currently boots, I assume you would have no
problem copying whatever user-created data you need from the current E:
drive, but as mentioned above you will need to eventually reinstall your
programs & applications.
Anna

maybe, he simply needs to re-set the
boot up order in the CMOS.

maybe, he needs to double check
that the jumpers on the disks drives
are properly set and they are connected
to the cable correctly.

sometimes, there is that one fluke where
everything worked ok even though
the odds were against it and the power
surge revealed the issues above....


"Anna" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:6E116A8A-41F7-46CA-8590-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> After a power outage, the drive letters changed! C:\ became E:\, and
>> gives
>> a
>> error message that a file 'HAL.DLL' is either corrupted or missing and
>> must
>> be replaced before windows will start. I copyed the file and pasted to
>> E:\window\System32 which contains the op sys, get same message.
>>
>> I have XP Home sp2, AMD Sempron 1800, three hard drives (2 IDE, 1 SATA).
>> The
>> Sata is 80 gig split 1/2 C:\ 40gig & D:\ 40 gig now E:\ contains Windows
>
>
> "Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:8698023C-679C-41E8-B018-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Your idea for unplugging the other hd's worked, almost, now it will boot
>> to
>> the main XP logo screen with the moving progress bar The bar just keeps
>> going
>> and going! I can now access the startup options (F8) It will not start
>> in
>> safe mode it hangs up about 1/2 way through, will not start in normal
>> stops
>> at progress bar same for last known working state.
>> What else cant i try? I'm almost there!
>
>
> Warren:
> That all this, i.e., the drive letters reversal, happened as a direct
> consequence of a power outage is quite odd to say the least. But if that's
> the situation - that's the situation.
>
> There's really not much you can do about this now in terms of some simple
> process to reassign the C: drive letter to your current E: drive. I assume
> one of your two PATA HDDs is the one containing the OS and is now
> designated the E: drive.
>
> You can either live with the current situation or make a fresh install of
> the OS onto that HDD now designated as E:, understanding of course, that
> all data will be lost so it will be necessary to reinstall your programs &
> applications. If you take that course, be sure to disconnect *all* other
> HDDs from the system prior to undertaking the XP install process. This is
> the only practical way I know of to return your boot drive to a C: drive
> letter designation.
>
> Obviously since the system currently boots, I assume you would have no
> problem copying whatever user-created data you need from the current E:
> drive, but as mentioned above you will need to eventually reinstall your
> programs & applications.
> Anna
>

Anna

Unless I am mistaken it is simple to change a drive letter. The problem is
that
it renders many file / folder paths obsolete so that they no longer work.
Effectively
if it is the operating system drive being changed destroying the whole set
up.

Am I mistaken?

--

Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Anna" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:6E116A8A-41F7-46CA-8590-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> After a power outage, the drive letters changed! C:\ became E:\, and
>> gives
>> a
>> error message that a file 'HAL.DLL' is either corrupted or missing and
>> must
>> be replaced before windows will start. I copyed the file and pasted to
>> E:\window\System32 which contains the op sys, get same message.
>>
>> I have XP Home sp2, AMD Sempron 1800, three hard drives (2 IDE, 1 SATA).
>> The
>> Sata is 80 gig split 1/2 C:\ 40gig & D:\ 40 gig now E:\ contains Windows
>
>
> "Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:8698023C-679C-41E8-B018-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Your idea for unplugging the other hd's worked, almost, now it will boot
>> to
>> the main XP logo screen with the moving progress bar The bar just keeps
>> going
>> and going! I can now access the startup options (F8) It will not start
>> in
>> safe mode it hangs up about 1/2 way through, will not start in normal
>> stops
>> at progress bar same for last known working state.
>> What else cant i try? I'm almost there!
>
>
> Warren:
> That all this, i.e., the drive letters reversal, happened as a direct
> consequence of a power outage is quite odd to say the least. But if that's
> the situation - that's the situation.
>
> There's really not much you can do about this now in terms of some simple
> process to reassign the C: drive letter to your current E: drive. I assume
> one of your two PATA HDDs is the one containing the OS and is now
> designated the E: drive.
>
> You can either live with the current situation or make a fresh install of
> the OS onto that HDD now designated as E:, understanding of course, that
> all data will be lost so it will be necessary to reinstall your programs &
> applications. If you take that course, be sure to disconnect *all* other
> HDDs from the system prior to undertaking the XP install process. This is
> the only practical way I know of to return your boot drive to a C: drive
> letter designation.
>
> Obviously since the system currently boots, I assume you would have no
> problem copying whatever user-created data you need from the current E:
> drive, but as mentioned above you will need to eventually reinstall your
> programs & applications.
> Anna
>

>> "Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:6E116A8A-41F7-46CA-8590-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> After a power outage, the drive letters changed! C:\ became E:\, and
>>> gives a error message that a file 'HAL.DLL' is either corrupted or
>>> missing and
>>> must be replaced before windows will start. I copyed the file and pasted
>>> to
>>> E:\window\System32 which contains the op sys, get same message.
>>>
>>> I have XP Home sp2, AMD Sempron 1800, three hard drives (2 IDE, 1 SATA).
>>> The Sata is 80 gig split 1/2 C:\ 40gig & D:\ 40 gig now E:\ contains
>>> Windows


>> "Warren" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:8698023C-679C-41E8-B018-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Your idea for unplugging the other hd's worked, almost, now it will boot
>>> to the main XP logo screen with the moving progress bar The bar just
>>> keeps going and going! I can now access the startup options (F8) It
>>> will not start in safe mode it hangs up about 1/2 way through, will not
>>> start in normal stops at progress bar same for last known working state.
>>> What else cant i try? I'm almost there!


> "Anna" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Warren:
>> That all this, i.e., the drive letters reversal, happened as a direct
>> consequence of a power outage is quite odd to say the least. But if
>> that's the situation - that's the situation.
>>
>> There's really not much you can do about this now in terms of some simple
>> process to reassign the C: drive letter to your current E: drive. I
>> assume one of your two PATA HDDs is the one containing the OS and is now
>> designated the E: drive.
>>
>> You can either live with the current situation or make a fresh install of
>> the OS onto that HDD now designated as E:, understanding of course, that
>> all data will be lost so it will be necessary to reinstall your programs
>> & applications. If you take that course, be sure to disconnect *all*
>> other HDDs from the system prior to undertaking the XP install process.
>> This is the only practical way I know of to return your boot drive to a
>> C: drive letter designation.
>>
>> Obviously since the system currently boots, I assume you would have no
>> problem copying whatever user-created data you need from the current E:
>> drive, but as mentioned above you will need to eventually reinstall your
>> programs & applications.
>> Anna


"DatabaseBen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> maybe, he simply needs to re-set the
> boot up order in the CMOS.
>
> maybe, he needs to double check
> that the jumpers on the disks drives
> are properly set and they are connected
> to the cable correctly.
>
> sometimes, there is that one fluke where
> everything worked ok even though
> the odds were against it and the power
> surge revealed the issues above....


DatabaseBen (and Warren):
As far as I can tell, at this point Warren's problem goes far beyond merely
"re-set(ting) the boot up order...". It's highly doubtful (I think) whether
this will have any effect on solving his problem. But if it does, that would
be great.

Ditto for a different jumper/connectivity configuration changes. I do not
believe this is at the root of the problem he's experiencing.

Yes, it is true that power surges (together with brownouts) can cause all
sorts of mysterious problems with one's PC and it's the very devil to
diagnose why this or that problem occurred and more importantly, what's the
fix. But I've never run into the problem Warren described as a result of a
"power surge". But who knows?

Warren has stated that he's "almost there". Not sure what that means but
maybe he's on the verge of solving his problem without the necessity of what
I suggested. I certainly hope so.
Anna

Some files may have been damage when the power fail.... Your may wish to
reinstall windows or try this trick.......

unplug the hard drive from this computer , take it to a working pc , install
it as a slave drive on the 2nd ide cable ( this way it will not mess up the
other pc boot drive if it see 2 bootable drive on the same cable--- windows
can sometime do weird things if you let it ) or if it a sata just plug it
in to the highest # sata port you have ( not #1 or pc will try to boot it )
.. Now if this works you can clean up the files on this disk using file
management prograns on the 2nd pc or run "chkdsk". I think you may find
some fixable errors in the fat tables. If all go well .reinstall it as the
only drive as see what happens.


maybe you can tell I hard a few problems like this before ???
using a 2nd pc to clean up bootable hard drive is something I was told to do
by others ... and it has work for me ..hope it work for you.