cannot get windows to start up

[smithfamily]

in the middle of doing a system restore, the error message came up stating
<windows root>\system32\hal.dll file is missing. used this site for
solutions, tried doing the bootcfg /rebuild and get this message Error:
failed to successfully scan disks for windows installations. This error may
be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent bootcfg from
successfully scannning, use chkdsk to detect any disk errors. Ran chkdsk /r
and get the message that one or more files were found and fixed but bootcfg
/rebuild still gives me the same message...what else can I do??

thanks in advance for your help!

 

[John John (MVP)]

Try booting with an XP boot floppy.

To build the boot diskette do the following:

1- Format a floppy diskette with a Windows 2000/XP installation, do not
format the diskette using a Windows 9x installation, if you do the
diskette will fail to boot Windows XP.

2- Copy the files NTDETECT.COM and ntldr from your Windows XP CD or
from another Windows XP computer onto the floppy diskette. You have to
use the XP version of the files, do not use Windows 2000 files.

3- Create a Boot.ini file and copy it to the diskette. To create a
boot.ini file create a Notepad file and copy the
text between the == lines to the file and save it as boot.ini:

==================================================================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 01"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 02"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 11"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 12"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
===================================================================

Set your computer to boot to diskette first and try booting with the
diskette. The above boot.ini file will allow you to try booting on 2
different partition on 2 different hard disks.

John

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Did you try the command :
fixboot
Error message in Windows XP SP2: “Windows could not start because the
following file is missing or corrupt. Windows\System32\Hal.dllâ€:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945380/en-us

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[smithfamily]

have not tried that...when it asks if i am sure you want to write a new
bootsector to the partition c...put in Y for yes?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Yes, Y. The fixboot will put in the files mentioned by John. NTLDR, and
NTDetect.com. You probably have the wrong versions of those, as that article
says.

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have not tried that...when it asks if i am sure you want to write a new
bootsector to the partition c...put in Y for yes?

 

[smithfamily]

ok...did that, then what? do the bootcfg again or ??

thank you!

 

[John John (MVP)]

AFAIK it (fixboot) will write an XP compatible boot sector to the
partition but it won't write the mentioned files to the disk, those will
have to be manually copied over.

John

 

[smithfamily]

ok so, can you please tell me, step by step, what i need to do next?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

You started the console somehow. This location has a i386 folder. Let's say:
F:\i386 or whatever drive you are using to boot the console.
From the console prompt
copy F:\i386\NTLDR C:\
copy F:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

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[smithfamily]

ok....did that, what next? each one said 1 file copied....thank you!

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

If starting Windows normally still throws a hal.dll error, you have hard
drive problems. I would try chkdsk /r again. If that fails to fix it, and
bootcfg is still failing, I think you are going to need to replace the hard
drive, and try to recover your data from the old one, put in as a second
drive.

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[smithfamily]

tried restarting normally and still do get the same error. am running the
chkdsk /r and will do the bootcfg /rebuild once that is done. if that
doesn't work, can you explain the process of getting, and installing, a new
hard drive and using the old one as a secondary one to retrieve data?

thank you for all the help!

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

If you have no experience with installing hard drives, and running setup,
you will probably need some local help. It's likely you have SP3 installed,
and the way to try repairs is equally as complex.

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[smithfamily]

OK...thank you for all the help, will seek local support!
have a great day!