Obtained from Google....
Hello,
Boot from your XP Setup CD and enter the Recovery Console
Press Enter after each command.
At the prompt, type in:
attrib -h -r -s C:\Boot.ini {spaces after attrib, h, r, s}
Type in:
Del C:\Boot.ini {space after Del}
Type in:
Bootcfg /Rebuild {space after Bootcfg}
Type in:
Fixboot
Type in:
exit
Microsoft's version of the above:
1. Configure the computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For
information about how to do this, see your computer documentation, or
contact your computer manufacturer.
2. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then
restart your computer.
3. When you receive the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key
to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.
4. When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the
Recovery Console.
5. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the
installation that you have to use from the Recovery Console.
6. When you are prompted, type the administrator password, and then press
ENTER.
7. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /list, and then press ENTER. The
entries in your current Boot.ini file appear on the screen.
8. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER. This
command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows XP, Microsoft
Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT installations, and then displays the
results. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to add the
Windows installations to the Boot.ini file. For example, follow these steps
to add a Windows XP installation to the Boot.ini file:
a. When you receive a message that is similar to the following message,
press Y:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
b. You receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Enter Load Identifier
This is the name of the operating system. When you receive this message,
type the name of your operating system, and then press ENTER. This is either
Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
c. You receive a message that is similar to the following:
Enter OS Load options
When you receive this message, type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.
Note The instructions that appear on your screen may be different, depending
on the configuration of your computer.
9. Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console. Your computer
restarts, and the updated boot list appears when you receive the "Please
select the operating system to start" message.
I am running Windows XP Pro on my Dell desktop and cannot boot the system. I
get the Dell logo screen and then get the following message: Windows could
not start because the following file is missing or corrupted: Windows
Root/System32/hal.dll Can you help?
