Can't boot, missing hal.dll. Rebuild and repair dont work

[Guest]

Help!

I have already done a fresh install of my computer several times and I keep
getting the same problem. When I try to start my computer, it tells me that
windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
hal.dll

In fact, the file exists. I know this because if I put the windows CD Rom
into the drive it will boot ok, and I have found the file there. What is
actually happening is that the boot.ini file is misdirecting the computer
somehow to go to the wrong place for my computer to boot.

I have tried the rebuild command, and it does not work. I have tried the
repair option, and that does not work. I have even reinstalled several
times, and the same things appears.

What makes it worse is that I have two scsi drives in several partitions,
and two IDE drives in several partitions. I have no idea which drive is
which as far as numbering is concerned, so I cannot check to see if the
boot.ini file is pointing to the right location.

Can someone please help?

For a start, I would like to find out what numbers my drives are.

Next, I would like to know how I can get the computer to boot from my E:
drive (a SCSI).

Can someone make any suggestions? I have just upgraded to a new 64 bit
machine, but until now it was working perfectly.

I really am in a desperate state, and would appreciate any help you can
give. I have already seen the link to Kellys page, but it does not help me
much.

Oh God, please someone help me!

Dan

 

[Marvin7]

run Windows XP from CD, get into rescue console
and type "fixmbr" and "fixboot."

 

[Guest]

I've just tried using fixmbr and fixboot as you suggested but it has made no
difference.

I have also tried installing a copy of windows xp onto my IDE drive, and it
works perfectly. I tried installing a second copy of windows xp onto my scsi
drive to see if it would work as a dual boot system, and I had the same
missing .dll error as before on the scsi version of windows (though not the
IDE version). I cannot understand what the problem is. Do you think for
some reason it is not seeing my scsi drives on bootup? But if so, why does
it always boot from scsi when I put the windows CD in the drive?

I would really appreciate any help you can give,

Dan

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Please try the following link to Kelly's web page:

"HAL - Hardware Abstraction Layer"
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_h.htm

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately I've been to this weblink before and it does not help me.
There appears to be nothing wrong with my boot.ini file (remember it loads
fine with the windows disk in the drive) and the hal.dll file is NOT actually
missing because I have run a search on it and found it on the computer. I
have run the rebuild command, the fixboot etc. commands and I do not seem any
nearer to solving this problem. I have also reinstalled windows several
times, and each time I get the same problem.

My workaround solution at the moment is to install windows to my much slower
IDE drive, but this is not really satsifactory. I have been trying to figure
this out all day yesterday and today, and my efforts have so far come to
naught.

I can only assume it is either not seeing my SCSI drives, or there is
another reason that is beyond my understanding.

I have a new MSI Athlon 64 bit motherboard and processor (the board is a K8N
Neo) that has been installed yesterday when the trouble began. Could it be
there is something in my BIOS settings that is causing this trouble? My old
board did not give me a problem.

Thanks for the help so far. Please do keep offering suggestions,

Dan

 

[afeldsott]

Hi - I have almost the identical problem. I recently had a hard drive
go bad, so I installed a new one. I installed XP Pro from the CD. It
installed just fine. After rebooting, I get the hal.dll error. If the
CD is in the drive, and I have my BIOS set to boot from CD first, then
hard drive, it boots fine. If I set the BIOS to boot from hard drive
first, it can't find hal.dll. I do have a second hard drive.

Have you had any luck? Thanks.