Getting error message...

[Ismael]

Hello everyone,

When I turn on my PC that is running WinXP_Pro SP2 I get the following error
message: "Error: Windows could not start because the following file is
missing or corrupt: <windows root> system32\hal.dll. Please re-install a
copy of the above file." Does anyone know what this means? I had to
reinstall a back-up ghost copy of WinXP Pro SP2 on the first partition then
it would work. When I tried to install the ghost copy on the second
partition it would not work. Does anyone know why?

I have a 200 gig maxtor hard drive that my motherboard BIOS only sees 137GB
(I've contacted the motherboard manufacturer and they said the motherboard
is too old and they don't have a BIOS flash upgrade). I had to install a
patch for WinXP Pro SP2 to see the full 200GB drive (this patch is called
"maxtor big drive enabler" taken from the maxtor website).

I've read somewhere that if your BIOS only sees 136GB, and as
long as the OS can also see 136GB then you will only be able to format up to
136GB without data corruption, even though the drive is actually 200GB drive
(the rest of the space, 64GB is just not usable, unless you use a drive
translation software/patch for the OS you are using. But doesn't this slow
the access time to the data on the hard drive?). Is this true?

If it is true Win95 and Win98 should be able to
read and write data within a partition on the 200 gig hard drive up to but
not
larger than 136GB is size without data corruption. I don't know if a patch
exists
for either Win95 and Win98
to see beyond 136GB with a BIOS that can only see 136GB which then limits
Win95 and Win98 to see anything larger.

I have three OS in my computer. WinXP_Pro on the first primary partition,
Win 95 on
the second primary partition, Win98 on the third primary partition, and a
logical/extended partition so I can share data among the three partitions.
I use a boot manager from partition magic 7 to boot to any of the three
operating systems.

I am trying to determine if I should in the logical/extended partition put a
fat32 partition up to the 136GB barrier then put an NTFS partition past the
136GB barrier up to the capacity of the hard drive (200Gig) for WinXP_Pro to
use. Anyone know of any problems I might encounter with this setup.

All responses are appreciated,


Ismael

 

[Ted Zieglar]

You can't restore identical images on two separate partitions. Well, you
can, but it won't work, as you discovered.

This is why I say that disk imaging is an advanced procedure that no one
should attempt unless and until they understand the concepts involved and
have read the documentation that comes with the program.

 

[Ron Martell]

Hello everyone,

When I turn on my PC that is running WinXP_Pro SP2 I get the following error
message: "Error: Windows could not start because the following file is
missing or corrupt: <windows root> system32\hal.dll. Please re-install a
copy of the above file." Does anyone know what this means? I had to
reinstall a back-up ghost copy of WinXP Pro SP2 on the first partition then
it would work. When I tried to install the ghost copy on the second
partition it would not work. Does anyone know why?

"Invalid Boot.ini" or "Windows could not start" error messages when
you start your computer
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 330184
http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=330184


Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."