hal.dll corrupt on old xp, remove old xp installation

[Kev]

I have a few questions, inter-related I guess.

I have an old XP Home installation on the second partition of my hard drive
(computer is a 4 year old Acer laptop, 30GB HD, 2 partitions factory
created). This installation, when I try to boot (very rarely), I get the
hal.dll is missing/corrupt message.

My main installation, on the primary partition, is XP Professional.

I want to remove the old XP Home installation from my partition. I no longer
have the disk (it came with a different computer, and was lost), and don't
imagine I can use the recover console on the Pro disk. How can I remove the
Home version, without formatting my partition (I have a lot of programs
installed there due to small size of hard drive), and is it possible to do so
with corrupt/missing hal.dll? I have no access at all to this install.

I hope someone can help. Thanks

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Can you see the partition from the XP Pro side?

 

[Kev]

As in can I access/use it? Yes - I have programs and data there. I can also
see the "Documents and Settings" folder for this install

 

[Industrial One]

I have a few questions, inter-related I guess.

I have an old XP Home installation on the second partition of my hard drive
(computer is a 4 year old Acer laptop, 30GB HD, 2 partitions factory
created). This installation, when I try to boot (very rarely), I get the
hal.dll is missing/corrupt message.

My main installation, on the primary partition, is XP Professional.

I want to remove the old XP Home installation from my partition. I no longer
have the disk (it came with a different computer, and was lost), and don't
imagine I can use the recover console on the Pro disk. How can I remove the
Home version, without formatting my partition (I have a lot of programs
installed there due to small size of hard drive), and is it possible to do so
with corrupt/missing hal.dll? I have no access at all to this install.

I hope someone can help. Thanks

hahaha, dame! I got the same problem. Only I'm using an Acer desktop
with a Vista installation that I now can't boot up to after installing
XP cuz hal.dll is "corrupted."

In your case, you will have to acquire an XP disk, boot up from it and
repair the partition (not the recovery console.) On the other hand,
why not just use a directory browser from a hex editor/partition
manager and recover the files that you want from your old, corrupted
drive?

 

[Kev]

I have nothing there to recover - I only want to know how to remove without
formatting the partition

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

That's because you installed XP after Vista was already installed. You need
to install the oldest operating system first and then the later one.

 

[Kev]

Mine was XP Home first, then shortly after, Professional on the other
partition, which I have used since (about 18 months)

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Then I suggest that you use the XP Files and Settings Transfer wizard to
save your files and settings to intermediate storage and then completely
rebuild the system. Boot with the XP Pro cd, delete all the partitions and
make one new one and install XP Pro. Be sure to make a cd with all the
drivers and utilities for your system first.

 

[Kev]

Is there any other option that doesn't involve this, and if not, how do I
delete the partition so it is one large drive?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Boot with the XP cd and proceed through the installation a few steps and you
will see the text screen that offers you the partitions for installation.
You will see the options for deleting partitions. Delete one and reboot and
repeat the process for the second. Then reboot again and you should see
just a single unallocated space in which you can create a new partition,
format, and install. The complete method (only one partition is shown, but
just repeat as needed):

http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/sp2installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm

 

[Industrial One]

That's because you installed XP after Vista was already installed. You need
to install the oldest operating system first and then the later one.

Yeah, I realize that now. Any suggestions on how to fix this?

 

[Kev]

Thanks a lot for your help Colin.
Problem solved, cheers

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

You're welcome.

Thanks a lot for your help Colin.
Problem solved, cheers