Hal.dll file missing this morning

[Zonzon]

I have win xp pro with all updates. Yesterday pm my son used my computer.
This morning i cannot start the computer. It says ' root\system32\hal.dll is
missing.

Now i cannot open the windows\system32 folder; it says that the drive is not
formatted. I get the same answer when i try to open the 'Documents and
Settings folder. All other folders appear to open normally.

I was lucky to have a second drive with a workable backup. I am using it
now.

What may cause the problem and how can i repair it short of reformating my
drive.


Zonzon

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Visit http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_h.htm for troubleshooting
issues with your HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer).

[Courtesy of Kelly Theriot, MS-MVP]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I have win xp pro with all updates. Yesterday pm my son used my computer.
| This morning i cannot start the computer. It says ' root\system32\hal.dll is
| missing.
|
| Now i cannot open the windows\system32 folder; it says that the drive is not
| formatted. I get the same answer when i try to open the 'Documents and
| Settings folder. All other folders appear to open normally.
|
| I was lucky to have a second drive with a workable backup. I am using it
| now.
|
| What may cause the problem and how can i repair it short of reformating my
| drive.
|
|
| Zonzon

 

[S.Sengupta]

Hi,
please see here:-
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm
regards,
ssg MS-MVP
pronetworks.org

 

[Malke]

I have win xp pro with all updates. Yesterday pm my son used my
computer. This morning i cannot start the computer. It says '
root\system32\hal.dll is missing.

Now i cannot open the windows\system32 folder; it says that the drive
is not formatted. I get the same answer when i try to open the
'Documents and Settings folder. All other folders appear to open
normally.

I was lucky to have a second drive with a workable backup. I am using
it now.

What may cause the problem and how can i repair it short of
reformating my drive.

Try a Repair Install. Here's a link to information:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Malke

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have win xp pro with all updates. Yesterday pm my son used my computer.
This morning i cannot start the computer. It says ' root\system32\hal.dll is
missing.

Now i cannot open the windows\system32 folder; it says that the drive is not
formatted. I get the same answer when i try to open the 'Documents and
Settings folder. All other folders appear to open normally.

That indicates that there is corruption of the boot.ini file: That
tells the boot where to look for windows components, and it is looking
in the wrong place. Hal.dll just happens to be the first file it looks
for.

Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot the XP CD and, instead
of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair. Assume any password
requested is blank, and TAB over.
Give:
ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\Boot.ini
DEL C:\Boot.ini
(thus deleting the old one)
BootCfg /Rebuild

It does not mean of course that boot.ini is the only thing damaged - it
rather sounds as if your disk was in deeper trouble