hal.dll

  • Thread starter Thread starter rooster
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rooster

When I try to start in XP Safe Mode, I get the message: <windows root>
system32\hal.dll is missing.

I fumbled my way through to finding and downloading the missing file,
unzipping it and putting it in Desktop.

What buttons do I push to re-instate the thing?

rooster
boundary bay, bc
 
|>When I try to start in XP Safe Mode, I get the message: <windows root>
|>system32\hal.dll is missing.
|>
|> I fumbled my way through to finding and downloading the missing file,
|>unzipping it and putting it in Desktop.
|>
|>What buttons do I push to re-instate the thing?
|>

This often is an error message if the C:\boot.ini is wrong or missing
 
rooster said:
When I try to start in XP Safe Mode, I get the message: <windows
root> system32\hal.dll is missing.

I fumbled my way through to finding and downloading the missing
file,
unzipping it and putting it in Desktop.

What buttons do I push to re-instate the thing?

rooster
boundary bay, bc
Click to expand...

Per the late, great MVP Alex Nichol:

That message is rather misleading. It happens because the boot.ini file
that tells the boot where to look for 'Windows' is damaged, so it is
looking for files in the wrong place - hal.dll just happens to be the
first one 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.

Use
Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
DEL C:\boot.ini
to delete the bad one
BootCfg /Rebuild

to search for Windows installations and make a new one

Malke
 
I appreciate the response, but for a 'sysidiot' like me, your reply is a
bit like the opening lines of: "There's a Hole in the Bucket; Dear Liza,
Dear Liza, ..."


Is the "C:\boot.ini" what I see in [Sys Config] boot.ini? And if so,
what am I supposed to be looking for to know there is a problem?

The other odd thing is that there are 9 hal.dll files already among my
files; one dating back to before I got the computer.

So; "What next, Dear Henry, Dear Henry; What next dear Henry, Dear
Henry; What Next?"

rooster
 
rooster said:
When I try to start in XP Safe Mode, I get the message: <windows root>
system32\hal.dll is missing.

I fumbled my way through to finding and downloading the missing file,
unzipping it and putting it in Desktop.

What buttons do I push to re-instate the thing?

rooster
boundary bay, bc
Click to expand...

From:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm

HAL.DLL is Missing - Updated by MVP Alex Nichol

Option 1:

Boot from your CD and follow the directions to start Recovery Console. Then:

Attrib -H -R -S C:\Boot.ini
DEL C:\Boot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild
Fixboot

Option 2:

Boot from your CD and follow the directions below to start Recovery Console.

Insert the Setup compact disc (CD) and restart the computer. If
prompted, select any options required to boot from the CD.
When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts; choose the
repair or recover option by pressing R.

If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation
that you need to access from the Recovery Console.
When prompted, type the Administrator password. (if you didn't create
one try pressing enter).

At the system prompt, type Recovery Console commands; type help for a
list of commands, or help commandname for help on a specific command.

Most likely you will need to expand the file from the CD. The command
would be expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32\hal.dll. Substitute
d: for the drive letter of your CD. Once you have expanded the file type
"exit" to exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.
________________________

Thanks to the great MVP Kelly Theriot:
http://www.kellys-korner.com/

and the late, great MVP Alex Nichol:
http://www.aumha.org/alex.php

Steve N.
 
|>I appreciate the response, but for a 'sysidiot' like me, your reply is a
|>bit like the opening lines of: "There's a Hole in the Bucket; Dear Liza,
|>Dear Liza, ..."
|>
|>
|>Is the "C:\boot.ini" what I see in [Sys Config] boot.ini? And if so,
|>what am I supposed to be looking for to know there is a problem?
|>
|>The other odd thing is that there are 9 hal.dll files already among my
|>files; one dating back to before I got the computer.
|>
|>So; "What next, Dear Henry, Dear Henry; What next dear Henry, Dear
|>Henry; What Next?"

Nice reply :) I error'd in that I figured anybody that could transfer
a hal.dll to their computer would know what the BOOT.ini was.

Anyhow you got some great replies after mine,

here's a step by step link for the recovery console so you can delete
the old c:\boot.ini and build another one with the
- BootCfg /Rebuild - command.
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm
 
Thanks Pennywise and Steve.

I'm going to put off applying your Rx regimens until the W/E when I can
devote a block of time to the task.

Happy trails,
 
Well; that was fun... NOT.

I chose option 2

“Insert the Setup compact disc (CD) and restart the computer. If
prompted, select any options required to boot from the CD.”

No such options present. The only cue available was to press R to see
“System Recovery Options”.

”When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts; choose
the repair or recover option by pressing R.”

Pressing “R” opened “System Restore Options”. There were 3 options:
1. Non-Destructive […] recovers factory shipped applications drivers and
the OS without affecting any data […]
2. Destructive […] reinstalls everything.
3. Advanced …essentially clears HD and reinstalls XP from scratch.

I went for 1. This ran for 35 minutes and when complete, including a
restart, succeeded in reinstating XP as it came out of the box. This
meant I had to uninstall a raft of annoying apps and programs that I
thought I was rid of, go fetch all the Windows Updates, start
re-configuring my firewall again (Kerio) and probably more tweaks I
haven’t had time to notice yet.

Did I mention yet that I still get the “hal.dll” error message on
restarts… no??? Well I do.

I’ve been through the restart procedure with the CD inserted 4 times and
there is no line (F8 or otherwise) that allows booting from the CD.

The PC I have is an "emachines T2893".

rooster
 
rooster said:
Well; that was fun... NOT.

I chose option 2

“Insert the Setup compact disc (CD) and restart the computer. If
prompted, select any options required to boot from the CD.”

No such options present. The only cue available was to press R to see
“System Recovery Options”.

”When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts; choose
the repair or recover option by pressing R.”

Pressing “R” opened “System Restore Options”. There were 3 options:
1. Non-Destructive […] recovers factory shipped applications drivers and
the OS without affecting any data […]
2. Destructive […] reinstalls everything.
3. Advanced …essentially clears HD and reinstalls XP from scratch.

I went for 1. This ran for 35 minutes and when complete, including a
restart, succeeded in reinstating XP as it came out of the box. This
meant I had to uninstall a raft of annoying apps and programs that I
thought I was rid of, go fetch all the Windows Updates, start
re-configuring my firewall again (Kerio) and probably more tweaks I
haven’t had time to notice yet.

Did I mention yet that I still get the “hal.dll” error message on
restarts… no??? Well I do.

I’ve been through the restart procedure with the CD inserted 4 times and
there is no line (F8 or otherwise) that allows booting from the CD.

The PC I have is an "emachines T2893".

rooster
Click to expand...

I hear you Rooster, and I feel your pain. The XP CD you got from
slEazeMachines is a bast@rdized type OEM piece of cr@p, then. I'm sorry
you had to go through all this. Get your hands on a real, generic,
non-branded XP CD from someone you can still try the Recovery Console
commands I posted to fix the hal.dll error.

Steve N.
 
Steve;

Thanks for the em(achines)pathy.

Funny you should mention getting the XP CD. I just found out by accident
a cousin has one they bought without the savvy to realize they couldn’t
install in on top of a "Touch Systems" OEM wheezer with 64 MB RAM and
formatted for W98.

As you probably are well aware, and as I am just coming to realize, this
snag is similar to the one that applies to backing up Docs & Settings
…another massive headache to deal with on an emachines OEM. I managed to
work out a sol’n by copying docs & sets to Desktop, then burning them to
CD-R using “CDBurnerXP Pro” (Windows Backup Wizard won’t copy to (D:)
where my CD is.)

Given that I abide upon those heady and fragrant meadows of
contemplation peculiar to the idylls of the abjectly naïve, it shot
athwart my lobes that fetching XP-Home “Recovery Console” as part of the
Q310994 MS d/l, temping it on Desktop, burning a CD-R as above …. just
might be a way around getting it to where I could boot from the CD and
resume following your Rx.

Or should I just give my head a shake and give up?

rooster
 
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