hal.dll

[Benny]

Hi my Windows Xp Media center, cant get into Windows because of an error
saying "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." and I have looked all over the
internet and it all says to use Windows Xp CD, which I don't have! and I have
bought my Windows Xp Media center PC in 2005 without a CD.

Please, please help me!!!
My computer has very important files and I don't know what to do!
Thank you.

 

[Malke]

Hi my Windows Xp Media center, cant get into Windows because of an error
saying "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." and I have looked all over
the internet and it all says to use Windows Xp CD, which I don't have! and
I have bought my Windows Xp Media center PC in 2005 without a CD.

Please, please help me!!!
My computer has very important files and I don't know what to do!
Thank you.

I'm afraid you will need a real Windows Media Center install disk. I'll give
you the fix, but you can't do this without an install disk. Because it
would be unlikely for an end user to have an MCE install disk, you might
try substituting an XP Pro disk instead. You really only need to be able to
get to the Recovery Console. Perhaps a friend has an XP disk you can
borrow. Otherwise you'll need to take the machine to a local computer
professional which, I'm afraid, will not be free. I don't suggest using a
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.

Sidenote: when this is all over, create and institute a backup strategy.
Your last comment indicates to me that you haven't been backing up your
data and that's just asking for Tears Before Bedtime.

*****
WINDOWS COULD NOT FIND START BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING FILE IS MISSING OR
CORRUPT
WINDOWS ROOT>\SYSTEM32\hal.dll

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

 

[Benny]

I'm afraid you will need a real Windows Media Center install disk. I'll give
you the fix, but you can't do this without an install disk. Because it
would be unlikely for an end user to have an MCE install disk, you might
try substituting an XP Pro disk instead. You really only need to be able to
get to the Recovery Console. Perhaps a friend has an XP disk you can
borrow. Otherwise you'll need to take the machine to a local computer
professional which, I'm afraid, will not be free. I don't suggest using a
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.

Sidenote: when this is all over, create and institute a backup strategy.
Your last comment indicates to me that you haven't been backing up your
data and that's just asking for Tears Before Bedtime.

*****
WINDOWS COULD NOT FIND START BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING FILE IS MISSING OR
CORRUPT
WINDOWS ROOT>\SYSTEM32\hal.dll

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

Okay i went into the XP Pro CD and I did evrything like you said but this part

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

didnt work...

typed in
attrib -h -r -s c:\boot.ini
then it says
"The system cannot find the file or directory specified."
then i tried
del c:\boot.ini
and it says
An error occurred during directory enumeration.
then i tried
bootcfg /rebuild
and it says
Scanning all disks for Windows installations.
Please wait, since this may take a while....
Error: Failed to succesfully scan disks for Windows installations.
This error may be coused by a corrupt file system, which whould
prevent Bootcfg from succesfully scanning. Use chkdsk to ditect any errors.

 

[Malke]

Okay i went into the XP Pro CD and I did evrything like you said but this
part
didnt work...

typed in
attrib -h -r -s c:\boot.ini
then it says
"The system cannot find the file or directory specified."
then i tried
del c:\boot.ini
and it says
An error occurred during directory enumeration.
then i tried
bootcfg /rebuild
and it says
Scanning all disks for Windows installations.
Please wait, since this may take a while....
Error: Failed to succesfully scan disks for Windows installations.
This error may be coused by a corrupt file system, which whould
prevent Bootcfg from succesfully scanning. Use chkdsk to ditect any
errors.

Perhaps you should do what is suggested then and try a Chkdsk. Maybe your
hard drive is dying. There's just no way for me to know without being able
to see the machine.

How to use Chkdsk - http://tinyurl.com/2obcd

Malke

 

[Benny]

Perhaps you should do what is suggested then and try a Chkdsk. Maybe your
hard drive is dying. There's just no way for me to know without being able
to see the machine.

How to use Chkdsk - http://tinyurl.com/2obcd

Malke

I have tried chkdsk many times...
Is there a way I can copy some of my files over to a CD or something?

 

[Malke]

I have tried chkdsk many times...
Is there a way I can copy some of my files over to a CD or something?

Assuming that the hard drive is physically sound, here are some general data
retrieval suggestions:

1. Pull the drive and slave it in a computer running a working install of
XP/Vista. Depending on the target drive's characteristics, you may need a
drive adapter; i.e., laptop-to-IDE or a SATA controller card, etc. A
usb/firewire external drive enclosure works very well, too. Use the working
Windows Explorer to copy the data to the rescue system's hard drive and
then burn the data to cd or dvd.

2. Often XP/Vista will not boot with a slaved drive that has a damaged file
system. In that case, boot the target computer with either a Bart's PE or a
Linux live cd such as Knoppix and retrieve the data that way. Here is
general information on using Knoppix for this:

You will need a computer with two cd drives, one of which is a cd/dvd-rw OR
a usb thumb drive with enough capacity to hold your data OR an external
usb/firewire hard drive formatted FAT32 (not NTFS)*. To get Knoppix, you
need a computer with a fast Internet connection and third-party burning
software. Download the Knoppix .iso and create your bootable cd. Then boot
with it and it will be able to see the Windows files. If you are using the
usb thumb drive or the external hard drive, right-click on its icon (on the
Desktop) to get its properties and uncheck the box that says "Read Only".
Then click on it to open it. Note that the default mouse action in the
window manager used by Knoppix (KDE) is a single click to open instead of
the traditional MS Windows' double-click. If you want to burn CD/DVDs, use
the K3b program.

*My understanding is that you can now write to an NTFS partition from Linux.
If you wish to do this, Google for instructions.

http://www.knoppix.net
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - Bart's PE Builder

Malke

 

[Benny]

Assuming that the hard drive is physically sound, here are some general data
retrieval suggestions:

1. Pull the drive and slave it in a computer running a working install of
XP/Vista. Depending on the target drive's characteristics, you may need a
drive adapter; i.e., laptop-to-IDE or a SATA controller card, etc. A
usb/firewire external drive enclosure works very well, too. Use the working
Windows Explorer to copy the data to the rescue system's hard drive and
then burn the data to cd or dvd.

2. Often XP/Vista will not boot with a slaved drive that has a damaged file
system. In that case, boot the target computer with either a Bart's PE or a
Linux live cd such as Knoppix and retrieve the data that way. Here is
general information on using Knoppix for this:

You will need a computer with two cd drives, one of which is a cd/dvd-rw OR
a usb thumb drive with enough capacity to hold your data OR an external
usb/firewire hard drive formatted FAT32 (not NTFS)*. To get Knoppix, you
need a computer with a fast Internet connection and third-party burning
software. Download the Knoppix .iso and create your bootable cd. Then boot
with it and it will be able to see the Windows files. If you are using the
usb thumb drive or the external hard drive, right-click on its icon (on the
Desktop) to get its properties and uncheck the box that says "Read Only".
Then click on it to open it. Note that the default mouse action in the
window manager used by Knoppix (KDE) is a single click to open instead of
the traditional MS Windows' double-click. If you want to burn CD/DVDs, use
the K3b program.

*My understanding is that you can now write to an NTFS partition from Linux.
If you wish to do this, Google for instructions.

http://www.knoppix.net
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - Bart's PE Builder

Malke

Hi Malke
I think I have tried many things already but I have one more idea...
Would it help if I get a Recovery CD from some where, and do a recovery?
I also have a Windows Vista Home Premium Laptop and there is this Recovery
Manager program... Can I make a Recovery CD for Windows XP exactly?
And if not where could I get one or download one for free?

 

[Malke]

Benny wrote:

Hi Malke

I think I have tried many things already but I have one more idea...
Would it help if I get a Recovery CD from some where, and do a recovery?
I also have a Windows Vista Home Premium Laptop and there is this Recovery
Manager program... Can I make a Recovery CD for Windows XP exactly?
And if not where could I get one or download one for free?

I can't possibly answer that question accurately. I already told you how to
get an XP install CD - which is where you will find the Recovery Console,
not in some separate "Recovery CD" - borrow one from a friend that matches
your version or take the machine to a shop.

I'm sorry but I really don't have anything further to add to this thread.

Malke

 

[Benny]

Benny wrote:

Hi Malke

I can't possibly answer that question accurately. I already told you how to
get an XP install CD - which is where you will find the Recovery Console,
not in some separate "Recovery CD" - borrow one from a friend that matches
your version or take the machine to a shop.

I'm sorry but I really don't have anything further to add to this thread.

Malke

Okay Thank you vey much!