I can't re-install a corrupt file

[Guest]

I have a corrupt windows file that is preventing my laptop from booting. it
says: <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll. is either missing or corrupt and asks
me to re-install a copy of the file.
When I insert my Windows XP disk into the drive the laptop does not open it.
What can I possibly do now? I purchased a brand new copy of XP!

 

[Guest]

First you need to go into the bios and set you boot order

The next step to do when the CD boots it will come to a screen and one of
the options is repair. Take that choice.

What this does is boot you into a console, select your boot drive i.e.
select the number next to the listing.

Then it will ask you to login, normally the Administrator password is blank,
hit enter.

Then you will need to run chkdsk /r

Let the OS repair the corrupt file for you. HAL isn't the only problem you
will have. This will fix it. When it is done, type exit and it should boot
into windows

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi Marthab,

See this note from MVP Alex Nichol:

<quote>
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

</quote>

--
Regards,


Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I have a corrupt windows file that is preventing my laptop from booting. it
says: <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll. is either missing or corrupt and asks
me to re-install a copy of the file.
When I insert my Windows XP disk into the drive the laptop does not open it.
What can I possibly do now? I purchased a brand new copy of XP!

 

[Rock]

I have a corrupt windows file that is preventing my laptop from booting. it
says: <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll. is either missing or corrupt and
asks
me to re-install a copy of the file.
When I insert my Windows XP disk into the drive the laptop does not open
it.
What can I possibly do now? I purchased a brand new copy of XP!

Follow the suggestion by Ramesh first. If you ever need to run chkdsk, make
sure you have a full and complete backup of all important data before doing
so. It can destroy data.

 

[Guest]

Thanks to both of you... I have gotten it to open with the disk, but- i
really don't understand exactly what to do after I press repair, sorry

 

[Guest]

I'm working on it here Rock. It keeps asking me for an Adminstrator
password, i have none... and in the BIOS screen I made sure that it was
disabled... so any suggestions on how to proceed?

 

[Guest]

I'm pretty lame about this stuff, but I'm trying to avoid having my machine
in a shop for a week, so I thank all MVPs for the help-
the machine keeps asking for an admin password, i have none. What next? It
keeps rebooting after I type enter a few times to the passwork request

 

[Rock]

I'm working on it here Rock. It keeps asking me for an Adminstrator
password, i have none... and in the BIOS screen I made sure that it was
disabled... so any suggestions on how to proceed?

Is this XP Home? If so assume the password is blank and just hit enter. If
XP Pro you have to enter the password assigned to that built in
administrator account when XP was installed.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Rock. That is the problem. I bought this computer from my husband's
past company when they were upgrading. No admin password is available to me
now. I bought a new copy of XP Home to fix whatever was wrong by installing a
new copy.

 

[Rock]

Thanks Rock. That is the problem. I bought this computer from my husband's
past company when they were upgrading. No admin password is available to
me
now. I bought a new copy of XP Home to fix whatever was wrong by
installing a
new copy.

You don't need to do that. Here is a link to a utility that will reset the
password on the built in Administrator account.

http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/