Missing hal.dll

[Guest]

I have just installed XP SP2 on my HP desktop, the installation reported it
to be a success, but on rebooting the computer reports hal.dll missing. I
have an 80gig hard disc partition C being NTFS and D FAT32. I have the
following problems.
• My Recovery disk is not being recognised (I think because it is a R/W DVD).
I have tried all the reboot options – None work. I don’t have the option
listed for recovery.
I have another recovery disc from my laptop (also XP home) but if I use this
copy it wants the reinstall the software again. I did try the option to
install on partition D but it reports as not having enough space. I am
reluctant to delete this partition and create another blank one, as I am
unsure if I will loose data.

After searching the internet, I think the problem is in the Boot.ini file
which is on the NTFS partition of my hard disc. How do I get access to amend
the file?

Thanks
Anthony G. Williams

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have just installed XP SP2 on my HP desktop, the installation reported it
to be a success, but on rebooting the computer reports hal.dll missing. I
have an 80gig hard disc partition C being NTFS and D FAT32. I have the
following problems.
• My Recovery disk is not being recognised (I think because it is a R/W DVD).
I have tried all the reboot options – None work. I don’t have the option
listed for recovery.
I have another recovery disc from my laptop (also XP home) but if I use this
copy it wants the reinstall the software again. I did try the option to
install on partition D but it reports as not having enough space. I am
reluctant to delete this partition and create another blank one, as I am
unsure if I will loose data.

After searching the internet, I think the problem is in the Boot.ini file
which is on the NTFS partition of my hard disc. How do I get access to amend
the file?

It is a bad boot.ini, resulting in boot looking for Windows in the wrong
place. Hal.dll is just the first file it looks for there.

With a recovery disk it is not easy - two possible courses to take

One is see if anyone you know has a proper retail XP CD. If you can
borrow it (you will not want to install), Set the BIOS to boot CD before
Hard Disk. Boot that 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:\bot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild

Other approach needs a basic DOS mode boot floppy; add to that the file
EDITBINI which you will find in the free downloads at www.bootitng.com

Boot the floppy; run
EDITBINI
and create/amend the file by hand. Assuming you have Windows installed
in C:\Windows, it should have

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP" /fastdetect

("Windows XP" /fastdetect is all on the same line - things may wrap
around)
Finish by hitting Alt-F then S to save, then Alt-F and X to exit (take
the floppy out and reboot)

Conceivably the partition(1) might need 2 instead, but it is unlikely

 

[Guest]

Hi
Thanks for your reply.
First I do have a XP recovery disc for my laptop, but if I use it there is
no Repair option. The program wants to install – I did try selecting the
FAT32 partition but it reports there is not enough space so I would have to
delete the partition and create another, which I fear would cause data loss.

I have downloaded the program editbini from the web as suggested but if
select the NTFS partition I get “Unable to open fileâ€. Using another program
READNTFS I was able to search the NTFS partition – There isn’t a file
BOOT.INI. On my system there is a file BOOT.INI on the FAT32 partition which
I have changed to your suggestion but with the for Partition set to 1 and 2
it doesn’t work – still unable to boot.

After the SP2 installed it changed the BOOT.INI to
[Boot loader]
timeout=0
default=c:\cmdcons\bootsect.dat
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)partition(1)\windows=â€â€Microsoft Windows XP professionalâ€
/fasdetect / Noexcute=optIn
c:\cmdcons\bootsect.dat=â€Microsoft Windows Recovery Console†/cmdcons

Just a note I am running XP Home.

I have just noticed prior to reporting the Hal.DLL missing the computer
flashes up
Invalid BOOT.INI file
Booting from c:\windows\

Any ideas please

Regards,
Anthony.

 

[Alex Nichol]

First I do have a XP recovery disc for my laptop, but if I use it there is
no Repair option. The program wants to install – I did try selecting the
FAT32 partition but it reports there is not enough space so I would have to
delete the partition and create another, which I fear would cause data loss.

That is one of the OEM recovery disks, not a 'proper' one that supports
the recovery commands

I have downloaded the program editbini from the web as suggested but if
select the NTFS partition I get “Unable to open fileâ€. Using another program
READNTFS I was able to search the NTFS partition – There isn’t a file
BOOT.INI. On my system there is a file BOOT.INI on the FAT32 partition which
I have changed to your suggestion but with the for Partition set to 1 and 2
it doesn’t work – still unable to boot.

It depends on which of those you are actually booting from. It will be
the one that would be seen as C: when the system was working. If
Editbini cannot find a file to edit it should still make one; type in,
then Alt-F and A to do a 'Save As', making it C:\Boot.ini

 

[Guest]

I have the same problem on a laptop running XP home edition. You said to try
this:

Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
Del C:\bot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild

I am not an expert and don't know what this does - can you explain it?
Also, did you mean 'del c:\boot.ini'?

Thanks.

Marc

I have just installed XP SP2 on my HP desktop, the installation reported it
to be a success, but on rebooting the computer reports hal.dll missing. I
have an 80gig hard disc partition C being NTFS and D FAT32. I have the
following problems.
• My Recovery disk is not being recognised (I think because it is a R/W DVD).
I have tried all the reboot options – None work. I don’t have the option
listed for recovery.
I have another recovery disc from my laptop (also XP home) but if I use this
copy it wants the reinstall the software again. I did try the option to
install on partition D but it reports as not having enough space. I am
reluctant to delete this partition and create another blank one, as I am
unsure if I will loose data.

After searching the internet, I think the problem is in the Boot.ini file
which is on the NTFS partition of my hard disc. How do I get access to amend
the file?

It is a bad boot.ini, resulting in boot looking for Windows in the wrong
place. Hal.dll is just the first file it looks for there.

With a recovery disk it is not easy - two possible courses to take

One is see if anyone you know has a proper retail XP CD. If you can
borrow it (you will not want to install), Set the BIOS to boot CD before
Hard Disk. Boot that 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:\bot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild

Other approach needs a basic DOS mode boot floppy; add to that the file
EDITBINI which you will find in the free downloads at www.bootitng.com

Boot the floppy; run
EDITBINI
and create/amend the file by hand. Assuming you have Windows installed
in C:\Windows, it should have

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP" /fastdetect

("Windows XP" /fastdetect is all on the same line - things may wrap
around)
Finish by hitting Alt-F then S to save, then Alt-F and X to exit (take
the floppy out and reboot)

Conceivably the partition(1) might need 2 instead, but it is unlikely