\windows\system32\hal.dll or HAL.DLL

[Colin Trunt]

I notice ny hal.dll is in upper case, is this normal?

 

[SC Tom]

I notice ny hal.dll is in upper case, is this normal?

Maybe he's excited ;-)
Mine's all caps, too.
--
SC Tom

"Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed
any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician."
Lt. Col. J.D. "Jeff" Cooper, USMC, Ret.

 

[Colin Trunt]

Maybe he's excited ;-)
Mine's all caps, too.
--
SC Tom

"Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed
any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician."
Lt. Col. J.D. "Jeff" Cooper, USMC, Ret.

Is that hal.dll used in a normal boot?

When I try to do a recovery boot it says it can't find it.

 

[Peter Foldes]

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

 

[Colin Trunt]

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

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

Thanks, it turns out that the problem is not significant for me.
IT only occurs under certain circumstance so I can always boot
and boot into recovery if I 'don't mess around too much'.
However I will have look at the solutios on the link, but I notice
a link it gives for help just points to segates website!!
Also no way I am reinstalling windows as a 'solution', I don't rebuild my
house
because I have loose tile on the roof!!
I will have a look at the rest later

 

[Jose]

Is that hal.dll used in a normal boot?

When I try to do a recovery boot it says it can't find it.

My hal.dll shows uppercase when displayed in Windows Explorer.

I am pretty sure it is an important file and necessary for a
successful boot.

If your system is afflicted in such a way that you are seeing a
message about hal.dll being missing or corrupt, this is generally a
trivial issue to resolve
after you do this first:

You should first boot your PC into the XP Recovery Console using a
bootable XP installation CD or a bootable CD with the XP Recovery
Console on it. This
is not the same as any Recovery or System CDs that may have come with
a store bought system. If you are not sure what you have, make a
bootable XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.

You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD when no XP media is
available:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html

For each of your hard disks, you should then run:

chkdsk /r

For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:

chkdsk c: /r

 

[Colin Trunt]

Is that hal.dll used in a normal boot?

When I try to do a recovery boot it says it can't find it.

My hal.dll shows uppercase when displayed in Windows Explorer.

I am pretty sure it is an important file and necessary for a
successful boot.

If your system is afflicted in such a way that you are seeing a
message about hal.dll being missing or corrupt, this is generally a
trivial issue to resolve
after you do this first:

You should first boot your PC into the XP Recovery Console using a
bootable XP installation CD or a bootable CD with the XP Recovery
Console on it. This
is not the same as any Recovery or System CDs that may have come with
a store bought system. If you are not sure what you have, make a
bootable XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.

You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD when no XP media is
available:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html

For each of your hard disks, you should then run:

chkdsk /r

For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:

chkdsk c: /r

 

[Colin Trunt]

My hal.dll shows uppercase when displayed in Windows Explorer.

I am pretty sure it is an important file and necessary for a
successful boot.

If your system is afflicted in such a way that you are seeing a
message about hal.dll being missing or corrupt, this is generally a
trivial issue to resolve
after you do this first:

You should first boot your PC into the XP Recovery Console using a
bootable XP installation CD or a bootable CD with the XP Recovery
Console on it. This
is not the same as any Recovery or System CDs that may have come with
a store bought system. If you are not sure what you have, make a
bootable XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.

You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD when no XP media is
available:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html

For each of your hard disks, you should then run:

chkdsk /r

For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:

chkdsk c: /r

I think the file is finebut it just gets confused as to where it is.
I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much and do it directly.

 

[Jose]

I think the file is finebut it just gets confused as to where it is.
I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much  and do it directly.

The hal.dll (or HAL.DLL) file XP really cares about should only be in
one place:

c:\windows\system32.

You may see it in a few other places depending on your setup, but
those other ones are not the ones XP "uses".

Nobody or nothing should be getting confused about where it is or have
any trouble finding it.

If you think there is osme problem regarding hal.dll I would figure it
out and fix it. The set up is quite resilient (hard to break),

 

[John John - MVP]

I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much and do it directly.

What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do you mean
by "do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is installed you get a
boot menu when you boot the computer and you select to boot the Recovery
Console or the Windows installation, what is there to mess about with
there and what is there to do directly other than selecting which option
to boot?

How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you have on
these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and where is the
Command Console installed? To avoid confusion please don't use the term
"drive" when answering, use the terms "Hard Disk" and "Partition".

John

 

[Colin Trunt]

What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do you mean by
"do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is installed you get a boot
menu when you boot the computer and you select to boot the Recovery
Console or the Windows installation, what is there to mess about with
there and what is there to do directly other than selecting which option
to boot?

How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you have on
these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and where is the
Command Console installed? To avoid confusion please don't use the term
"drive" when answering, use the terms "Hard Disk" and "Partition".

John

First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes to a
choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu

 

[Colin Trunt]

First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes to a
choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu

my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

 

[John John - MVP]

First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery,

That (F10) has nothing really to do with Windows per se, it's a factory
restore thing.

then it goes to a choice

1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu

Is that *after* pressing the F10 key? Or does it go to this menu
without pressing the F10 key? Did you install Ubunto, is the above a
Lilo/Grub boot menu? Or is it the Windows boot menu?

You didn't answer my question about your hard disks and partitions... I
need this information to offer additional help.

Also, while booted to the Windows installation could you please run this
command at a Command Prompt and post the results of the command:

set system

John

 

[John John - MVP]

First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes to a
choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu

my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

Comes back to the question of how many hard disks and partitions do you
have and where exactly is Windows installed. Also, where is this
boot.ini file located? (on which hard disk and on which partition?)

Also need the results of the set system command.

The problem is most likely due to an incorrect ARC path in the boot.ini
file.

John

 

[Colin Trunt]

Colin Trunt wrote:

I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much and do it directly.
What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do you mean
by "do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is installed you get a
boot menu when you boot the computer and you select to boot the
Recovery Console or the Windows installation, what is there to mess
about with there and what is there to do directly other than selecting
which option to boot?

How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you have on
these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and where is the
Command Console installed? To avoid confusion please don't use the
term "drive" when answering, use the terms "Hard Disk" and "Partition".

John
First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes to a
choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu

my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

Comes back to the question of how many hard disks and partitions do you
have and where exactly is Windows installed. Also, where is this boot.ini
file located? (on which hard disk and on which partition?)

Also need the results of the set system command.

The problem is most likely due to an incorrect ARC path in the boot.ini
file.

John

This is the boot.ini on drive d: (recovery drive)

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"





ah......im thinking

I don;t know what happens at startup.

Anyway partion 2 is c: I think and 1 is d:
When I list then in disk management they are show as d: then c :
in the bottom rigt panel

 

[Colin Trunt]

That (F10) has nothing really to do with Windows per se, it's a factory
restore thing.

What is a factory restore?
What does that do?

Is that *after* pressing the F10 key? Or does it go to this menu without
pressing the F10 key? Did you install Ubunto, is the above a Lilo/Grub
boot menu? Or is it the Windows boot menu?

You didn't answer my question about your hard disks and partitions... I
need this information to offer additional help.

Also, while booted to the Windows installation could you please run this
command at a Command Prompt and post the results of the command:

set system

John

I normally wait and it goes to the menu by itself however
sometime I have hit f10 but I may not have hit it fast enough and it would
in that case go to the menu as if I had hit f10 to make it go there.
Thats what it seems like anyway.


I think what often happens is I got to option 2 for recovery and then
change my mind, then when I select option one for normal boot
I get the hal.dll error.

 

[John John - MVP]

Colin Trunt wrote:

I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much and do it directly.
What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do you mean
by "do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is installed you get a
boot menu when you boot the computer and you select to boot the
Recovery Console or the Windows installation, what is there to mess
about with there and what is there to do directly other than selecting
which option to boot?

How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you have on
these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and where is the
Command Console installed? To avoid confusion please don't use the
term "drive" when answering, use the terms "Hard Disk" and "Partition".

John
First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes to a
choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu
my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

Comes back to the question of how many hard disks and partitions do you
have and where exactly is Windows installed. Also, where is this boot.ini
file located? (on which hard disk and on which partition?)

Also need the results of the set system command.

The problem is most likely due to an incorrect ARC path in the boot.ini
file.

John

This is the boot.ini on drive d: (recovery drive)

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"





ah......im thinking

I don;t know what happens at startup.

Anyway partion 2 is c: I think and 1 is d:
When I list then in disk management they are show as d: then c :
in the bottom rigt panel

Pulling a tooth from an angry lion would be easier than obtaining
information from you... one more try:


1- How many physical hard disks do you have in the computer?

2- How many partitions do you have on each hard disk?

3- Please post the results of the SET SYSTEM command.

Also, you are posting different variations of the boot.ini file, Windows
only uses one boot.ini file. When you run the SET SYSTEM command it
will return a line telling you:

SystemDrive=?:

(? will be C or D ...or ...) the correct boot.ini file will be in the
root of the specified SystemDrive, for example C:\ or D:\ . Please post
the contents of the correct boot.ini file.

John

 

[Colin Trunt]

Colin Trunt wrote:
Colin Trunt wrote:

I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much and do it directly.
What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do you
mean by "do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is installed you
get a boot menu when you boot the computer and you select to boot the
Recovery Console or the Windows installation, what is there to mess
about with there and what is there to do directly other than
selecting which option to boot?

How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you have
on these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and where is
the Command Console installed? To avoid confusion please don't use
the term "drive" when answering, use the terms "Hard Disk" and
"Partition".

John
First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes to
a choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu
my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"
Comes back to the question of how many hard disks and partitions do you
have and where exactly is Windows installed. Also, where is this
boot.ini file located? (on which hard disk and on which partition?)

Also need the results of the set system command.

The problem is most likely due to an incorrect ARC path in the boot.ini
file.

John

This is the boot.ini on drive d: (recovery drive)

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"





ah......im thinking

I don;t know what happens at startup.

Anyway partion 2 is c: I think and 1 is d:
When I list then in disk management they are show as d: then c :
in the bottom rigt panel

Pulling a tooth from an angry lion would be easier than obtaining
information from you... one more try:


1- How many physical hard disks do you have in the computer?

2- How many partitions do you have on each hard disk?

3- Please post the results of the SET SYSTEM command.

Also, you are posting different variations of the boot.ini file, Windows
only uses one boot.ini file. When you run the SET SYSTEM command it will
return a line telling you:

SystemDrive=?:

(? will be C or D ...or ...) the correct boot.ini file will be in the
root of the specified SystemDrive, for example C:\ or D:\ . Please post
the contents of the correct boot.ini file.

John

two phyisical drives
one has partitios d: and c:
other is f: one parition f:

There is an ini on both c: and d: as posted, they are different.

ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\Application Data
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CLIENTNAME=Console
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=ZAX
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
DJGPP=c:\djgpp\djgpp.env
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
LOGONSERVER=\\ZAX
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=1
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;c:\Python22;C:\Program
Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel;C:\Program
Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\MinGW\bin;
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 47 Stepping 2, AuthenticAMD
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
PROCESSOR_REVISION=2f02
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
SAN_DIR=C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite XII.SP2c
SESSIONNAME=Console
SonicCentral=c:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic Shared\Sonic Central\
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
USERDOMAIN=ZAX
USERNAME=HP_Owner
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
windir=C:\WINDOWS
__COMPAT_LAYER=DisableNXShowUI



c:boot.ini[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"



d: boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"


Note it seems c: is partition 2

I am not syre if the d:boot.ini is ever used, there is no windows directory
on d:
there is I386 though, all the folders are locked

 

[John John - MVP]

Colin Trunt wrote:
Colin Trunt wrote:

I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much and do it directly.
What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do you
mean by "do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is installed you
get a boot menu when you boot the computer and you select to boot the
Recovery Console or the Windows installation, what is there to mess
about with there and what is there to do directly other than
selecting which option to boot?

How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you have
on these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and where is
the Command Console installed? To avoid confusion please don't use
the term "drive" when answering, use the terms "Hard Disk" and
"Partition".

John
First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes to
a choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu
my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"
Comes back to the question of how many hard disks and partitions do you
have and where exactly is Windows installed. Also, where is this
boot.ini file located? (on which hard disk and on which partition?)

Also need the results of the set system command.

The problem is most likely due to an incorrect ARC path in the boot.ini
file.

John
This is the boot.ini on drive d: (recovery drive)

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"





ah......im thinking

I don;t know what happens at startup.

Anyway partion 2 is c: I think and 1 is d:
When I list then in disk management they are show as d: then c :
in the bottom rigt panel

Pulling a tooth from an angry lion would be easier than obtaining
information from you... one more try:


1- How many physical hard disks do you have in the computer?

2- How many partitions do you have on each hard disk?

3- Please post the results of the SET SYSTEM command.

Also, you are posting different variations of the boot.ini file, Windows
only uses one boot.ini file. When you run the SET SYSTEM command it will
return a line telling you:

SystemDrive=?:

(? will be C or D ...or ...) the correct boot.ini file will be in the
root of the specified SystemDrive, for example C:\ or D:\ . Please post
the contents of the correct boot.ini file.

John

two phyisical drives
one has partitios d: and c:
other is f: one parition f:

There is an ini on both c: and d: as posted, they are different.

ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\Application Data
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CLIENTNAME=Console
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=ZAX
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
DJGPP=c:\djgpp\djgpp.env
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
LOGONSERVER=\\ZAX
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=1
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;c:\Python22;C:\Program
Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel;C:\Program
Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\MinGW\bin;
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 47 Stepping 2, AuthenticAMD
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
PROCESSOR_REVISION=2f02
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
SAN_DIR=C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite XII.SP2c
SESSIONNAME=Console
SonicCentral=c:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic Shared\Sonic Central\
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
USERDOMAIN=ZAX
USERNAME=HP_Owner
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
windir=C:\WINDOWS
__COMPAT_LAYER=DisableNXShowUI



c:boot.ini[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

Do you get a brief error message telling you that the boot.ini file is
invalid when you boot Windows? Modify your c:\boot.ini file as such (to
avoid errors you can copy and paste):

timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Partion 1 Microsoft Windows
XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Partition 2 Microsoft
Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Phoney Baloney Operating
System" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

The changes above are obvious enough, when you boot the computer you
will see the "Phoney Baloney Operating System" in the boot menu, this
will confirm that you are indeed using the boot.ini file on C: Try
booting the "Partition 1 Microsoft..." and the "Partition 2
Microsoft..." and see what happens. Also try booting the Recovery
Console. After you confirm the proper Windows boot partition we can
modify the boot.ini file again and remove the invalid entries.

Note it seems c: is partition 2

I don't think so, I think that it is partition 1 and that you get the
error when you boot the Command Console because the boot.ini file on C:
points to the wrong partition.

Do you see C: as partition 2 in the Disk Management Tool? To open the
Disk Management tool enter diskmgmt.msc in the Start Menu Run box.
You can also verify this at the Command Prompt with the Diskpart utility.

I am not syre if the d:boot.ini is ever used, there is no windows directory
on d:
there is I386 though, all the folders are locked

The SystemDrive=C: above tells us that the c:\boot.ini file is the one
used to boot the system, I don't know why you have this boot.ini file on
D:\... But I think that it does have the correct ARC path and that the
one on C: has an improper path, try the modified boot.ini file and then
report your findings.

John

 

[Colin Trunt]

Colin Trunt wrote:
Colin Trunt wrote:
Colin Trunt wrote:

I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
mess about to much and do it directly.
What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do you
mean by "do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is installed you
get a boot menu when you boot the computer and you select to boot
the Recovery Console or the Windows installation, what is there to
mess about with there and what is there to do directly other than
selecting which option to boot?

How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you have
on these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and where
is the Command Console installed? To avoid confusion please don't
use the term "drive" when answering, use the terms "Hard Disk" and
"Partition".

John
First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it goes
to a choice
1)windows
2)recovey
3)ubuntu
my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"
Comes back to the question of how many hard disks and partitions do
you have and where exactly is Windows installed. Also, where is this
boot.ini file located? (on which hard disk and on which partition?)

Also need the results of the set system command.

The problem is most likely due to an incorrect ARC path in the
boot.ini file.

John
This is the boot.ini on drive d: (recovery drive)

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"





ah......im thinking

I don;t know what happens at startup.

Anyway partion 2 is c: I think and 1 is d:
When I list then in disk management they are show as d: then c :
in the bottom rigt panel
Pulling a tooth from an angry lion would be easier than obtaining
information from you... one more try:


1- How many physical hard disks do you have in the computer?

2- How many partitions do you have on each hard disk?

3- Please post the results of the SET SYSTEM command.

Also, you are posting different variations of the boot.ini file, Windows
only uses one boot.ini file. When you run the SET SYSTEM command it
will return a line telling you:

SystemDrive=?:

(? will be C or D ...or ...) the correct boot.ini file will be in the
root of the specified SystemDrive, for example C:\ or D:\ . Please post
the contents of the correct boot.ini file.

John

two phyisical drives
one has partitios d: and c:
other is f: one parition f:

There is an ini on both c: and d: as posted, they are different.

ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\Application Data
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CLIENTNAME=Console
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=ZAX
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
DJGPP=c:\djgpp\djgpp.env
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
LOGONSERVER=\\ZAX
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=1
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;c:\Python22;C:\Program
Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel;C:\Program
Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\MinGW\bin;
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 47 Stepping 2, AuthenticAMD
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
PROCESSOR_REVISION=2f02
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
SAN_DIR=C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite XII.SP2c
SESSIONNAME=Console
SonicCentral=c:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic Shared\Sonic Central\
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
USERDOMAIN=ZAX
USERNAME=HP_Owner
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
windir=C:\WINDOWS
__COMPAT_LAYER=DisableNXShowUI



c:boot.ini[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

Do you get a brief error message telling you that the boot.ini file is
invalid when you boot Windows? Modify your c:\boot.ini file as such (to
avoid errors you can copy and paste):

No I never get any errors on a normal boot, none whatsoever.
The only time I have had error is when I try to do a recovery, there
seems to be two paths to recovery.

The only time I have ever got an error is when I have selected option 2 for
recovery, but 'bottled out' and decided to boot normally, this brings back
the
boot menu IIRC, and IIRC when I press 1 for a normal boot I get the hal.dll
error. That's the only time I get it on a normal boot.

I suspect doing it that way may cause it to look on drive d: for hal.dll
and it won't find it there, as it has no windows folder on it.

I don't recall an error message about boot.ini at all, although there is
a small possibilty I might have missed it but I doubt it.

timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Partion 1 Microsoft Windows
XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Partition 2 Microsoft Windows
XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Phoney Baloney Operating
System" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"

The changes above are obvious enough, when you boot the computer you will
see the "Phoney Baloney Operating System" in the boot menu, this will
confirm that you are indeed using the boot.ini file on C: Try booting the
"Partition 1 Microsoft..." and the "Partition 2 Microsoft..." and see what
happens. Also try booting the Recovery Console. After you confirm the
proper Windows boot partition we can modify the boot.ini file again and
remove the invalid entries.

Note it seems c: is partition 2

I don't think so, I think that it is partition 1 and that you get the
error when you boot the Command Console because the boot.ini file on C:
points to the wrong partition.

I don't get that error, at least not all the time, I have booted into the
Command Console before it must be the right partition I would imagine.
Also the way it is listed in disk management suggests partition 1 is d:

When I google images of "disk management"
http://images.google.co.uk/images?u...isch:1&q=disk+management&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=18

I can see mine is different, d: comes before c:

Do you see C: as partition 2 in the Disk Management Tool? To open the
Disk Management tool enter diskmgmt.msc in the Start Menu Run box. You
can also verify this at the Command Prompt with the Diskpart utility.

Disk part confirms partition 2 is 69GB, and that's the size of C:
It says partion 1 is 6164MB which is the smaller recovery partition d:


SO I think that's established what partion is what, thus partion 2 is c:

The SystemDrive=C: above tells us that the c:\boot.ini file is the one
used to boot the system, I don't know why you have this boot.ini file on
D:\... But I think that it does have the correct ARC path and that the one
on C: has an improper path, try the modified boot.ini file and then report
your findings.

John

Well I may change those ini files on c: presumably between the quotes
is just a comment, so I can change without fear of damage?

I will just stick a part 1 in or whatever so I can see what is what.

I am reluctant to do anything more yet because I am worried I might
not be able to boot up at all?


What if I make changes and it won't boot?

How do I change the boot.ini then?

I need to know that really.