boot problems help please

my friend had a problem with her computer and has a valid version of xp home but she had three different copies on one hd she did not want this as it took up too much space. she said she had the original disk for windows xp so she decided to format her disk bout two minutes into the format i realized that what she had was an upgrade. the box says the enclosed program will search your hd and or cd to confirm your eligibility for this upgrade the software will install only if you are a licenced user of one of the following products 98, 98 second edition, me. i told her to stop the format but i think it was too late now when she tries to boot it tells her that the file <window root>/system32/hal.dll must be reinstalled to continue. now should i just let the puter finish formatting and if i do how do i go about reinstlling windows i do have other hard drives with valid copies of xp home but not sure on how to copy or create an image over to another hard drive. i am just lost and am hoping that someone on this forum can help

 

The only 'legal' way to proceed is to use your friends XP upgrade and try to get a 98 or ME install CD. You having HD's with XP Home doesn't do anyone any good, and it's not legal anyway.... ya know- on 2nd thought- you could 'ghost' one of your XP Home HD's to her HD, and using her CD and Product Key, reload her WinXP 'over-the-top' of the ghosted XP now on her HD. As long as she uses her CD and Product Key, you're all legal schmegal..... if the HD already has XP on it, you won't be prompted for the Win98/ME disc... I know this will work 'cuz I did it once before for a friend in a similar position....

hopperdave2000

 

yeah i figured it out last night i had to boot the puter with my puters hard drive and fool it into thinking it was a proper boot but it worked so alls well that ends well thank though