dual boot vista/xp missing .hal

crap ...did a dual boot install of vista (#$%&U%#@) ...no problem with the install, except now if I try to boot into xp ...window root>system32\.hal.dll missing.
Check under explorer in vista and it is there ....can I just do a repair install of xp with an oem version? or will I screw up more stuff.....HALO!!!!

 

msconfig only shows vista in the boot.ini
no drive path for that partition ....in disc management...

 

add the legacy bootloader .....say what?

 

and then the options:
Install to :
all drives
system partition
specific drive...

? ...all drives?

 

did the legacy boot to the xp drive (D) ....now the only startup option is windows media center .......:cry

F*ing Vista!!

 

Did that a few step back ....now nothing to boot to but media center ...no xp no vista ...:cry.

And that won't boot either ......#%^&^^%#%$%$

 

What he said above and I would follow this guide ( aslo one for if you have XP installed first, burt maybe better to have Vista installed first then install XP )

http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp picture guide.

Do also check for BIOS updates if its an older mobo.


edit: What XP do you have ( where did MCE come from in this senario ) ? Are you clean installing or dual booting with a OS already on the drive, it maybe best to clean install sadly.






Sadly I'm really AFK... was logged into site just to give Chas a reply, but will try and keep eye on this.

 

It had installed fine ....except it wouldn't boot to xp ....there was no boot.ini for xp in msconfig ....the hal.dll was in the system32 folder ....user has no xp cd...I didn't do a backup (I have such faith in MS) ....and added the legacy bootfile to the D-xp drive ...that's when everything went south .....I think I'm screwed as far as recovery.

 

OKay ..I'm back to square one ...have the dual boot option for xp or vista ...each time I try to boot to xp I get a missing hal.dll .....which shows in the system 32 folder ....have tried all the proceedures in the below link as well as another (putting the ntlr/ntdetect and boot,ini...copied into the c:drive (vista) ...still no go with xp.
Halo ..Media Center ....will try replacing the hal.dll from the i386 file ....let you know (Oh ..it's someone elses and she has programs/files/etc. on the xp install.

 

Replaced the hal.dll from the i386 folder ....still no boot to xp ....:cry

 

Not yet ....waiting to see if the owner gives a rats behind....may just leave it alone since she doesn't use it for much other than doing family tree stuff and all that works ...so...live and learn.
If she comes back and says she hates Vista...then a wipe and a return to the xp distro.

Thanks for asking...