hal.dll missing or corrupt

I did something pretty stupid this time. I deleted the boot.ini file. Usually I don't reboot my computer much, so I didn't find out I screwed up until a couple days passed. Please any help is much appreciated.

It says something like: windows failed to start because system32/hal.dll is missing or corrupt.

Running Windows XP home edition.

Thanks.

 

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll

Please print out these instructions so that you can operate with All Browser Windows CLOSED.
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This issue may occur if the Boot.ini file is missing, damaged, or contains incorrect entries.

Step 1: Replacing the boot.ini

To resolve this issue, start the computer from the Windows XP CD, start the Recovery Console. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Configure the computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For information about how to do this, see your computer documentation, or contact your computer manufacturer.

2. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.

3. When you receive the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.

4. When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.

5. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you have to use from the Recovery Console.

6. When you are prompted, type the administrator password, and then press ENTER.

7. At the C:\WINDOWS> prompt, type the following: cd \

8. Press Enter. At the C:\> prompt, type the following: ren boot.ini boot.in2

9. Press Enter. At the C:\> prompt, type the following: ren boot.bak boot.ini.

10. Press Enter. At the C:\> prompt, type the following: exit

11. Press Enter.

The system automatically restarts. If the computer does not start normally, continue to the next Step.

Step 2: Editing the boot.ini

Use the following steps to edit the boot.ini file.

1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.

2. In the Tools menu, click Folder Options.

3. In the Folder Options window, click the View tab.

4. In the Advanced Settings area, under Files and Folders, add check marks to the following items:

·[font=&quot] [/font]Display the contents of system folders

·[font=&quot] [/font]Show hidden files and folders

and remove the checkmarks from the following items:

·[font=&quot] [/font]Hide extensions for known file types

·[font=&quot] [/font]Hide protected operating system files

A warning message appears stating that you have chosen to display protected system files.

5. Click Yes to accept the changes.

6. From the My Computer window, locate and double-click C:

7. Locate and right-click boot.ini, then click Properties.

8. Remove the check mark from Read-only, click Apply, and then click OK.

9. Double-click the boot.ini file.

The boot.ini file will open in Windows notepad.

10. Edit the boot.ini file to read exactly as follows:

[boot loader]

timeout=0

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

C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

NOTE: If your computer came with Windows XP Professional, edit the line referring to Home Edition under [operating systems] to read as follows: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

11. After editing the boot.ini file, place a check mark next to the Read-only attribute in the file Properties window, and then click OK.

12. Restart the computer. The error message should no longer appear, and Windows should start as normal.

Alternate Solution

If the steps above fail to resolve the error, use the following steps:

NOTE: The following steps require that the recovery partition on the hard drive be intact. If the recovery partition has been removed or damaged, use a recovery partition, recovery tools CD, Windows XP CD, or recovery console CD to access the command prompt or recover the computer.

1. Turn on the computer. When the initial logo screen appears, press the F10 key repeatedly until a message about starting recovery appears.

2. At the Recovery screen, click Advanced Options and then press the Alt and D keys at the same time to go to a command prompt.

NOTE: If the command prompt does not open, start the computer with a Windows XP CD, Recovery Console CD, or Recovery Tools CD in the top CD or DVD drive. Enter the recovery console by pressing the R key just after the first screen, and then logging into Windows. Doing so opens a command prompt.

3. At the command Prompt, type the following: diskpart

4. Press Enter and type the following at the diskpart prompt: list volume

A table of drive volumes and names appears.

5. Note the drive letter next to the main drive volume name

6. Type the following at the diskpart prompt: Exit

7. Press Enter and type the drive letter followed by a colon (:) at the command prompt. For example, D:.

8. Press Enter and type the following at the command prompt: attrib -h -s -r boot.ini

9. Press Enter and type the following at the command prompt: boot.ini

10. The file opens for editing in Notepad. Edit the boot.ini file to read exactly as follows:

[boot loader]

timeout=0

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

C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

NOTE: If your computer came with Windows XP Professional, edit the line referring to Home Edition under [operating systems] to read as follows: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

11. Save and Exit the text editor.

12. Type the following at the command prompt: attrib +h +s +r boot.ini

13. Press Enter and type the following at the command prompt: Exit

14.Click Quit on the recovery screen to restart the computer.

The computer should now restart without the error message. If the error still persists, perform a full system recovery.

 

Thank you for the quick and detailed reply!

When I boot from the XP cd it says "press any key to boot from cd..." and I press a key...but then the screen just turns black.

Thanks.

 

Get yourself a win98se boot disk or a dos boot disk

Insert the floppy disk into the floopy drive and boot from A drive. make sure in bios 1st boot device is Floppy disk drive.

At the A:\ prompt type C:\ and hit enter

this will take you to the C:\

at the C:\ type edit boot.ini --> C:\edit boot.ini then hit enter

This will open the boot.ini file (text file) which will likely be empty if you are getting the hal.dll error message

Then type in the following:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

The tab button on your keyboard will select the menus at the top of the text doc and the down arrow key will open the menu (from memory).

I have assumed default settings in your system ie you boot from the 1active partition on the first hdd.

Try that, it worked for me when I had the hal.dll error message.

Good Luck

 

I decided to wait awhile and eventually a screen saying "Windows Setup" in the top left of a blue screen showed up. After more waiting this messeged appeared in the center:

File \i386\KDCOM.DLL could not be loaded.
The error code is 7.

Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit.

Thanks.

EDIT: Didn't see the above messege. I will try to get one of those disks. Thanks for the reply.

 

The technique that risk_reversal describes will work if your hard drive is FAT32. It won't work on a drive with a NTFS partition.

Download the Windows XP Startup Bootdisks and boot into the recovery console from them.

Also clean your CD, the surface may have a slight defect that is preventing it from loading correctly.

 

Ok, I booted from the disks. The first solution didn't work. I couldn't try the second one because I can't get into windows. The alternate didn't work because pressing F10 did not bring up any messege.

 

What brand of computer do you have?

Copy this to floppy: (Save as boot.ini)

[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS=&quot;Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition&quot; /fastdetect

from the recovery console issue this command

copy a:\boot.ini c:\

Now reboot.

If you have a HP, or any other computer that has a hidden recovery partition change partition(1) to partition(2) on both lines.

 

Ok. I just copied it on, rebooted normally and it didn't work. Then I went through step 1 again, but no luck.

I have a Dell computer.

 

OK, your going to have to rebuild your boot.ini; do the following:

Please print out these instructions so that you can operate with All Browser Windows CLOSED.

1. Configure the computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For information about how to do this, see your computer documentation, or contact your computer manufacturer.

2. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.
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3. When you receive the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.

4. When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.

5. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you have to use from the Recovery Console.

6. When you are prompted, type the administrator password, and then press ENTER.

7. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /list, and then press ENTER. The entries in your current Boot.ini file appear on the screen.

8. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER. This command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT installations, and then displays the results. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to add the Windows installations to the Boot.ini file. For example, follow these steps to add a Windows XP installation to the Boot.ini file:

a. When you receive a message that is similar to the following message, press Y:

Total Identified Windows Installs: 1

[1] C:\Windows

Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
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b. You receive a message that is similar to the following message:

Enter Load Identifier

This is the name of the operating system. When you receive this message, type the name of your operating system, and then press ENTER. This is either Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
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c. You receive a message that is similar to the following:

Enter OS Load options

When you receive this message, type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.

NOTE The instructions that appear on your screen may be different, depending on the configuration of your computer.
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9. Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console. Your computer restarts, and the updated boot list appears when you receive the "Please select the operating system to start" message.

 

Well, I came close to posting this myself, but what you typed is much prettier than what i would have typed in!

 

It's the 'Staff Puke' thing. You know how them Staff types are, it has to be nice and pretty.

 

Everything seems to be running fine so far now. Thanks so much for all your help, and sticking with it!

 

Your welcome.

 

Shadow_Puter_Dude, been reading your words of wisdom and thanks for pointing out that my approach would only work with FAT32 partitions (which of course I have)

May I ask you a quick final question in relation to the following

Rather than using the XP CD as you described, would it be possible to just boot to a dos prompt with a dos diskette and then navigate to the C:\ prompt and then follow your instructions from point 7.

ie:

7. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /list, and then press ENTER. The entries in your current Boot.ini file appear on the screen.

8. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER. This command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT installations, and then displays the results. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to add the Windows installations to the Boot.ini file. For example, follow these steps to add a Windows XP installation to the Boot.ini file:
a. When you receive a message that is similar to the following message, press Y:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1

[1] C:\Windows

Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)

b. You receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Enter Load Identifier

This is the name of the operating system. When you receive this message, type the name of your operating system, and then press ENTER. This is either Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

c. You receive a message that is similar to the following:
Enter OS Load options

When you receive this message, type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.

NOTE The instructions that appear on your screen may be different, depending on the configuration of your computer.

9. Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console. Your computer restarts, and the updated boot list appears when you receive the "Please select the operating system to start" message.


Many thanks

 

No that command only works with NT based systems; so, you need to be booted into the XP recovery console for it to work. Like I pointed out earlier your technique of using a 98 startup disk to edit the boot.ini will work on FAT32 partitions; however, it is always best to work from the OS specific boot disks when trying to repair errors with any given OS.

 

Many thanks for your reply Shadow_Puter_Dude.

I will save your valued comments for future use...........

Cheers