hdd

Running windows xp home addition, tried to reboot and the first error message was: “problem with hardware, you must reinstall Windows root>\system32\hal.dll”. So I thought I would just reinstall windows and be done with it, I did this and the computer ran for about 30 minutes with xp doing just fine then the system froze while I was trying to reinstall Microsoft word. Now the error message reads: there is not a hard disk drive on your computer”. I can hear the hhd at first Can this be the Hardware Abstraction Layer ?
Thanks everyone
Matti

 

Depending on the age of the components in the system I think you should look for a hardware failure.

Try the motherboard battery.
Try making sure the hard drive cables are firmly home.
Is the HDD IDE or SATA?

It may be the HDD is on its way out.
When you reinstalled Windows did you do a clean install or a repair install?

Studio T

 

Scrolling down the postings list I realised this is a continuation thread from a previous problem.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=127153

Please make this clear in future threads.

Studio T

 

I am sorry, after posting on the software page I realized that I needed to post on hardware page. But thank you for your reply. I will remember to tell message about Previous threads.

 

My comments and questions still stand.

Your symptoms suggest problems at one end or the other of the hard drive cable.

A repair install will not have repaired your boot sector / MBR, but a clean install writes a new one. If you are still having problems after a clean install on a system that was working once, implicates the hard drive integrity.

Studio T

 

Thank you very much I will try your advise