XP Boot Error

Ran ToniArts-Easy Cleaner http://majorgeeks.com/EasyCleaner_d414.html, and obviously got too aggressive (long, long day) cleaning duplicate files (or so I thought), and now on boot I'm getting THIS :

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll. Please reinstall a copy of the above file.

Am I going to need a good nights sleep to fix this please?

Any/all help GREATLY appreciated - thanks in advance, as always......

 

Wow, gang, I'm really stuck here, and could really use some assistance.

I did find this (*below*), and am stuck at the point between where I have changed text to blue/red:

http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/129956-&lt;windows-root&gt;system32haldll/

** The steps to repair a missing or corrupt boot.ini file are:

1. Insert and boot from your Windows XP CD.
2. 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.
3. When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.
4. Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair, typically this will be #1.
5. Type bootcfg /list to show the current entries in the BOOT.INI file. At this point you may get a message telling you that the boot.ini file does not exist. The next step will correct this error.
6. Type bootcfg /rebuild to repair it. This will scan your hard dives for installations of Windows XP, 2000 or NT and display the results. Follow the on-screen instructions to add your Windows installations to the boot.ini file. Those step will be:
1. Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
(1) C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
Type y and hit enter
2. 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.
3. 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.
7. Take out the CD ROM and type exit.

The message I get at that point is:
"The command ("/fastdetect") is not recognized".

???

 

Thank you David...for whatever reason (weak moment?) I was thinking of this program as a hard-drive cleaner (such as ccleaner, which I use often) ... I mean, I didn't select the "Registry" option, but rather one which was supposed to eliminate "Duplicate Files".

So here I am......

I will check-out the link you were so kind to provide - thank you again......

 

Well, I don't know if the link is bad or what...all I get is a page stating: "Service Unavailable" ......?

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

 

Hello,
I have no problem getting to that link. What happens in you just go to:

Code:

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

If you still cannot get there, here is a link with a step by step approach to the problem.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbyerrormessage/a/missinghaldll.htm

 

Yes thanks, I did try and was able to get into the home page, and can now also access the link independently (must have been a momentary hiccup of some sort?).

Thank you both (the THREE of you!) here...it may take me awhile to work through this today as I am currently "juggling flaming chainsaws whilst performing triple back-flips through concertina/RAZOR-wire hoops" ... and wearing several different hats at the same time/whilst doing it (busy Day here today!).

Thank you all again, and I will report back a.s.a.p!

 

I am no geek. The further I get into these things, the more lost and frustrated I tend to get. I have NO formal training...none whatsoever.

I understand what these mean --> BootCfg /Rebuild & Fixboot (I think, or at least know when/where to type them in) - from having been through this process 8, 10, 12 times (?) now.

But I do not know/understand this --> Attrib -H -R -S C:\Boot.ini
DEL C:\Boot.ini ... and unfortunately, this comes before the other part(s) that I do understand (so I "understand" parts of it, but my understanding is out of order).

I have no idea what to do now (as there seem several "fixes"), other than to completely wipe the hard drive clean (reformat?), and reinstall the OS - and though I've done it a few times over the years, I've had help to do it (both XP & Vista) I'm not even 100% sure how to do that, again......

 

Thanks for the reply, however, I'll need to apologize in advance here, as for whatever reason(s), your instructions/directions are going right by me/over my head...I'm not understanding "where" to go (?) to look for TimW's link.

Likewise, I don't know if I have the "Recovery Console installed" (?) or not, and thinking it wouldn't matter at this point anyway, unless I knew how to operate it from command prompt, which I am still able to get into......

 

I thought maybe an "Advanced Search" into/through TimW's posts with "download for a standalone recovery console" or "recovery console" as keywords, and I attempted that, but he has more than 34,000 posts (!?)...

 

Thank you...putting it in those exact/specific search terms (keywords) may have never occurred to me. Thank you again...

 

:confused

Ok ...

1) Would anyone happen to know if Free Easy Burner CD DVD Burner v4.1 will work for this (?) as I had just downloaded/utilized this program in the process here (for the "Offline NT Password & Registry Editor" - which is an ISO).

2) I downloaded the XP Recovery Disk, but it doesn't seem to work as it did for the Offline NT Password & Registry Editor program. I made two selections the other night (the; "Copy CD/DVD" button along the top and "Burn" button over on the left for it to work) but that's not working for this XP Recovery...?

 

Do you see burn an image file over on the left?

 

Thanks for the reply - here is what I see (attached) - though I think it did say "Burn an Image" the only other time that I used it, a couple of days ago...

 

You need to hit the "Copy CD/DVD" button then look for Burn an Image.

 

Ok great, thanks - I finally got it...so, I pop it into the other PC (running XP), and follow prompts?

Thanks again and in advance...

 

Sorry, I should have added; "correct", to the end of my last sentence (made it in the form of a question), please?

 

Let's see if the hal.dll file is missing.
Do the above and if prompted for a password enter it.

You should be at a C:/Windows> type in cd system32

The prompt will change to C:/Windows/System32> type in dir Hal.dll

See if it says something like 08/22/2010 10:27 PM 16,166,274 hal.dll

 

Ok, just so I am 100% clear before I start, we are now talking about the MS Win Install. CD that came with the machine when it was new, correct?

Nothing to do (so far) with the XP Recovery CD I just burned from TimW's link - yes?

 

Yes, use the Ms install CD you were using before. [Either will work for this part, but I don't see any reason to prefer the rc.iso CD]

 

It's holding me up at "Type the Administrator Password" ... yet again.

Seemingly, we have been able to by-pass this a few times during my week-long process of trying to repair this machine, by simply selecting "Enter", but during other attempts we have not been able to by-pass this step, which is the case now, on this attempt...that is why I burned "Offline NT Password & Registry Editor", to delete (or at least by-pass) the password.

This is my 70 year-old mothers computer...the computer is going-on 9 years old...no one here recalls the password that was associated with this PC account from when this machine was originally set-up so long ago...there MUST be a way around this STUPID MS NONSENSE ?

 

I looked at Offline NT Password & Registry Editor which is not too user friendly but it does seem to work (at least on a running version of XP).

Try booting from the Offline NT Password & Registry Editor CD

At the Boot: prompt just hit <enter>
Select [1] prompt: hit <enter>
Windows/System32/config prompt: hit <enter>
[1] prompt: type 2 <enter>
What to do? [1] prompt: type 3 <enter>
Do you want to change it? (y/n): type y <enter>
What to do [1] prompt: Q <enter>
Hives have been changed. Write back?: type y <enter>
If write back was successful just type Q <enter> and eject the CD.

If you have a question at a particular step I'll try to answer.

 

Thank you very much - will be able to jump on this momentarily......

 

Wow, this is painful...I am typing questions into your instructions/directions in blue below...

 

It says Select[1] you Just hit <enter>
Then it will say "What is the path to the Windows directory....Windows/System32/config" You hit <enter>
Then it will have [1] you type 2 and <enter>
Then it will ask "What to do? [1]" you type 3 and <enter>

See if you get to that point.

 

Well, sort of...

I had gotten to Step TWO, but now am back to Step One (and it is not responding to "1", "2" or "3"), at:

Please select partition by number or
q=quit
d=automatically start disk drivers
m=manually select disk drivers to load
f=fetch all partitions found
a=show all partitions found
l=show probable Windows (NTFS) partitions only
Select: [1]_

 

What does it say above you red text for "Candidate partitions found"?

 

Could not get it to page-up or arrow up, however...

THIS, is where I'm at:
Selected 1
Mounting from /dev/sdal, with assumed filesystem type NTFS
So, let's really check if it is NTFS?

Yes, read-write seems OK
"Mounting it....................................."
SUCCESS!
Step TWO Select PATH and registry files
DEBUG path Windows found as Windows
DEBUG path System32 found as system32
DEBUG path config as config
DEBUG path found correct case to be WINDOWS/System32/config
What is the path to registry directory? (relative to Windows disk) [WINDOWS/System32/config]:__

 

So you just hit <enter>
then it will ask you which part of registry to load you choose 2 for recovery console parameters and hit <enter>
Then it will ask you what to do? you select 3 for RecoveryConsole settings and hit <enter>

It will ask you if you want to change it type Y for yes and <enter>
It will ask you what to do? type q (for quit) <enter>.
It will ask you to write changes type y (for yes) <enter>
It will ask you what to do? type q (for quit)
Eject CD
Put in XP installation CD and go to Recovery Console. It should not ask you for a password.

 

I'm on it - thanks......

 

Problem...This very well may have been a problem earlier and I simply didn't notice it.

It's telling me:

"ERROR: Failed to copy registry file
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
There are several steps to go through......"

Pics attached.

 

Just ctrl+alt+delete to restart the computer using the same disc and try again. Do you get the same error?


At the Boot: prompt just hit <enter>
Select [1] prompt: hit <enter>
Windows/System32/config prompt: hit <enter>
[1] prompt: type 2 <enter>
What to do? [1] prompt: type 3 <enter>
Do you want to change it? (y/n): type y <enter>
What to do [1] prompt: Q <enter>
Hives have been changed. Write back?: type y <enter>
If write back was successful just type Q <enter> and eject the CD.

 

Yes, unfortunately I'm getting the same error...

 

At which step are you getting the error?

 

At step 2 - Windows/System32/config, when I select, "2>enter"

Step one comes-back; "Success!", but when I type "2" on the 2nd step, that's when/where I get the error...

 

I want to make sure that you are just hitting enter.

Reboot the CD
For the first three times it pauses and waits for your input just hit <enter>

Do you get an Error?

 

I have to fix dinner.

One other note when the time comes is that your picture shows you are using the number keys on the side of the keyboard. You have to use the number keys across the top of the keyboard for this program.

 

Well, after the reboot this time, it appears to be continuing (progressing further), past Step Two...for the first time, it is asking me "What to do"? So I'm going to select: "3>Enter" (I believe? I HOPE???).

Ok, understood on this (though I sure would like to know how you knew THAT???!!!)

Enjoy your dinner......

 

Then it will ask you what to do? you select 3 for RecoveryConsole settings and hit <enter>

It will ask you if you want to change it type Y for yes and <enter>
It will ask you what to do? type q (for quit) <enter>.
It will ask you to write changes type y (for yes) <enter>
It will ask you what to do? type q (for quit)
Eject CD
Put in XP installation CD and go to Recovery Console. It should not ask you for a password.

So that is:
3 <enter>
Y <enter>
Q <enter>
y <enter>
Q <enter>

 

Well, I have (ANGRILY!!!) ended-up somewhere else now... (!?!)

This is what's at the bottom of the screen now:

- - - - User Edit Menu:
1 - Clear (blank) user password
2 - Edit (set new) user password
3 - Promote user (make user an administrator)
4 - Unlock and enable user account) [seems unlocked already]
q - Quit editing user, back to user select
Select:[q] > _

I believe this was due to accidently bumping the enter key a couple of times (I have some disability in my hands, which cause them to "twitch" (flinch) sometimes, and do things I don't intend to do...

 

Q to quit out of that. Then reboot.

The whole sequence is
<enter>
<enter>
<enter>
2 <enter> (For recovery Console parameters)
3 <enter> (For Recovery Console Settings)
Y <enter> (To agree to Change)
Q <enter>
y <enter> (To agree to Write Changes)
Q <enter>

 

Excellent - thank you....

 

I edited my last post with a few guide posts to make sure you are in the right place.

 

Ok, I'm not sure why, but I feel like I did something wrong

I ran through it (sequence):

<enter>
<enter>
<enter>
2 <enter>
3 <enter>
Y <enter>
Q <enter>
y <enter>
Q <enter>

It then said to remove the CD and cntrl+alt+del to reboot...which I've also done, but I think I should have done that (rebooted) with either the Recovery Console CD I burned, or the original XP install disk?

 

Put in the xp installation disc and see if recovery console will start without a password.

 

I'm not sure how to answer you. It requested an admin. password, I simply hit enter, and now I have - "C:\WINDOWS>" ......?