Resolved XP fails to boot

Hi

I am getting the following message when I try to boot my XP 3 system. I am worried that it is a virus ( I use Webroot Secure Anywhere AV ) or a hard disk failure.

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

I have tried to run the security console but it wants the administrator password which I don't know as the system was supplied as a refurbished Dell PC - (pressing Enter for blank password didn't work). I do have a Windows XP Pro version 2000 CD for another PC but I dont know if this would of any use?

Any ideas would be gratefully received as I have spent several days trying to fix this - I do have another PC running XP and another running Windows 7.

The problem is that I cant even safe boot XP - gets the same error. So even if I could copy hal.dll from the other system there seems to be no way I could install it.

Regards

Tony Randell

 

I have a friend who has the same problem. When I got to his computer his system was getting the error regarding a "missing or corrupt hal.dll file.

I thought this was going to be easy and using the recovery console attempted to extract the original hal.dl_ compressed file from his original Windows CD.

Had all kinds of problems getting errors when trying to "expand" the original hal.dll. Access denied, folder / file not found .. etc.

Seems that the C:\Windows folder doesn't exist any more. I expanded the hal.dl_ file to a known good folder on the C: drive and that worked. But because there is NO Windows folder any longer we are looking at a more complicated situation other than just a "missing or corrupt file ". We have a missing windows "folder ".

So I'm guessing the problem is that the file and directory structure is messed up. I CAN (while in recovery console) actually browse to the C:\Program Files directory. In fact I've confirmed that all the programs and data files are still intact ... but the C:\Windows directory is not there.

Strange that the system sees C:\Program Files when it SHOULD be C:\Windows\Program files ...

So before doing anything else I've backed up all his files that I can find to an external hard drive just to keep the data safe while we try to get this worked out.

Before I start "playing" with his computer I strongly suggested that since we have all his data and program files etc intact, NOW would a good time to get rid of his ancient IDE hard drive and put in a new SATA drive (his mobo has Sata) and install Windows 7 or 8 ... I believe most of his hardware will work as long as we stick to a 32 bit OS.

Meanwhile, I'll post here if I was able to get his XP system working again and would like to hear how the original poster of this thread made out or if anyone has any other ideas.

 

Hi

My first problem was to find the administrator password. After the free ones I paid for the Anmosoft Windows Password Reset ($19.95) and it worked by deleting the password! I can always reset it normally through Windows. Now I was able to get into the System Recovery program. Then I found the following page in Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477 and I took option 2 and it was fixed.

Cheers