root>\system32\hal.dll

They brought me this computer to fix with the problems of root>\system32\hal.dll. I put w-xp CD to reboot from it I press R then 1 and Enter to run the bootcfg/list. The following message appears: "There are currently no boot entries available to display ". I copied the file from a same operating system and copied it to the damage pc, the file is copied but the message keeps appearing.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Hello Kerberos,

Type bootcfg /scan to list all available Windows installations on all available disks. Use bootcfg /rebuild to automatically replace the existing Boot.ini file.

Type /? to list all available commands.

Regards - Charles

 

bootcfg /scan

When I run the command the following error message appears: "Failed to successfully scan disks for Windows installations. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from successfully scanning. Use chkdsk to detect any disk errors."

When I run chkdsk a message appears: "The volume appears to be in good condition and was not checked." I used the chkdsk /P and the following message appears: "78172256 kilobytes total disk space - 77525960 kilobytes are available - 4896 bytes in each allocation unit - 19543064 total allocation units on disk - 19381490 allocation units available on disk. "

 

Hi Kerberos,

This is begining to sound like a HD failure, once chkdsk refuses to run, I think its the drive.

See if the drive's MFG has a diagnostic tool that can be run from a floppy.

You can try to hook this HD up to a working system and look at it there and extract the user data off.

Regards - Charles

 

chkdsk is running, and reporting the drive completely empty:
78172256 kilobytes total disk space - 77525960 kilobytes are available

You could try a chkdsk /r from recovery console, but the drive at least to XP is formatted but empty.

I agree with Charles' suggestions above to try the disk manufacturer diagnostic utility. If it reports the drive as healthy, you might then try a third-party unerase type of utility to see if anything can be salvaged. (These almost always run outside of windows).

http://www.restorer2000.com/ (Try before you buy)
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm (freeware)

 

What if?

If I try to fix the Windows installation, using the first option before recovery, will it install Windows again and the data will be lost?

 

A repair reinstallation will not lose data or installed programs. You will lose Hotfixes and Service Packs. I am concerned, however, because XP is not finding any installations of Windows:

http://www.informationweek.com/LP/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897&pgno=2&queryText=

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341