BootUp Problems

I have been working through a couple of bootup issues.

(A) System32\hal.dll missing or corrupt.
(B) Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.

Well I have got myself up and running but have created additional unecessary issues which I will post here.
I only actually have XP Home on c: so wonering if it is ok to delete the last 4 lines because each time I boot now I have to make a selection from 3 or 4 options.

[boot loader]
redirect=usebiossettings
redirectbaudrate=
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Windows XP Home" /Fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(2)partition(1)\KEEP\BACKUP 1st July 2009\WINDOWS= "/Windows XP Home" /Fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

 

If you have one operating system on the first partition of drive 0, the 5 lines of boot.ini should look like this:

[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= "Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

 

Thanks for that reassurance.
I have deleted the ini file and copied and pasted your post.

On a totally different topic..any idea why on each bootup..prior to and after the ini issue posted it always boots into an incorrect HD.

I have C: & D: on IDE and H: which is USB
C: is my operative drive and D: & H: (usb) are just storage convenience drives.

Bootup I have to manually after tapping F8 change it over to C: each time..........always works but jolly inconvenient and shouldn't be.

 

You probably need to change the boot sequence in the BIOS. Make the first boot device IDE 0.