How to reinstall hal.dll without Windows?

After installing service pack 2, and doing a system recovery to the day before the SP2 update, my Dell Dimension D/T 8200 will not boot up. I can get to the set-up screens and attempt to boot from the floppy (I don't have and don't know where to get the Windows XP cds), but I get the error:

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

I can get to a c prompt using calderas, but I can't copy the hal.dll file to the necessary drive.

Any ideas? I just want to get at my c:drive so I can back documents up to a USB hard drive. then I'll do a fresh install.

Anyone know if the OS Reinstallation CD from Dell would be any help? What happens if I boot from it? Does it jump right into an OS fresh install?

Thanks for the help.

 

Hello ppwsot,

Anyone know if the OS Reinstallation CD from Dell would be any help? What happens if I boot from it? Does it jump right into an OS fresh install?

Unlike the one from HP, it is only the OS, and acts like a retail copy would.

Regards - Charles