<windows root>\system32\hal.dll file is corrupt or missing

[Jewelzz]

My daughter has an HP laptop (sorry don't have the specifics) and is getting message <windows root>\system32\hal.dll file is corrupt or missing every time she boots up. She's tried (instructions I found on the net for this issue) ...
I've tried:
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.

Which, brings be right back to the initial error message.

Even trying to reformat gives here this message, how do we fix it??

 

[LordOfLA]

you want to skip recovery console and proceed to repair install.

If the option is not presented you'll need to do a full reload after extracting important files if they've not been backed up recently.

 

[Jewelzz]

She's tried to do a full reload (format) but gets that error

 

[LordOfLA]

the file could be getting corrupted either from a scratched CD or bad ram. Do you have another disc around?

 

[Jewelzz]

I'll be delivering one Next Tuesdsay

 

[Nicole]

Hi-I'm daughter.

So I'm still having the same issue with the new disk. I've tried to do a full system format with the new disk and ended with the same error message as before:

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 was linked to a Microsoft site in another forum, where I followed steps from the Repair option on my XP disk. When I boot the laptop, it now flashes a screen that looks like the boot menu (where you can choose Safe Mode?) with 2 options of Windows XP. If I do nothing and let it load, it goes to the error screen and stays there. If I use the down arrow to attempt to choose the 2nd option, not only does the 2nd option not highlight, but the computer quickly flashes the original error screen and the reboot loops itself continually.


Help? D=

 

[American Zombie]

Have you checked the ram yet?

Memtest86+

 

[epk]

I've tried to do a full system format with the new disk

do you mean u tried to reformat? or you reformatted, reinstalled and got that error again?

if its the first, when do u get the message?
if the second, def has to be a hardware failure.. check your mem with the util AZ posted
tho most likely sounds like a hard drive problem

 

[Nicole]

I reformatted, yeah. I get the error like...almost right away. I get the HP screen, the 'hit any key to boot from CD" screen, then the error.

"Have you checked the ram yet?"

And...how might I do that? 😵 I'm clueless so...just speak in dummy terms =D

 

[American Zombie]

Go to the link I provided then scroll down and click on Download (Pre-built & ISOs).

Next download either ISO, exe for USB key or the package for a floppy disk.

For whatever else you need to know visit the Official Memtest86+ forums.

 

[epk]

hehe.. sure :]

go here http://www.memtest.org/#downiso
and download one of the bootable isos, burn it to a cd and boot ur computer with it
it (should start right away)
leave it for a full pass, at least, and check if there are any errors

 

[Nicole]

*has no blank disks so will let you know if it worked tomorrow* =D Thanks all!

 

[American Zombie]

You can also download a file for USB key or a floppy.

 

[Jewelzz]

I'm the techie geek in the family, they both call me for help when their PC or laptops have issues so you guys will have to be specific with what needs to be done.

 

[Nicole]

Disk didn't work-I don't have the option to boot from the disk when the disk is in my drive.

 

[bmclaughlin807]

How did you burn the disk? What program did you you use?

 

[dz2k]

my friend gave me his girlfriends dell laptop to fix several months back that had this same error. Just to explain what was happening after the bios logo passed, it would go right to a black screen with that error message on top saying hal.dll file is corrupt or missing. i was able to fix it and ill tell you how. i stumbled across a great web site: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000490.htm which will guide you through how to fix that error. basically, you will want to copy a file(or two..it may ask for ntldr afterwards: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm#b) from your windows xp OS installation cd to your hard drive, then you will be able to just reinstall windows xp just fine. not a big deal. you let me know if you have any other questions and ill help you get through this.

 

[Jewelzz]

How did you burn the disk? What program did you you use?

We don't discuss illegal software here besides, who said it's a burned disk?

 

[Nicole]

my friend gave me his girlfriends dell laptop to fix several months back that had this same error. Just to explain what was happening after the bios logo passed, it would go right to a black screen with that error message on top saying hal.dll file is corrupt or missing. i was able to fix it and ill tell you how. i stumbled across a great web site: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000490.htm which will guide you through how to fix that error. basically, you will want to copy a file(or two..it may ask for ntldr afterwards: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm#b) from your windows xp OS installation cd to your hard drive, then you will be able to just reinstall windows xp just fine. not a big deal. you let me know if you have any other questions and ill help you get through this.

I've tried to copy both files from my OS install disk and get the error: "Unable to create file (FILE NAME HERE).
0 file(s) expanded".

 

[American Zombie]

Are you trying to expand the file(s) from the recovery console or through Windows msconfig?