Windows cannot start because file is missing or corrupt:

[RogueSeven]

hey,

i was starting up my main computer and i get a message when itis booting up:

"Windows cannot start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<windows root>\system32\hal.dll
please reinstall a copy of the file above"

i tried putting my windows disk in and when i tried the repair thing i got a command prompt or w.e, i think this is normal but i don't know what to do here, so i did the thing where you say that you want to install a new version of windows and then it detects a previous version and asks if you would like to repair it...unfortunately it doesn't seem to be finding a previous version of windows and then it cant tell that the CD is inside th drive.

any help here? or do i have to do a complete reinstall (please no on the reinstall).


regards.


ps: i think im going to try a linux distro after im done with this. very sick of windows

[eyeCpc]

Fortunately there's a solution discussed in one blog on just that error you'll want to review.

Missing Or Corrupt Hal.dll Error Resolution
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Steps to Resolve the Missing Or Corrupt Hal.dll Error in Windows XP Missing Hal.dll - Missing Or Corrupt Hal.dll Error Message in Windows XP - Fix Hal.dll

[EricB]

erd commander 2005. boot from it and do a system restore to when the computer worked

[eyeCpc]

If you can get to the F8 boot menu>safe mode /command prompt only option without seeing Windows freeze up you can manually start the system restore feature by typing in "%systemroot%\system32\restrore\rstrui.exe" without the quotes and simply press the enter/return to bring it up there. How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP

A bit more difficult is trying to copy restore information from the "system volume information>_retore{ lengthy number here}>snapshot" folder into the Windows|system32\config folder to see Windows manually restored as outlined in one blog seen at Running System Restore from the Recovery Console (well, sort of)

[EricB]

erd commader 2005 is easier and simpler to use.

[eyeCpc]

Originally Posted by EricB

erd commader 2005 is easier and simpler to use.

That won't be the case now.

NOTICE: This product is terminated
Winternals has been purchased by Microsoft.

We recommend that you take a look at O&O Software's product range that can solve similar problems that Winternals.
ERD Commander 2005

Since you didn't post any link this is what came up on a search.

[Osiris]

Originally Posted by EricB

erd commander 2005. boot from it and do a system restore to when the computer worked

That is IF system restore hasn't been disabled

[EricB]

Originally Posted by Osiris

That is IF system restore hasn't been disabled

so true

erd commander is floating around everywhere. I'm not allow to say to go to pirate bay to get it

[Osiris]

I was a happy lil camper when I got my first copy

[eyeCpc]

One option no one has mentioned so far is manually expanding the hal.dll from the i386 folder on the installation disk into the Windows\system32 folder. You would simply use a command like "expand I386\hal.dll C:\Windows\system32" to see if that will get things going when replacing the file.