Windows boot error: Missing file

[lee551]

when i start up the computer it says "invalid boot.ini file, booting from c:\windows\"

then it comes to, and stops at:



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.


what is the easiest way to fix this? :ermm:

[S!X]

sfc/scannow in run

[lee551]

sfc/scannow in run

wouldn't i need to be *in* windows to do that? :mellow:

[S!X]

Yea, you cant get into windows?

[lee551]

Yea, you cant get into windows?

nope, like i said up there, it stops at that message, then restarts after any key.

[Vargas]

Go to http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm and read the information. You do NOT have to re-install your operating system if you receive this error. This error maybe cause by a dual boot.ini in your operating system, invalid Runtime Files or a conflict with the OEM version of Windows.
source: http://www.im-l.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76

EDIT: if you don't have a recover disc, or WindowsXP CD you can boot to DOS by formating a system floppy on your working PC and boot up the broken PC with it, to edit your boot.ini

[lee551]

thanks for the site vargas, but at the end it seems that the only solution that works was installing a second hdd etc. and thats not really viable right now. :frusty:

i do have bootable discs and the windows xp cd. i got into the system recover business and i managed to find hal.dl_ in the i386 directory. i tried copying it to c:\windows\system32 and it did it, but it still says the file is corrupt or missing.


edit: i found this site: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000490.htm

and it seems i know shit about dos or how to copy files, because this is the command that would re-install the right hal.dll file, "expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32\hal.dll"

lets see if that works.

[Vargas]

did you check your boot.ini for errors?

[lee551]

did you check your boot.ini for errors?

i'm not really familiar with what is right/wrong in a boot.ini file... :blushing:

i can re-type it for you to look at.... :ermm:

edit: i got to the boot.ini file and its gotta be mest. its all jibberish and random characters.

edit2: right now this looks like a viable fix: http://www.compphix.com/corrupthal.html



# Insert and boot from your Windows XP CD.
# At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
# Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.
# Typically this will be #1
# Type bootcfg /list to show the current entries in the BOOT.INI file
# Type bootcfg /rebuild to repair it
# Take out the CD ROM and type exit

[Vargas]

that sounds like what you need to try:
bootcfg /rebuild
(i never had this problem myself)

[lee551]

it asked me to enter a loder identifier, i didn't know what to put, then it asked for some kind of options.

after a reboot, it seems i just created another boot entry and the file is still corrupt, so maybe i need to replace it with that command i found earlier.

i gotta head to work now, but i'll work on this later. thanks for the help.

[99%]

what i would try is

1.
Select Repair ® option.
Go to the DOS prompt.
Now type "chkdsk /r" (space after Chkdsk without " ")and enter leave it to finish. Now restart by typing "exit" and press enter. It should work.

if it doesn't

Type chkdsk /p /r + enter. When check disk is finished, type fixmbr + enter.

If it doesnt - type "chkdsk /p" and enter. If it finishes. type "fixboot X:" (X being the drive letter windows is installed on, it's usually C, but sometimes it can be a virtual drive like E). Next press enter.

Finally type exit to restart. It should work.

or if that dont work

2.put working hall.dll and boot.ini on a floppy disk (see attachment)
these two attachments are for windows XP professional!
then

1. Boot to Recovery Console.

2. type the following commands
cd system32 [enter]

ren hal.dll hal.old

3. C:\ [enter]
ren boot.ini boot.old


4. a:\ [enter]
copy hal.dll c:\windows\system32
copy boot.ini c:\

3 Type EXIT and hit enter
if other missing or corrupted dlls turn up you will have to replace them likewise

reboot

[Vargas]

can you look at boot.ini and see something like this:


timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition([b]3)\Your WINDIR here
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Your OS Here"

what does it have in the spots where it sez 3 above?

[lee551]

i'm back. was gone for awhile, but i'm still working on this problem.

i managed to replace the boot.ini and hal.dll files from the attachments (thanks 99) but then i got a 'corrupt or missing...' message for ntoskrnl.exe. i went in and expanded that from the windows cd, and rebooted.

now i get this message:


Windows could not start because of an error in the software.
Please report this problem as:
load needed DLLs for kernal.
Please contact your support person to report this problem

:wacko: :frusty: wow. its telling me to give up. :lol:

[lee551]

no one have any advice? :wacko: :cry:

[peat moss]

Sorry don't mean to be funny but boy do you have pateince . Your a better man than me ghunga din . I would of formated a week ago. :blushing: All of the above advice is tryed and true I can 't add anything . Wish you luck . :)

[lee551]

would it be alright to just re-install windows? i would like to try and keep everything on the hdd.

[peat moss]

would it be alright to just re-install windows? i would like to try and keep everything on the hdd.



Have you tryed a repair install ?


http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm




Edit : You'll notice the warnings ! Use at your own risk . :) You 'll have to reinstall all the winupdates of course .

[lee551]

would it be alright to just re-install windows? i would like to try and keep everything on the hdd.



Have you tryed a repair install ?


http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm




Edit : You'll notice the warnings ! Use at your own risk . :) You 'll have to reinstall all the winupdates of course .


wow! thanks, that would have been a good solution in the beginning i think.

thanks everyone that helped. :cool:

[lee551]

bringing this topic back because this problem is haunting me again.

same problem happened to the computer. it fails to boot and comes to a message saying that the file 'hal.dll' is missing or corrupt. last time i finally solved the problem by just doing a repair install to xp pro.

i solved the problem *again* by doing this just a few days ago. i restarted the computer multiple times without any problems and after cleaning a few things i gave it back to my buddy. now when he got it back again it gives him the *same* message on the first startup.:blink: wtf? i just had it booting normally about 10 times in a row.

i told him to find an xp pro cd and we can just do a repair install over the phone again. well, for some reason, this time the menu lacks the repair function where it was last time.:unsure:

well, we tried to replace the file by expanding it from the cd, but it comes back with an 'unable to create file hal.dll.....' error.

1. is the cd he got a hold of just messed up or is there a reason the repair option is missing?

2. if a repair is not possible this time, could windows just be installed again, while keeping files intact? i know that the windows & docs&settings folders will be overwritten, but what about other stuff?



thanks for the help.:)

[lee551]

i just wanna know if doing a regular (not repair) install will keep all the non-windows files intact?

[Vargas]

i tried that once on someones PC, it installed the OS in to a new folder, ie: C\WINDOWS(1)\ (or something like that) you might try it, to save any files from the HD before reformatting, but when i tried it alot of stuff didn't work, so i reformatted it in the end

[lee551]

i tried that once on someones PC, it installed the OS in to a new folder, ie: C\WINDOWS(1)\ (or something like that) you might try it, to save any files from the HD before reformatting, but when i tried it alot of stuff didn't work, so i reformatted it in the end

thanks! thats what i was looking for. i've read that you can do another install, but that programs that have registry settings wont work. however, i'm just concerned with getting some files back.