hal.dll missing or corrupt

[FozzyBear]

"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 got this error message when I finally got to get on and play tonight.

Surfing the web now to try and find a fix without reinstalling Windows. grrrrr

Anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

I still have my laptop so I can at least try and figure this out.

:bs:

[Gruthar]

You have a couple of options. First thing to do is run chkdsk or just check your C:/windows/system32/ folder to see if hal.dll is still there. If hal.dll does still exist, then chkdsk ought to be able to fix it. You can run it from the recovery console by typing "chkdsk C: /f ".

If hal.dll has been deleted, there's a couple of places you can copy it from. If you still have the service pack cached, you can copy it from there - I believe the default is C:/Windows/ServicePackFiles. If you have that folder, look for another folder inside of it named i386. Hal.dll should be in there, just copy it to your system32 folder. If you don't have an i386 folder on your hard drive with hal.dll in it, the next place to copy it from would be your OS CD. There should be a i386 folder on it as well, though hal.dll might be named hal.dl_ or something similar. Just rename it and copy it to system32. You may need to reapply the service pack if you do copy it from the CD - I don't know if hal.dll was modified by the service pack or not. HTH

[FozzyBear]

Just a FYI

chkdsk takes FOREVER to run. I thought that my computer froze at 50%, but had read that you just need to sit through it............

almost 2 hours now, and just at 71%


It looks like it may be as easy as using the recovery console and typing

bootcfg /rebuild

but, when I did that it said i needed to run chkdsk...... so I'm waiting.

[FozzyBear]

opps didn't see you posted gruth.


Just waiting now for chkdsk

[Gruthar]

Yeah, there's two options for chkdsk.

chkdsk X: /f just looks for data errors and fixes them. Unless I suspect there's a physical problem with the drive, that's what I normally run. The /f scan should only take 15-20 mins or so, depending on how much stuff is on the drive and how many errors it's having to fix.

chkdsk X: /r is the looong scan. This'll scan the disk surface for bad sectors in addition to looking for data errors, and takes much longer as a result. Again, I would recommend you only do this type of scan if you suspect there's a physical problem with the hard drive, most of the time it's not necessary. It usually doesn't take much longer than an hour to do, if that, but again may be subject to how much stuff is on the drive.

If it's taking that long to complete the scan, Fozzy, the hard drive may be on its way out.

[Fovos]

ok im completely clueless about these things and im not even sure if im talking about the same thing here, but im going to share an info anyway.
recently i read somewhere that AVG Anti Virus software was finding some important files from windows and recognize them as malicious with result of deleting them. i thing windows was working on resolving the problem.
maybe your file was deleted by AVG if you are using it of course.

[FozzyBear]

The scan finished just a minute ago.

I ran bootcfg /rebuild

and got
Failed to sucessfully scan disks for Windows installation. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from successfully scanning. use chkdsk to detect any errors.


I am in TS if anyone wants to babysit a bear through this

[FozzyBear]

going to try your suggestions Gruth. And yes I am running AVG....figures.

[FozzyBear]

I cant change the directory. Says access denied.

I am in the Recovery Console

[FozzyBear]

Is safe mode better to run it in?


Still in TS :)

[Gruthar]

I would be very surprised if AVG deleted Hal.dll as that file is a major part of Windows. It's certainly possible, and I've certainly been out of the IT loop for a couple of months now so I won't have necessarily heard about it.

The fact that it didn't like your file system when you ran the bootcfg command is disheartening. How old is that hard drive? More and more it's starting to sound like the drive is on its last legs. Still, try the fixes and see how it performs...

:/

[Gruthar]

I'm on my laptop, I have no mic on this ancient relic. :(

Safe mode won't make a difference if there's a problem with Hal.dll...

[FozzyBear]

well have no idea what I did....other than what I typed.


I took out my Windows CD and restarted. It did it's own little quick check disk on startup, and booted just fine.


I went ahead and shut it down just to see if it was a fluke, and of course it didn't start again.

[FozzyBear]

Kind of got it working. Thanks GRUTHAR!!!!!!


Looks like my HD may be dying. Going to try and get what I can get off.


I can load by using last known good config, but even after I do that it won't do it automatically.

[FozzyBear]

for my own reference.

Need to look into slipstreaming a WinXP install.

nLite is a program to look into.

Speedfan to check and see if a HD is going to fail


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