boot problem

[Dana]

HP Pavilion zt1130, 20GB, 512 Ram - running XP-Home -

Last week, I suddenly could not start Windows due to a
missing or corrupt hal.dll (which I think was my fault
when I uninstalled an Avery program). After nothing else
worked, I did a system recovery using the 3-CD set
supplied with the computer. Everything seemed to be fine,
so I updated the BIOS through HP wizard. Then I downloaded
and installed XP-SP1 and other security updates. I did
have a couple problems starting, but after 2 or 3 tries,
it would boot OK. So I was finally ready to begin
reinstalling 18 months worth of software and their updates.

Then this morning, it would not boot up -- following
message appears each time (and I tried several times) --

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

So now what do I do? Do *another* system recovery and go
through all these time-consuming installs ad updstes once
again? Buy and install a retail XP disk? Throw the *#^#
thing in the trash?

As you can see, I am beginning to lose my patience.

 

[Rich Barry]

Dana, how old is your Computer? You maybe having problems with the
Power Supply, Ram or hard drive corrupting
your system files.

 

[Guest]

Rich,

I've had the computer since May 2002, but use it mainly as
a backup and to play CDs while I'm working on my main
computer, so not much use. I bought it refurbished to use
for a family emergency trip last year. I had also posted
on the HP board, and last night, followed their
suggestions trying out numerous things (including system
diagnostics) until they finally suggested I do another
Recovery, which I did last thing last night. So I guess
now I proceed to once again install and update programs
and see if it works longer than a week. If not, I will try
once again to use the 3-year warranty I bought (which was
not applicable to the earlier hal.dll problem because that
was software).