HAL.DLL

  • Thread starter Thread starter griffin
  • Start date Start date
G

griffin

hi,
i just tried to re-instal xp-pro and got the "missing hal.dll" msg.
googled it and now sorta have a rough idea what is going on.
i have win98 with 3 logical drives, xp is going on one of those.
the googled sites say to replace hal.dll but dont say much about
the fact that xp is not installed for it to be replaced.
the do however start talking about 'editing' the boot.ini file.
any of you guys want to help with a bit of a 'walk-thru'.
i am also going to make it Fat32, i have my reasons.

ta
griff
 
Hi, Griff.

Just boot from the WinXP CD-ROM and let Setup detect your hardware and
select the correct HAL.DLL from the CD for your system and install it.

Are you planning to end up with WinXP only, as an upgrade from Win98? Or
will you be dual-booting Win98/XP? Or will you reformat your Win98 volume
before installing WinXP there?
i am also going to make it Fat32, i have my reasons.
Click to expand...

No problem. Your computer, your choice. But I don't know of any good
reason not to use NTFS unless you plan to install (or keep) Win9x/ME on this
computer.

RC
 
Hi R C White,
Hi, Griff.

Just boot from the WinXP CD-ROM and let Setup detect your hardware and
select the correct HAL.DLL from the CD for your system and install it.
Click to expand...
-----------------
But that is what I did last night.
I changed bios to boot from cd fully intending to instal xp, but I got the
HAL
message almost instantly. If I were to look around the cd for the hal.dll,
where
would I place it?
----------------------------------
Are you planning to end up with WinXP only, as an upgrade from Win98? Or
will you be dual-booting Win98/XP? Or will you reformat your Win98 volume
before installing WinXP there?
Click to expand...
--------------------
I will be using it as a dual boot scenario.

-------------------------
No problem. Your computer, your choice. But I don't know of any good
reason not to use NTFS unless you plan to install (or keep) Win9x/ME on this
computer.
Click to expand...
----------------
One reason is that I put it on with ntfs once before and lots of problems
arose,
so I thought I would just keep it as Fat this time.
It wont be used for the internet at all, strictly just another o/s of which
I plan to
isolate from win98.
 
hi r c white,
i tried installing xp again just now, it still wants the hal.dll.
my question is, is the Hal file a win98 file or xp file?
the message i get is that it is missing from <windows root>system32\hal.dll.
how would xp know it is missing if it hasnt even installed
itself? (unless of course, it is a win98 file and it needs it to continue
the process).
win98 still works, (hence i am writing this) so if it were a 98 file, i
guess there would be trouble booting 98, but there isnt any trouble.

i have downloaded a Hal.Dll from the net and placed it in a folder
within win98, any ideas on what to do next?
one last thing, i put xp on my computer using the same CD last week, could
there now be a problem with the CD itself....... i have
cleaned it since.

ta
griff
 
hi r c white,
this post is few hours later.
i now have XP loaded in a dual boot scenario.
it is using the FAT system.
i found what i think was the instal problem, ....... it was due to
my A.V being enabled. i dont fully understand why this should
cause the problem(s) that i had, but there you are.
i do have a question.
i have enabled my AV again (in win98) so as to be able to go on the
net and come to this n/g,............ will having it enabled cause
any problems with XP now? (XP is not internet capable and probably wont be)

ta
griff
 
Hi, Griff.
i have enabled my AV again (in win98) so as to be able to go on the
net and come to this n/g,............ will having it enabled
cause
any problems with XP now? (XP is not internet capable and probably wont
be)
Click to expand...

No. The antivirus (no matter the brand) is a program that runs inside the
operating system. When you are running in Win98, it has no idea that WinXP
even exists - except for all those files in WinXP's boot volume
(X:\Windows?). In the same way, when you are booted into WinXP, none of the
programs that WOULD BE running IF you were booted into Win98, including the
antivirus program, are having any effect whatsoever - except for taking up
disk space.

I'm no virus expert, Griff. I'm happy to say that I've never had an
infection on my computer. I've had minimal spyware and adware infestations
that were quickly dealt with by Adaware and SpyBot Search & Destroy The
only virus I ever got was from a floppy diskette someone gave me, and that
one was discovered immediately and eliminated before it had a chance to do
any damage. Many bad guys try to get in from the Internet, but with the
combination of WinXP SP2, NIS (Norton Internet Security, including
antivirus, firewall and antispam) and my practicing "safe hex", they've all
been stopped at the border. (So far! I recognize that my computer is still
vulnerable - just like everybody else's - and I could get hit later today,
so I keep my guard up.)

My understanding is that viruses work in several different ways. Most work
within the operating system that is currently controlling the computer. A
few, though, could infect the MBR or other disk structures and do their
damage, no matter whether you are booted into Win98 or WinXP. Since I'm out
of my depth here, I'll let someone else clarify or expand on this. But I
think you are pretty safe if your Win98 antivirus is working well and kept
up to date, your WinXP is isolated from the Internet and other networks, and
you don't import files in any other way (floppy, USB drive, etc.). You
should have no problems booting and running WinXP.

RC
 
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