HELP! windows xp wont boot up

[Nicdig]

My pc just shuts off before it really has a chance to load up> It was
working fine till today(havent used pc since 4 days ago)- After i turn on pc
it shows this," We appologize for the inconveninece but windows did not
start up normally due to a software change, etc.... NO blue screen- just
white text in black backround. If I dont do anything, it tries to load up
but then shuts off. One time, it got as far as the deskop, but then it shut
off
I tried to go into safe mode, and last known configuration, and it still
shuts off. So i never get to see my desktop. Can u please give me some
things to try?
Info: Windows Xp home OEM edition, sp2, IE6, and keep my desktop up todate
with anti virus, etc programs. My Dell is about 4 years old and I have been
the only owner.thanks in advance

 

[Nicdig]

EXTRA info: I was able to get this message after trying a few things:
"windows could not start beccasue the following file is missing or
corrupt......windows root>\system 32\hal.dll" . SO that is where i am at
now. PLease help if u can and thanks

 

[Malke]

EXTRA info: I was able to get this message after trying a few things:
"windows could not start beccasue the following file is missing or
corrupt......windows root>\system 32\hal.dll" . SO that is where i am at
now. PLease help if u can and thanks

From the late, great MVP Alex Nichol:

That message is rather misleading. It happens because the boot.ini file
that tells the boot where to look for 'Windows' is damaged, so it is
looking for files in the wrong place - hal.dll just happens to be the
first one it looks for. Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot
the XP CD and, instead of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair.
Assume any password requested is blank, and TAB over.

At the command prompt, type:

Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini [enter]
DEL C:\boot.ini [enter]
to delete the bad one
BootCfg /Rebuild [enter]

to search for Windows installations and make a new one.


Malke

 

[Nicdig]

Hi Malke.I typed it exactly as u said .....Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
[enter]
....and it says that the command is not recognized. and to type help for a
list of supported commands. I tried several ways to type it with no avail.
so i could not go on to the next part. any ideas?

EXTRA info: I was able to get this message after trying a few things:
"windows could not start beccasue the following file is missing or
corrupt......windows root>\system 32\hal.dll" . SO that is where i am at
now. PLease help if u can and thanks
on
pc

From the late, great MVP Alex Nichol:

That message is rather misleading. It happens because the boot.ini file
that tells the boot where to look for 'Windows' is damaged, so it is
looking for files in the wrong place - hal.dll just happens to be the
first one it looks for. Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot
the XP CD and, instead of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair.
Assume any password requested is blank, and TAB over.

At the command prompt, type:

Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini [enter]
DEL C:\boot.ini [enter]
to delete the bad one
BootCfg /Rebuild [enter]

to search for Windows installations and make a new one.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Jim]

Hi Malke.I typed it exactly as u said .....Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
[enter]
...and it says that the command is not recognized. and to type help for a
list of supported commands. I tried several ways to type it with no avail.
so i could not go on to the next part. any ideas?

EXTRA info: I was able to get this message after trying a few things:
"windows could not start beccasue the following file is missing or
corrupt......windows root>\system 32\hal.dll" . SO that is where i am at
now. PLease help if u can and thanks
My pc just shuts off before it really has a chance to load up> It was
working fine till today(havent used pc since 4 days ago)- After i turn on
pc
it shows this," We appologize for the inconveninece but windows did
not
start up normally due to a software change, etc.... NO blue screen- just
white text in black backround. If I dont do anything, it tries to load up
but then shuts off. One time, it got as far as the deskop, but then it
shut
off
I tried to go into safe mode, and last known configuration, and it still
shuts off. So i never get to see my desktop. Can u please give me some
things to try?
Info: Windows Xp home OEM edition, sp2, IE6, and keep my desktop up todate
with anti virus, etc programs. My Dell is about 4 years old and I have
been
the only owner.thanks in advance

From the late, great MVP Alex Nichol:

That message is rather misleading. It happens because the boot.ini file
that tells the boot where to look for 'Windows' is damaged, so it is
looking for files in the wrong place - hal.dll just happens to be the
first one it looks for. Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot
the XP CD and, instead of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair.
Assume any password requested is blank, and TAB over.

At the command prompt, type:

Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini [enter]
DEL C:\boot.ini [enter]
to delete the bad one
BootCfg /Rebuild [enter]

to search for Windows installations and make a new one.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Did you type the command at the command prompt?
I. e., you get there by
Start
Run
Cmd
Attrib ----

If you just try entering Attrib at the Run prompt, you will get that
message.

Jim

 

[Nicdig]

Jim, **Here is what I do. (The OEM windows xp cd is in the cd drive
already)...I turn the pc on and before it does anytihng, i push F12 to get
to that blue and white small box; where i can choose how i want to boot up.
I choose cd'rom >>then it starts loading some files. Then I have the option
to set up but choose "R" for repair in recovery. then i type what Malke
said, " Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini " after the white flashing letter (C
and click enter and it says that the command is not recognized. and to type
'help' for a list of supported commands. I cant get passed that. Did i
answer your question?
P.S. the reason i clicked on F12 after i start pc is becuase that is one of
the few places i can go to after i start pc...plus it is the only area that
looked like where i had to go to boot from CD. I am not very knowledgeable
but do know a few things.
thanks. any ideas?

Hi Malke.I typed it exactly as u said .....Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
[enter]
...and it says that the command is not recognized. and to type help for a
list of supported commands. I tried several ways to type it with no
avail.
so i could not go on to the next part. any ideas?

Nicdig wrote:
EXTRA info: I was able to get this message after trying a few things:
"windows could not start beccasue the following file is missing or
corrupt......windows root>\system 32\hal.dll" . SO that is where i am at
now. PLease help if u can and thanks
My pc just shuts off before it really has a chance to load up> It was
working fine till today(havent used pc since 4 days ago)- After i
turn on
pc
it shows this," We appologize for the inconveninece but windows did
not
start up normally due to a software change, etc.... NO blue screen- just
white text in black backround. If I dont do anything, it tries to
load up
but then shuts off. One time, it got as far as the deskop, but then
it
shut
off
I tried to go into safe mode, and last known configuration, and it still
shuts off. So i never get to see my desktop. Can u please give me
some
things to try?
Info: Windows Xp home OEM edition, sp2, IE6, and keep my desktop up todate
with anti virus, etc programs. My Dell is about 4 years old and I
have
been
the only owner.thanks in advance

From the late, great MVP Alex Nichol:

That message is rather misleading. It happens because the boot.ini file
that tells the boot where to look for 'Windows' is damaged, so it is
looking for files in the wrong place - hal.dll just happens to be the
first one it looks for. Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot
the XP CD and, instead of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair.
Assume any password requested is blank, and TAB over.

At the command prompt, type:

Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot.ini [enter]
DEL C:\boot.ini [enter]
to delete the bad one
BootCfg /Rebuild [enter]

to search for Windows installations and make a new one.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Did you type the command at the command prompt?
I. e., you get there by
Start
Run
Cmd
Attrib ----

If you just try entering Attrib at the Run prompt, you will get that
message.

Jim

 

[Peter Foldes]

Info: Windows Xp home OEM edition, sp2, IE6, and keep my desktop up todate

with anti virus, etc programs.

Would one of these "etc programs" happen to be a Registry Cleaning Tool that you have used just before this issue arose

 

[Nicdig]

No. I did not use a registry cleaner. I have one installed but I dont think
I have used it for at least a few months ago.

Info: Windows Xp home OEM edition, sp2, IE6, and keep my desktop up todate
with anti virus, etc programs.

Would one of these "etc programs" happen to be a Registry Cleaning Tool that
you have used just before this issue arose

 

[Nicdig]

Let me add that by clicking F2, I get to this section so that I can go to
the "boot" tab. I choose the 3rd boot devise [CD ROM] & click enter. And
another box pops up that shows that I chose the 3rd device and chose cr-rom,
then I click enter again and nothing happens. nothing else happens.
I have never done a reinstall of windows before. I have work files and lots
of fam pictures on this desktop so if I needed to reinstall windows, whats
gonna happen to all my files/things on this pc? TO do the install, do i just
follow the prompts??