Issue: Error "Windows cannot start due to a missing or
corrupt file- Windowsroot\system\HAL.DLL."
Cause: The multi line in the boot.ini is somehow changed
so that it does not end in C:\Windows.
Resolution:
Follow procedure I first. If it does not resolve the
issue, follow procedure II.
I. Rebuild the boot.ini using the following steps.
1.Press a key when the message "Press any key to boot from
CD" appears on the screen to boot from the CD.
NOTE: You have five seconds to press a key or the computer
will attempt to boot from the hard drive. If this happens,
reboot the computer and wait for the "Press any key to
Boot from CD..." message to appear, then press Enter.
2. Once you press Enter, the computer will boot from the
CD-ROM and you should see a black screen momentarily
with "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware
configuration..." message followed by a blue Windows Setup
screen. Recovery Console will continue to load the
required files (see bottom of screen). When complete, the
Windows XP Home Edition Screen will be displayed.
3. On the Windows XP Setup screen there are three options.
Press the R key to select the second option "To repair a
Windows XP installation using Recovery Console."
NOTE: The first option is not functional with HP Pavilion
computers and should not be used. The last option, F3,
exits Recovery Console and reboots.
After pressing R, the screen changes to a black screen
with the following: "Which Windows installation would you
like to log onto?"
4. You will be asked to enter the Admin password.
5. You will be dropped to C:\Windows prompt. Type
Bootcfg /list <enter>. This will provide you with all the
entries in the Boot.ini list, the ID, OS Load Options, and
OS Location.
6. You will be dropped back to the C:\Windows prompt.
Type Bootcfg /rebuild <enter>
7. You will be asked if you want to add to Add
Installation to Boot List, type A <enter>.
8. You will be asked to enter the Load Identifier, type
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition <enter> or Microsoft
Windows XP Pro Edition <enter> depending on the which
Operating System you are using.
9. You will be asked to enter OS Load Options,
type /fastdetect <enter>.
10. You will be dropped back to C:\Windows, type Exit
<enter>.
11. Once you are in the Operating System, edit the
Boot.ini file. (System Properties-Advanced-(Under Startup
and Recovery) Settings-(Under System Startup) Edit-under
Operating Systems, highlight and delete the last line that
reads 'multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)
\windows="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect'.
12. Close out the Boot.ini notepad file, saving changes
and reboot.
II. Expanding the hal.dl_ file from the Recovery Console
1. Press a key when the message "Press any key to boot
from CD" appears on the screen to boot from the CD.
NOTE: You have five seconds to press a key or the computer
will attempt to boot from the hard drive. If this happens,
reboot the computer and wait for the "Press any key to
Boot from CD..." message to appear, then press Enter.
2. Once you press Enter, the computer will boot from the
CD-ROM and you should see a black screen momentarily
with "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware
configuration..." message followed by a blue Windows Setup
screen. Recovery Console will continue to load the
required files (see bottom of screen). When complete, the
Windows XP Home Edition Screen will be displayed.
3. On the Windows XP Setup screen there are three options.
Press the R key to select the second option "To repair a
Windows XP installation using Recovery Console."
After pressing R, the screen changes to a black screen
with the following: "Which Windows installation would you
like to log onto?"
4. You will be asked to enter the Admin password.
5. Change the directory to the drive letter of the CD-ROM
drive that contains one of the CDs from step 1, then the
i386 folder. (Example: D:\i386 you would type D: <enter>
then, cd i386 <enter>)
6. Once you get dropped to the x:\i386 prompt, type
Expand hal.dl_ C:\windows\system32 <enter>.
7. You may be prompted to overwrite the existing file, if
so type Y for Yes <enter>.
8. You will be advised that the file has been expanded and
dropped back to the x:\i386 prompt, type C: <enter>.
9. You will be back to the C:\Windows prompt, type Exit
<enter>.
10. Advise the customer to back up the data on the unit,
then run the System Restore to a prior date when the unit
was working correctly or run the full installation again.
Akshay Chandra
(e-mail address removed)
