[dobbelar]

Installed new seagate 80 gb hard drive and tryed to reload XP home. When I try to boot up the screen comes up Unable to open account <windows root>\system\hal.dll is corrupt or missing and tells me to reload another file. Can someone tell me where to get this file and how to load it when I can not get to my windows to do any type of repair or loads.

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You want this page:

http://www.geekstogo...p?showtopic=138

It's really not as hard as it looks, just read along . You will have to print it out so you can read it while repairing XP. It tells you how to repair Windows XP and still keep all your current files !

P.S. It is pinned on the XP forum

[Smokey]

You want this page:

http://www.geekstogo...p?showtopic=138

It's really not as hard as it looks, just read along . You will have to print it out so you can read it while repairing XP. It tells you how to repair Windows XP and still keep all your current files !

P.S. It is pinned on the XP forum

[dobbelar]

I tryed the link however after I accepted the licensing agreement I got a screen that said It could not find any previous Windows application. Please insert my cd to prove I qualified. Is it possible to set this same system up with windows 98 and then upgrade to windows xp home. My previous harddrive was wiped out and the recovery discs tests indicate a new hard drive. My original xp was on the recovery discs and this process refers to the o drive. My copy of xp that I am using I have determined is a upgrade. I originally tryed to load 98 but that didnot seem to get me anywhere either.

Edited by dobbelar, 16 April 2004 - 08:32 PM.

[admin]

Welcome dobbelar

When Windows XP upgrade says it can't find any previous Windows application, insert your Windows 98 CD, and browse to that drive. It should recognize the CD and allow the upgrade install to continue.

[dobbelar]

I have tried that putting in Windows 98 and yes it does let me install the upgrade however I have got to this part twice now and even when allowed to say what folder i want I have chosen a new folder. I have two different choices on the logon screen of Windows xp home edition and both of them show the same previous message of my original comment about system hal.dll missing or corrupt and please reinstall this file.

[admin]

Okay, I've reread your post and have a better understanding of your problem. I think XP is still seeing your failed Windows 98 installation, and trying to perform a dual-boot installation, however the HAL is missing or corrupt.

You should be able to correct this by deleting the active partition, creating a new partition, formatting, and then performing a clean install of XP. WARNING! This will permanently delete everything on your hard drive. Here's a good step-by-step guide:
http://www.blackvipe...tallxphome1.htm

[dobbelar]

Okay I used the BV 16 step load process. I did it from cd rom and i also downloaded boot floppy from Microsoft and went thru the whole process at least 3 complete times. I still get that same message when my computer tries to start windows ( Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <Windows root>\System\hal.dll Please reinstall a copy of the above file) I also tried to run my recovery discs but before it will even take off it gives me a message (Error #9 Disk manager has been detected on drive O but Disk Manager is not running. If you are booting from a floppy, remove the floppy and reboot. Press and hold the <space Bar> key as your computer restarts when promted insert your boot floppy and continue rebooting. The boot floppy's that I have are 6 discs that I used on the previous step. Any other suggestions appreciated.

[admin]

Try this... WIPE OUT : As the name implies, this utility will absolutely WIPE your hard drive. For those times when an industrial strength cleaner is needed to remove any pesky files Fdisk may have left behind. A readme file is included in the zip file. WARNING...WIPE OUT will remove ALL data from the Hard Drive.
http://www.lurkhere....les/wipeout.zip

Another alternative would be a low-level format using the tool supplied by the hard drive manufacturer.

[dobbelar]

Okay. I didnot use the wipe out method but what I did try and much to my amazement that it worked this time was to go back to my New hard drive Disk Manager and eliminate the, I believe it was called the DDO boot and then my recovery discs put my system back together. However I have one more inconvienence, or maybe I'm burned out trying to reason with this computer, and that is I installed a 80 GB hard drive and when I look at my C drive properties it only shows 31Gb of space. Is this normal or did I forget to do something. Before My computer had a D drive that I used for downloads and such. Can you tell me where my other 50 Gigs of space are and how can I create another drive without having to reload my whole system again. My new hard drive is set up as a Master and there are no slaves hooked up. I am sure I am overlooking the tool somewhere. thanks!

[admin]

Go back to your new friend, Disk Manager. Look at the partition information. On disk 0 you probably have a 31gb partition, and then some unpartioned space, I forget what it's called "free" maybe? You should be able to right click in this free area and select "create logical partition". When finished, format it, then you should have a new drive letter with the remaining hard drive space.

[dobbelar]

Disk management in windows will not allow me to change or add. I have tried redoing all. When I set up 3 partitions in my hard drive program before loading windows and they all are formatted before I try to load OS. One is for 40 gigs, one is for 25, and the other for the remaining 13 or so. After I reload OS it always returns me to 32 gigs on one drive only. My hard drive has only one jumper on it configuring it as a Primary. Do I need to jumper it in some way to allow part of my hard disk to work as a second storage area. I only have one hard disk in the computer so and the manual for the hard disk said no jumpers for the slave unless I was using another hard disk. Your other suggestions with sites for step by step directions are great and I hope you have one for this one. I just need to know where my other 50 gigs are hiding.

[admin]

31gb is the magic number here. It's the max size for earlier versions of fdisk, and all versions of Windows previous to Win98SE. What are you using to partition your hard drive? If your using the restore disk, it's probably not able to utilize partitions greater than 31gb.

I haven't performed an XP upgrade for a while, but I think after it recognizes your previous version of Windows, you should have the option to perform a clean install-- including partitioning and formatting.

[dobbelar]

Well that would probaly explain why when I boot the recovery disks that it says starting Windows 98. I assume that my system was designed the windows XP that I have probaly is a 98 upgrade version. Is there any other way to reclaim my extra space or do I need a more current version of XP newer than the 2001 that I have in my computer. Hey at least I have the thing loaded again, I'm miles ahead of when this posting began. Thanks a bunch!