[sannie]

It all started with an error message that the file <windows root>\system32\hal.dll was missing.

I wasn't able to fix this with the Windows Repair console, but wannabe1 suggested to parallel install Windows XP to access my data. That worked. Great!

For reference:
http://www.geekstogo...s...147086&st=0

Then, I wanted to burn my data on DVD's to have a backup, but
after I burned my first CD of data, while burning the second CD I got a blue screen. Restarted. Burned again... same thing happened.

Next, I try to reboot into the Windows0 OS and get a black screen saying "HDD hard error".

Tried F1 twice. Nothing.

Tried to reboot a third time. I am able to boot up again to the new Windows0.

What is going on?

I'll put my data on an external hard drive now, but what's the next step?
Do I have to get the hard drive checked or should I just try to wipe it clean and reformat?

[Advertisements]

Back up all your data before it is to late, than we will go from there.

[ultimateslacker2]

Back up all your data before it is to late, than we will go from there.

[h_mike]

Next, I try to reboot into the Windows0 OS and get a black screen saying "HDD hard error".

Tried F1 twice. Nothing.

Tried to reboot a third time. I am able to boot up again to the new Windows0.

I don't think he can get onto that computer. Have you tried F8, Sannie?

[ultimateslacker2]

Tried to reboot a third time. I am able to boot up again to the new Windows0.

sannie can sometimes, We should try to get the data when sannie can login to windows if possible.

[sannie]

I ordered an external hard drive and it should be here any day... as soon as i have put my data on the external drive, i'll let you know.

[sannie]

UPDATE: I saved all my data on C: on my external hard drive? [I wasn't sure which folders were the most important to back up.... I do have some application settings like from Thunderbird, etc. that I would like to be able to access again once the computer is running again].

What's the next step?

Dell suggests to reinstall the OS.

[ultimateslacker2]

Couldn't we just reinstall thunderbird when we finish?

Reformatting sounds like the plan..but we could run a chkdsk to be sure

Click start
Click Run
Type "chkdsk /f /r" (no quotes please)

It will say the volume is locked and will ask to run on reboot. Type Y.

Reboot and let the scan run.

Is there any improvement?

Edited by ultimateslacker2, 08 February 2007 - 03:17 PM.

[sannie]

I ran the chkdsk and got the following message:

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 5)
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 5)
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 0f 5)
Security descriptor verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal (stage 4 of 5)
Usn Journal verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying file data (stage 5 of 5)
File data verification completed.

The thing is that I have two OS on the laptop right now and I assume that the check was run for the latest installation.
I am still trying to see if I get the old installation up and running again, and I am still confused why I sometimes am able to boot up and sometimes I get this hard drive error.

[ultimateslacker2]

That OS may be corrupted. If you try to repair that old installation again, we may have some hope trying to get it to work again. If not, we should just start over again with all your important data backed up of course.

[sannie]

Question: How do I get out of a setup loop?
When I parallel installed the second operating system, I didn't specify a different folder name and aborted the install.
When I try to boot from the original OS now, I am stuck in a setup loop. Can I get out somewhere?

[ultimateslacker2]

Before we continue, clarify this for me.

When you attempt to boot to the regular OS.. it wants to try to reinstall?

[sannie]

Yes, it's in a setup loop...

[ultimateslacker2]

Ok.. Throw in that XP cd... run the repair install again for that partition.

[sannie]

I get the message:

Setup cannot set the required Windows XP configuration information. This indicates an internal Setup error.

contact your system administrator.

[ultimateslacker2]

Well microsoft said this

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316425 (it cannot be incompatible as it was working this whole time)

So it looks like were going to have to clean install the whole partition..Keep your precious files safe because we are going to have to start fresh again. The whole partition is badly corrupted.