[ascorbicacid]

When I power up my Dell laptop, I get:

"Windows cannot start because the following file is missing or corrupt;

<windows boot>system32\hal.dll

Please re-install a copy of the above file"

I put in my Windows XP Home Edition CD and selected recovery mode. When prompted I then typed bootcfg /rebuild.
Then I got:

Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
(1) F:\minint
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
I typed y and pressed enter.
Enter Load Identifier
I typed in Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and pressed enter.
Enter OS Load options
I tried both /fastdetect and leaving it blank.

However after OS Load options, I get:

Error: Failed to add the selected bott entry to the boot list.

Is there any other way I can fix my hal.dll problem? Or am I doing something wrong? Any bit of help is greatly appreciated!!!

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Hello, ascorbicacid, and welcome to Geeks to Go.

This is a long process and may take quite a while. Please be patient.

• Command prompt system restore
  Please try to start Windows in command prompt. Boot the computer and press F8 repeatedly. Enter safe mode with command prompt.
  Enter the following phrase in the command prompt window and press enter:
  

  C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

  
  If this does not work, go to step 2. If it did work, then you are fixed.
  
• While in command prompt, enter sfc /scannow
  
  If this does not work, go to step 3. If it did work, then you are fixed.
  
• Reinstallation of Windows. Place the Windows XP disc in to the drive and boot from it. When the first screen starts, press F12. Choose CD/DVD drive. Press enter on the setup screen to continue. Accept the licensing agreement by pressing F8 (be sure to read it by pressing the Page Down button). You need to press R to continue. Make sure the XP installation you want to repair is highlighted. All of your personal files will be safe. Setup will copy and replace files and will continue in to setup. Follow any remaining prompts and you have repaired Windows.
  
  Does this fix the problem?

[DragonMaster Jay]

Hello, ascorbicacid, and welcome to Geeks to Go.

This is a long process and may take quite a while. Please be patient.

• Command prompt system restore
  Please try to start Windows in command prompt. Boot the computer and press F8 repeatedly. Enter safe mode with command prompt.
  Enter the following phrase in the command prompt window and press enter:
  

  C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

  
  If this does not work, go to step 2. If it did work, then you are fixed.
  
• While in command prompt, enter sfc /scannow
  
  If this does not work, go to step 3. If it did work, then you are fixed.
  
• Reinstallation of Windows. Place the Windows XP disc in to the drive and boot from it. When the first screen starts, press F12. Choose CD/DVD drive. Press enter on the setup screen to continue. Accept the licensing agreement by pressing F8 (be sure to read it by pressing the Page Down button). You need to press R to continue. Make sure the XP installation you want to repair is highlighted. All of your personal files will be safe. Setup will copy and replace files and will continue in to setup. Follow any remaining prompts and you have repaired Windows.
  
  Does this fix the problem?

[ascorbicacid]

When I try to start it under any safe mode it just redirects me to the original "Windows could not start..." message. I'm not getting a command prompt window...

[DragonMaster Jay]

Please try the reinstall of Windows.

[ascorbicacid]

Will that wipe my files from my computer or damage any of them?

[Broni]

hal.dll error may have many different causes.
Check here: http://pcsupport.abo...ssinghaldll.htm