Computer specs: Windows XP Media Center Edition, recovery partition loaded onto D, primary windows files on C. No disc given. HP.
Recently my computer has been having issues where when I run firefox it locks up my start bar and all programs except the one I am currently in. Generally just restarting would fix this issue. I do not believe this is virus or spyware related as I am fairly computer literate and am running Spysweeper, Antivir and Avast! on the system all updated.
So, during a stupid moment while my system was locked up I loaded into the recovery partition and was browsing through some menus. Anyway, I hit next and it started doing a destructive restore so I quickly powered off the computer. Then, when I loaded up the system I get the error: Windows could not start because of error in the system. Please report the problem as: Load DLLs needed for Kernel. So, I went back into the recovery console and now when I load up only have 2 options. D:MiniNT and D:Recovery Console (or something along those lines). Here is where it gets good. I cannot change directory to the C drive, its like it doesn't exist. However, I can execute commands to it. For example if I type dir C:\ it gives me the whole directory so the files are in place. I have attempted fixmbr, fixboot, etc. but it appears to be executing these commands to the D drive which is the recovery partition.
Now, I have used Ubuntu to copy the entire contents of the HD to an externel HD so I could reformat if required, however, the computer is roughly 4 years old and if I am going that route I will likely just buy a new PC for a copy of windows 7.
I am going home on lunch here shortly and I am going to attempt to pull the hal.dll from the recovery partition and replace the hal.dll on the C drive. If that fails I also have a copy of the windows XP home edition that a friend gave me to use to try doing an in place reinstall. However, I am unsure of if it will work as one, I can't see the C drive and two I have media center and this is a home CD.
Ideally I would like to get all the DLLs back so I can boot the computer as normal and maintain all programs etc. I have heard an in place install of XP will maintain data but you will have to reinstall all programs. Again, if this is true I may as well just buy a new PC. So, hopefully someone will have some good advice for me. Thanks.