Firstly apologies as there are hundreds of these topics but the answers provided in them have not help me. Here's the background:
My uncle asked me to look at his computer base (emachines 5250, 512 ram, 160 hdd, intel pentimento 4 processor 515 running windows xp home edition). He explains it that he was transferring files from this base unit to a laptop using a memory stick, after transferring all his email across he shut the computer down for the night next day turns it on and finds a black screen saying <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll - please reinstall a copy or this file.
Before I looked at the computer he rang me and I asked him to try and load in safe mode F8 at startup in the end he tried all of the options last known good configuration with no luck. I took the base unit off him expecting to remove the hdd connect it to my caddy, plug into my computer recover his personal details then try and reinstall the file. On connecting to my computer the drives installed and were showing up in my computer but with no information about size of the drive and you were unable to open them. I put it back in his mAchine and started following suggested solutions from Microsoft and this website. Options I tried are below:
Check boot.ini - cannot access it from cmd files not their and won't let me create new one
Use cmd to expand Hal.dl off recovery cd and overwrite system file I won't find the system file
Removing attrib from system files and bootcfg /rebuild says unable to do it
I have also tried chkdsk I took 2 days returned and said the disk was fine restart but same error
All I need to do is remove his personal files and then he's happy to do a fresh install or buy a new hdd but the documents are vital if can be recovered. My next step is the local shop but ideally I'd rather someone tell me it seems knackersd than pay someone over the odds to confirm it.
Any help is much appreciated!!!