[Geeves]

my sister was updating a game she plays online (Final Fantasy Online) when the power went out. She got back into windows and was told she had to uninstall the game and start from scratch. So she did just that via add/remove programs. It then prompted her to restart.

When she restarted it pops up with an error about windows not being able to boot because the HAL.DLL file is missing. I would have suggested getting a new copy of the file but, if that file is missing, what other could also be missing?

She does have a Windows XP CD and can access the recovery console. I am not sure what commands would help in this situation since the files are missing. Is there anything she can do short of reinstalling windows? She has a lot of documents on her desktop and in her mydocuments folder, etc....


Any ideas?

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Hi Geeves...Welcome to G2G!

Run the System File Checker.
Click Start then Run...type sfc /scannow (Note the space between sfc and /) and press "Enter". You will be asked for your installation cd, so have it handy. Wait for the scan to finish (this might take up to an hour). When it's finished, click Start then Run...type chkdsk /r /f (Again...note the spaces) and reboot when prompted (type Y and press Enter). This will run on boot-up so restart will take a while...be patient.

OR

Try this REPAIR to your installation of XP. This procedure will not damage or change your current files or settings...it will just repair or replace damaged system files. You will be asked for your Installation CD and may be asked for your product key. Follow the instructions carefully...print them out if you can. Note: This option is not always available on OEM Recovery Cd's

Let us know how it goes...

wannabe1

Edited by wannabe1, 11 October 2005 - 11:05 AM.

[wannabe1]

Hi Geeves...Welcome to G2G!

Run the System File Checker.
Click Start then Run...type sfc /scannow (Note the space between sfc and /) and press "Enter". You will be asked for your installation cd, so have it handy. Wait for the scan to finish (this might take up to an hour). When it's finished, click Start then Run...type chkdsk /r /f (Again...note the spaces) and reboot when prompted (type Y and press Enter). This will run on boot-up so restart will take a while...be patient.

OR

Try this REPAIR to your installation of XP. This procedure will not damage or change your current files or settings...it will just repair or replace damaged system files. You will be asked for your Installation CD and may be asked for your product key. Follow the instructions carefully...print them out if you can. Note: This option is not always available on OEM Recovery Cd's

Let us know how it goes...

wannabe1

Edited by wannabe1, 11 October 2005 - 11:05 AM.

[Geeves]

i can't run the sfc, I can't get into windows at all......

I'll try the other option but for some reason i don't remember seeing repair as a choice on there.


Any other ideas if that one doesn't work?

[yardguard]

http://www.kellys-ko...dll_missing.htm

Check this out

[Geeves]

1) Can't use SFC /SCANNOW, can't get to windows to use it

2) I tried BOOTCFG /REBUILD, this did not work. The system said I had to run a CHDISK. I did that all seemed okay. I tried again and message was unable to preform the function.

3) I tried following screens when booting from the XP home cd, after the agreement screen where I had to hit the F-8 key I was not given the option to repair.


any further ideas?

[dsenette]

you can fun the sfc from the recovery console if you boot from the cd...or you can just do a repair install of windows

[Geeves]

I tried SFC from the recovery console, told me command not recognized

I also tried to get to the repair option. There wasn't one listed. I know I can just re install it but my sister has a lot of stat saved to her desktop and in her My Docs folder. the reinstallation states that those folders will not retain their data.

I want to do this with a minimal amount of data loss

[darth_ash]

Hi Geeves,
The hal.dll file is unique for every PC (depends on the hardware).
Follow the steps below:

• In ur BIOS set CD-ROM has 1st Boot Device.
• Insert XP Setup CD, to boot from CD.
• After the intial loading of drivers is over, on the Welcome to Setup Screen with 3 options; Press R key, to "Repair XP installtion using Recovery Console".
• U will be prompted for Adminstrator account's password. Press Enter if the password was blank.
• Type the following commands, and press enter after each one:
  • Attrib -H -R -S C:\Boot.ini
    (where C: is the partition where XP was installed)
  • DEL C:\Boot.ini
  • BootCfg /Rebuild
  • Fixboot
• Reboot ur PC

If the above method does'nt work, try the following:
Use the same steps to get into Recovery Console as suggested previously.
I'll give two more ways to recover from this error from the Recovery Console, use any one of them.
Use Method1 only if u downloaded SP2 and installed it.
Use Method2 if u have installed SP2 from CD and u have the CD; or if u have'nt installed SP2 at all.

Method1:
Type the following comamds:
cd\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386
copy hal.dll c:\Windows\System32.

Method2:
Type the following comamd:
expand x:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32\hal.dll.
(where x: the drive-leeter of ur CD-ROM drive and c: is the partition where XP was installed)

Edited by darth_ash, 13 October 2005 - 10:45 AM.

[Geeves]

Thanks I'll try that tonight or next time I get to their house