Boot Problem Windows Files Corrupt

Can anyone please help.

I shut my PC down after using it with no problems, when i next booted up i got the following message:

{windows root}\system32\hal.dll file missing
re-install copy of corrupt file to continue.

However I had a look at the hdd using my other PC and found that all the windows files had no extensions and the windows folders were un-reconised and all about 32kb in size.  However the disk usaged is still about 10gb.

Any help in restoring this drive would be very welcome.

What OS are you running?  XP or 2000

steve:

According to Microsoft, "This behavior can occur if any or some of the following conditions are true:
• The Default value in the [Boot Loader] section of the Boot.ini file is missing or invalid.
• Windows XP is not installed in the location specified in the Boot.ini file.
• The Ntoskrnl.exe file is missing or damaged.
• The partition path in the Boot.ini file is not set correctly.
• General hardware failure."

The suggestions for fixing the problem are found here:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314477

Let drewdown or i know if you need more help.

Thanks,  OS is winXP.

The problem is that all of these files mentioned 'missing'.

I can't copy any new files to the system32 folder on c: because it's no longer seen as a folder?

Is this problem to do with the table of contents??

when i boot my computer up i get a message(insert system diskette and press Enter key to reboot. I dont know what a system diskette  is,could someone tell me what it is.

when i boot my computer up i get a message(insert system diskette and press Enter key to reboot. I dont know what a system diskette  is,could someone tell me what it is.

Steve:

Try "Method 4" listed in the above link.