MS DOS Rescue Disk for Win XP

[sgbz]

My Dell Computer running Win XP froze while doing a "Microsoft Update"  Computer will no longer boot giving message that <Windows Root>/system32/HAL.DLL is corrupt or bad.  Can't go any further.  Made a DOS startup disk on a floppy, but that still doesn't allow me to access the C: drive so I can replace the file.  Computer will not boot with Win XP installation disk.  What do I put on the DOS disk that makes it recognize the C drive?  Any help greatly appreciated.  --sgb

[Raptor]

Press F8 before Windows loads and choose 'last known good configuration'

see if that works.

What kind of update were you downloading?

[sgbz]

Just the critical updates that Microsoft notified me needed to be updated.  Didn't really pay attention to which one it was.  Will try what you suggested.
  [UPDATE - Computer will not respond to request for previouus configuation.  BUT I think that doesn't help because evidently HAL.DLL is corrupt and I need to replace the file.  I have it - just can't access C: drive from my startup floppy on a:]
  But I still would like to figure out what I need to add to an MS DOS startup disk in the a: drive that would make it recognize the c: drive.  Using all the DOS commands just goes back too far and my memory is failing me, but I tried to make a path command in an autoexec.bat file on the floppy in the a: drive, but that doesn't work.  Does there need to be something in  a config.sys file as well?  --sgb

[Raptor]

You can download a bootdisk from Bootdisk.com(Click)(.

However, I think a bootdisk will do you no good at the moment: Have you tried looking through the microsoft database Here(Click)?

You might want to try a repair installation as well using your original Windows XP CD.

[sgbz]

Thanks!  Checking into the boot disks.com area.  --sgb