The Perfect Storm

[marcoast]

Hello and thank you in advance to anyone who can help. I have two computers. The one I have a problem with is my old Dell Dimension 4700. While shutting the unit down it automatically started downloading updates. During this process I heard a load snap and then all kinds of funky, should not be heard from a computer, sounds. I know that shutting my unit down by switching the power off during a software install is a no no, so I tried to wait as long as I could before the sounds got worse and then I just turned the switch off. I found out pretty quickly that the snap and the sounds where from a disk in my disk drive that had basically tore itself apart. I found 2 pieces by opening up the tray and that was all. I then removed the disk drive and opened the case and was able to shake out what appeared to be the rest of the tiny pieces that were left. After I had put the drive back in and restarted the computer I got a message saying

"Drive 1 not found: Serial ATA, SATA-2
Strike F1 to continue, F2 to run the setup utility"

I struck F1 and I then received a
"Window could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll"

I figured okay my drive is shot and I need to reinstall the .dll file that was probably lost or corrupted when I turned the power off of the pc when it was updating software. Well the problem is that my second drive is a DVD drive and does not read my OS reinstallation disk that came with the PC. It would have read it just fine on the now defunct drive. I tried using my laptop and copying the disk to a compatible disk, but that does not seem to work, probably because I only have one disk drive on the laptop. I know I should have backed up my files from my desktop, bang head against wall, bang head against wall, but I have some pics of my kids on there from when they were young and I really would like to at least get them off the hard drive. Before I take my desktop to a pro I would like to know if I can just buy the exact same disk drive that failed me and physically install it without having to reinstall the drivers so that I can get the .dll file back in the system using the reinstallation cd? Would that work or does every new piece of hardware have to have the software for it reinstalled even though they are the same make and model? Is there any other way to rectify this problem other than what I am attempting to do?

Again thank you in advance

[Accessless]

According to my five second google search, your PC has two CD drives a DVD drive "D:\" and a CD-RW "E:\"  Do you mean that your primary disk drive (the DVD) has for want a better word has 'exploded'?

Basic DVD drives are very cheap and widely available nowadays. We would need to know what country you live in before we could make any recommendations of providers but you could probably just stop off at your local computer shop and pick one up. The installation is quick and easy and you should be able to restore your missing windows .dll within minutes.

[marcoast]

Accessless,

Thank you for your response. I guess with all that I had written I might have made my post difficult to understand. To keep it simple.... What "exploded" or "broke apart" was the disk that was in my cd-r drive, which in turn no longer works. I now "cannot"  reboot my OS because of the missing .dll. I also "cannot" reinstall the missing .dll because the DVD drive will not read my windows XP reinstallation disk. I know enough that if I go out and pick up a new drive I would have to install the drivers and or software to my computer before it will work. In other words, I can not get into my operating system in order to install a new drive. My question is if I purchase the same make and model drive, that no longer works, will my PC recognize it without being able to get into the OS first? Will the PC just think that it is the same drive as was ruined and read the reinstallation disk and replace the .dll? If not... what do you suggest I do in order to regain the info on my hard drive? BTW I live in the U.S.A..

[patio]

Optical drives do not need drivers...
You should be able to replace it and carry on as normal.