<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll

[HollowNobody]

I am running Windows XP Professional on a Gateway Desktop.

My computer has once again had another catastrophic failure.
It seems like I can't go two months without something going wrong.
Just a little over a month ago I started receiving error messages from Windows that indicated that my hard drive was bad.
That thread is located here:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,96392.msg653026.html#msg653026
It was and I had it replaced.

The computer worked fine for a short while after getting the replacement. Then about a week ago I noticed that it was acting odd. It was almost as if Windows was having a revolt against me. By that I mean that almost every problem that I encountered was related to Windows rather than other programs.

"My Documents" and "My Computer" sometimes would refuse to open, logging back in from the user selection screen would take over 10 minutes, startup programs would just plain out not load, and in general the computer started getting slower and slower.
And as a grand finale when I turned it on today I received the following error:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

That's all that comes up when I hit the power button. It won't even make it to the Windows Screen.

I do not have a Windows XP Disk, so what can I do?

[HollowNobody]

Alright, I got the computer to come up to the desktop without any problems this time. I ran scans using Western Digital's diagnostic tool on my hard drive. Not a single error.

[cruisin702]

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000648.htm

[dahlarbear]

1.  Chkdsk.  I'd recommend you run the Windows "chkdsk" utility on the logical volumes of the hard drive.  Probably need to be member of "Administrators" group to do this right.  Also, if the volume is in use, it may ask if you want to schedule command to run at next system startup - answer "yes".

To access:
     o  Start
     o  Run
     o  Type "cmd" without quotes and <Enter> key
     o  At command prompt, type "chkdsk <drive_letter:> /f /r" without quotes and use <Enter> key; e.g. "chkdsk c: /f /r".

The "/f" option will check the integrity of the file system and attempt to correct any problems found.  The "/r" option will check the disk surface and attempt to move data off of any bad sectors.  Chkdsk program was not designed to be interrupted - so don't.  Let it run to completion.  Interrupting it could corrupt your file system data.

2.  Slow startup.
     a.  What security software are you running?
          (1)  Firewall (one and only one)
          (2)  AntiVirus (one and only one)
          (3)  AntiMalware

     b.  Any chance you're running Symantec or Norton security suite software?

     c.   Maybe you have too many programs trying to run at startup.  Boot to "Safe Mode" or clean boot to see how system performs without any third party software trying to load and start.  Ask if you don't understand this.

3.  Hard Drive.  Does it use an IDE or SATA interface?

[HollowNobody]

@cruisin702:
As I stated in my first post I don't have a XP CD with which I can do that.

@dahlarbear:
1. I ran Chkdsk. It reported no errors.

2.
a.   
(1) Antivirus: AVG Free 9.0.725
(2) Windows Firewall
(3) [I don't have any Anti-Malware programs at the Moment]

b.
I haven't run any Symantec software in years. Since the last time I ran it my hard drive has been wiped several times and replaced, so there shouldn't be anything to do with Norton on my system.

c.
The startup isn't always slow, it only is slow every other startup, so at the moment starting in Safe Mode is only slightly faster than starting in normal mode.
The only programs that I see running at startup that I have installed are RocketDock, Java,  Maxtor Manager, and nVidia software. Everything else has either been disabled by me in the past or is something that Windows put there.

3) SATA

[patio]

RocketDock is notorious for inhaling resources...matter of fact any Stardock app is.

You will need to decide between eye-candy and performance...

[dahlarbear]

0.  Basic Computer Specs.  Go Start -> right-click My_Computer -> select Properties -> General tab -> look at System and Computer subsections:
     a.  Operating System and Service Pack
     b.  Processor
     c.  System RAM

Go Start -> right-click My_Computer -> select Properties -> Advanced tab -> Performance -> Settings button -> Advanced tab -> Virtual memory subsection.
     d.  Paging File Size
     
1.  Ignoring for the moment any third party software you might have installed, the Windows XP operating system should boot up within 30 to 60 seconds depending upon your processor, quantity of system RAM, and hard drive access speeds.  I'm not familiar with "RocketDock", so I can't comment on it other than suggest you may disable its startup during your troubleshooting process.

c.
The startup isn't always slow, it only is slow every other startup, so at the moment starting in Safe Mode is only slightly faster than starting in normal mode.

I'm not sure what to make of this.  A "cold" start is when you start the system from a "power off" state.
     a.  Are both "cold" and "warm" starts afflicted with the "slows"?

2.  Power Options.  Bring up the Power Options window via Start -> Control_Panel -> double-click Power_Options.
     a.  What are your settings on the Power_Schemes tab?
          (1)  Power schemes
          (2)  Settings for Home/Office Desk power scheme
     b.  If Hibernate tab exists, is "Enable hibernation" box "checked"?
     c.  If Advanced tab exists, what option is "Power buttons" subsection set to?

3.  Control Startups.  Use a third party Startup manager utility such as Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel.  Microsoft "msconfig" utility may be used to troubleshoot startups, but should not be a long-term solution.  (I've also heard it's possible to configure msconfig so you may no longer boot.)

4.  Disk Volume Maintenance
     a.  Disk Space.  How much "used" and "free" space on your disk drive in GigaBytes?  Access via Start -> double-click My_Computer -> right-click logical drive letter -> select Properties -> General tab.
     b.  Clean up the disk via either Microsoft or third party software.
          (1)  Microsoft "cleanmgr" utility may be initiated either from command line or GUI.
                 (a)  For command line:  Start -> Run -> "cleanmgr" without quotes, then <Enter>.
                 (b)  For GUI:  Start -> double-click My_Computer -> right-click logical drive letter -> select Properties -> General tab -> Disk_Cleanup button.
          (2)  CCleaner is popular third party software.  I recommend their "CCleaner Slim" version from http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds to avoid loading a "toolbar".  NOTE:  I would NOT delete the "Hotfix Uninstallers".

     c.  Verify file system integrity.  Use the "chkdsk" utility either from the command line or GUI.
          (1)  For command line, normally just "chkdsk <drive_letter>: /f".  The "/r" option may be added to scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.
          (2)  To access via GUI:  Start -> double-click My_Computer -> right-click logical drive letter -> select Properties -> Tools tab -> Check_Now button within Error-checking subsection -> check desired boxes "Automatically fix file system errors" (/f option);  "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" (/r option).

     d.  Defrag the file system via either Microsoft or third party software.
         (1)  Microsoft "defrag" utility may be initiated either via command line or GUI.
               (a)  For command line:  "defrag <drive_letter>: -v"
               (b)  To access via GUI:  Start -> double-click My_Computer -> right-click logical drive letter -> select Properties -> Tools tab -> Defragment_Now button.

5.  Process Explorer is the task manager Microsoft should have delivered with Windows XP.  Download and unzip latest version of Process Explorer from SysInternals (now owned by Microsoft).  Run the executable.  Become familiar with it.