definate noob, please help! missing .dll

[redmeatandbeer]

windows wont start up at all! i cant go into safemode, and it wont resort to last known setting. when i put the windows disk into the drive i get like 1% into it and it will say missing hal.dll file. ive tried different disks and vista! so can i go into dos without being in windows and reformat, or am i screwed?  i know this has probably been answered somewhere on this forum but i couldnt find any thing. i need all the help i can get! ty

[contrex]

Hope this helps...

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000490.htm

Or this...

http://www.google.co.uk/search?source=ig&hl=en&q=missing+hal.dll&meta=

[redmeatandbeer]

so how can i get into dos without windows starting?

[contrex]

with a boot disk. You don't say what version of Windows you have.

[redmeatandbeer]

i got xp sp2. can i download a boot disk from somewhere and burn it to a cd?

[street1 (RIP)]

If you have windows XP and your BIOS is set to boot
CD-Rom first,hard drive second,you should be okay.
You can make a bootable CD---->Here

[contrex]

If you have a proper Windows XP install disk, you can use that. You can do a "repair install", which should replace that hal.dll you need.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Scroll down to repair install. Read the instructions VERY carefully and follow them EXACTLY.

Otherwise, you can get a boot disk here

http://www.bootdisk.com/

[redmeatandbeer]

thanks alot for all the help guys! i really appreciate it! ill keep you posted on how it goes.

[redmeatandbeer]

wait, which bootdisk do i need? i have a laptop, so i dont have a floppy drive. is this a problem?

[contrex]

You'll want to make a bootable CD-ROM.

[redmeatandbeer]

the website says xp sp2 disk1, disk2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, so which disk do i need?

[contrex]

Don't bother with Bootdisk, he wants $4 before you can download.

This should boot your system.

http://www.answersthatwork.com/Download_Area/Downrights/ATW_Windows_XP_SP2_Boot_CD.zip

If you are unable to boot up your Windows XP SP2 PC (Pro or Home), it may be because the boot sector has become corrupted (yet the operating system and data may still be OK).  If that is the problem, then make yourself a Windows XP Boot CD with this Windows XP SP2 Boot CD ISO image which will enable your PC to ignore the boot sector on your actual hard disk, and instead use the boot sector on this boot CD in order to still boot successfully into Windows XP SP2.  To create the boot CD use any CD writing software to open this ISO and create your Windows XP Boot CD. You may need to set your PC's BIOS to boot from CD ROM\DVD ROM drive.  All files on this disk are copyright of Microsoft and must be used only with a valid Windows XP License.

What are you planning to do when you boot the CD?

[redmeatandbeer]

all i want to do is start with a clean slate. right now i cant even re install windows cause it starts, and then says "missing file hal.dll error number 7"

[contrex]

Try this then...

Once you drop the CD in the tray and fire up the computer to install XP, the first thing you'll see at the bottom of the screen is the option to press F6 if you need to install a SCSI or RAID controller. Don't press F6. Press F5 instead. This will take you to a separate menu of Hardware Abstraction Layers where you can choose an appropriate HAL that supports ACPI. The choices will be:

    *

      ACPI Multiprocessor PC
    *

      ACPI Uniprocessor PC
    *

      Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC
    *

      Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor or 100% Compatible PC
    *

      MPS Uniprocessor PC
    *

      MPS Multiprocessor PC
    *

      Standard PC
    *

      Standard PC with C-Step i486
    *

      Other

In the majority of installations the 'Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC' HAL is the one you will want to use.

[GX1_Man]

Did we ever determine that this is a real Windows CD that says Microsoft all over it? What version of XP? What service pack?