Boot Problem Windows Files Corrupt

[563steve]

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.

[drewdown619]

What OS are you running?  XP or 2000

[pcdoc4christ]

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.

[563steve]

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??

[RONNIE BROWN]

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.

[RONNIE BROWN]

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.

[pcdoc4christ]

Steve:

Try "Method 4" listed in the above link.