Hey everyone,

I just tried starting my pc this morning and got this message Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll. I've googled it and it seems that i need a windows xp disk to perform the fix, however i am w/out a disk. The computer was a hand me down. I was wondering if there was a way for me to fix it w/out the disk, if not is there any way i can salvage my files atleast?

Thanks,

Earl

do you have full acces to a working computer (that you are allowed to open up without getting into trouble!!)

if so, you have 2 options....
Option 1:
1) install yout HD as a slave in the working pc
2) download this file and copy it to {drive letter}\WINDOWS\system32 (where drive letter is the HD from the faulty PC)
3) if it asks you to replace it click yes.... also, you could back up your files incase this does not work
4) re-install your drive as master in the faulty PC and see if it works

Option 2:
1) install yout HD as a slave in the working pc
2) back up all important data to this PC
3) try to get hold of an XP CD (can be any cd as long as you use YOUR OWN product key which can usualy be found on a sticker on the side of the case)
4) re-install your drive as master in the faulty PC and perform a repair install or clean install of XP

If not, you can only try to get hold of an XP CD and do a repair install (you will not lose data but your programs and games will need to be re-installed as most/all of them will not work)

Hope this helps
Mike

Thanks for your quick response. If i go w/ option 1, will i still loose my program files? Also, i am not so great w/ the hardware stuff. How do i make sure that i install the HD from my faulty pc as a slave drive and not the master drive to my working pc.

If you go with option 1, nothing will be lost

The picture below shows how you should connect your drives to the cable (where 'damaged disk' is the drive from the faulty computer)


also, you need to set the hard drive jumper to slave (usualy says on the actual drive how to do this, if not, it should say in the manual)

If you are unsure, give me the make and model and i will tell you how to connect your jumper.

hard drive jumper pins: (the jumper is the black thing connecting 2 of the pins)

Hey, i was wondering if i can use a hard drive enclosure device rather than installing the faulty HD on my working pc. My working PC is a HP Media Center m7664x. The reason why i am asking is b/c i think my working pc has 2 HD's installed. I have never opened my working pc up yet and I am not sure if there's another spot available for the faulty HD.

Thanks,

Earl

yes, you can use one of these... i use one for one of my drives, very handy because i move my music between two computers...

ok cool...i'll try to get to it tonite and let you know the results. Thanks for all your help ~ Earl

ok, hope it works

man, i'm such an idiot, i got a 2.5 in. HD enclosure when i realized i needed a 3.5in. i'll keep ya updated later today. thanks

hey, i got the HD up and running on the external enclosure, but it's not letting me access the windows folder: windows not accessible unreadable file/directory corrupted. Also, it's not letting me transfer over any files to my healthy pc or open any of my files...is the whole disk fried?! i can't even view the HD under my disk management manager. thanks...