XP WIN RECOVERY CONSOLE missing or corrupt: <WINDOWS ROOT>....\hal

[Hasit]

Hi, I have a desktop running with Windows XP Pro, Service Pack 2 and updated with all recent patches from windows updates. It has Intel 530J Processor, Intel 945 Mobo and a 160GB hard disk with just one (C) partition having windows. Now the problem I am facing is my computer is not able to start anymore. Every time at the boot up, I receive the following error message:

“WINDOWS could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
WINDOWS ROOT>\system 32\hal.dll Please reinstall a copy of the above file.”

Here is what I have tried so far to get the problem fixed but remain unsuccessful.


In Windows Recovery Mode Dir of C:\ i see my doc files but no OS related file, no c:\windows there is config.sys listed

Using Recovery Console Commands and results: RC is not installe on my HD started it from XP installation disk can not boot into safe mode

logon or logon /windows result: returns to prompt "c:\" shouldn't it "list the detected installations of windows?

bootcfg /list result: There are currently no boot entries available todisplay.
cd \windows result: The system cannot find the file or directory specified.
chdir \windows result: diddo
bootcfg /scan result: error: failed to successfully scan disks for Windows installations. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system.... Use chkdsk to detect errors.

chkdsk /p and chk /r result: shows info regarding HD with no indication of an HD error.
expand cd-rom:\i386\ntkrnlmp.ex_ c:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe result: Access is denied.

Forgot command- it copies the missing hal.dll file from xp installation disk to OS system32 and I also used the "expand" version of this command result: Access is denied

FIXBOOT result: showed complete but same error message on restart


Any help will be appreciated.

[Hela]

In this scenario, i think still the recovery is possible. You just need to boot using XP Installation CD and press R to enter XP Recovery Console. Once in there, select 1 For C: Press enter key for password.

[Hasit]

Thank you very much for the help friend but i think you dint understood my post probably or i might have made some mistake. I said i can start Windows XP recovery console properly but i wanted to have someone familiar with RC
could look at the results from the RC commands entered and tell me what to do next.

The reason is that whenever i try to copy any file from the CD to hard drive system folders, i get some other error messages, hence i need a proper help on the same.

[HudSon]

You have to log on to the Windows installation that you want to work on. If the Recovery Console does not list the Windows installations then there is probably something wrong with the disk or file system. To log on to the Windows installation you enter the corresponding number for the installation and you are then usually prompted for a password (the password requirement could have been changed via GPO within Windows).

Once logged on to the Recovery Console you will only have access to the Root folder of the drive(s) and to the %systemroot% folders and its subfolders, that is a security feature (that too could have been changed via GPO). The CD %systemroot% command should change to the Windows directory.

If you do not see a list of Windows installations or if you cannot log on to the installation you can run a chkdsk on the drive without needing to log on to any Windows installation, you should be able to run chkdsk /r on the drive. Be warned that running chkdsk *always* presents a risk of data loss! If chkdsk doesn't run then you may have other serious disk problems, try mounting the disk in another computer or try running a disk diagnostic utility from your drive manufacturer. If chkdsk runs and reports no errors, and if you can't see any files on the disk or only a few files, then maybe something nasty got you and deleted files on your drive.

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/en-us

[attitude.ashwin]

Well i think i found your issue. Actually your Boot.ini file is corrupt and hence system is not able to login properly. Though the error says, Hal.dll is not really missing. It should look like:

[boot loader]
timeout=6
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS [operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition G" /fastdetect

So what you need to do is try booting the system with any Startup Floppy Disk. Ocne you successfully logged in, go to C:\ Hard Drive and edit Boot.ini. This will fix the problem for sure.