Windows XP refuses to start

[SmK]

I have no idea how this came to happen. I deleted a game from my External harddrive, and restarted my computer. Then the following text popped up:

 

Windows have encountered a fatal error and cannot start.

<windows root>\system32\hal.dll.

Please reinstall a copy of the above file

 

So I insert my windows XP CD, boot it and try to repair or atleast install a fresh copy. But the CD cannot find my harddrive (the internal one) so I can't do anything! Not even format it, since it isnt there, according to the boot CD.

 

I really hope somebody can help me, can your harddisk really just die like that? This random, without warning?

 

Specs:

Win XP media center edition - service pack 2

120 gb sygate internal HD

amd athlon 3500+

nvidia geforce 7800 gt

2 gb ram

 

[drvixx]

Try this...

 

Origin: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproble...storehaldll.htm

 

 

The hal.dll file is a hidden file that is used by Windows XP to communicate with your computer's hardware. Hal.dll can become damaged, corrupted or deleted for a number of reasons and is usually brought to your attention by the "missing or corrupt hal.dll" error message.

 

Follow these easy steps to restore the damaged/corrupted or missing hal.dll file from the Windows XP CD using the Recovery Console.

 

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Restoring hal.dll from the Windows XP CD usually takes less than 15 minutes

Here's How:

Enter Windows XP Recovery Console.

 

When you reach the command prompt (detailed in Step 6 in the link above), type the following and then press Enter:

 

expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32\hal.dll

 

Using the expand command as shown above, d represents the drive letter assigned to the optical drive that your Windows XP CD is currently in. While this is most often d, your system could assign a different letter. Also, c:\windows represents the drive and folder that Windows XP is currently installed on. Again, this is most often the case but your system could be different.

 

If you're prompted to overwrite the file, press Y.

 

Take out the Windows XP CD, type exit and then press Enter to restart your PC.

 

Assuming that a missing or corrupt hal.dll file was your only issue, Windows XP should now start normally.

 

Hope it helps you.

Edited December 22, 2007 by drvixx

[Toadyd]

Is it a sata drive?

You might have to press F6 when setup is loading so you can install the sata drivers.

[SmK]

It says:

 

Access is denied

 

 

I looked at the enter recovery console guide. And thats were the problem might be.

 

When I enter recovery console it doesnt ask me which Windows I want to log into.. How can I get it to do that?

 

EDIT:

@Toadyd

 

When I try to install sata drivers (by pressing F6), it tells me that I don't have any mass storage devices installed, and therefore it can't install any drivers.

 

I think it would work if I installed the hal.dll file as drvixx said. Yet it is difficult when my pc doesnt want to acknowledge that it actually has got a harddrive

Edited December 22, 2007 by SmK

[drvixx]

I think it would work if I installed the hal.dll file as drvixx said. Yet it is difficult when my pc doesnt want to acknowledge that it actually has got a harddrive

The hal.dll is the problem here!

 

Are you sure you’re doing everything correct in the guide?

[SmK]

When im entering the Recovery console (by pressing R) it shows this in the guide:

 

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproble.../rconsole_4.htm

 

On my pc it only says:

Microsoft Windows XP Recovery Console.

The recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality

 

Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer

 

C:\>

 

 

Isnt it supposed to ask me which windows installation I would like to log on to?

 

If I'm supposed to log on to the Windows installation manually how do I do that?

 

I tryed writing expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32\hal.dll, but it just says Access is denied, which probably (im guessing) is because I'm not logged into the Windows installation on my computer..?

[drvixx]

So you saying it doesn’t show this...

 

 

1: C:\WINDOWS

 

Edited December 22, 2007 by drvixx

[SmK]

So you saying it doesn’t show this...

 

 

1: C:\WINDOWS

 

Exactly.

[Ring_of_Fire]

 

So I insert my windows XP CD, boot it and try to repair or atleast install a fresh copy. But the CD cannot find my harddrive (the internal one) so I can't do anything! Not even format it, since it isnt there, according to the boot CD.

Go into the CMOS and see if it recongizes the hard drive as a MASTER. Now reset the CMOS to the factory optimized defaults and set up boot configurations like this:

 

 

BOOT ORDER

 

First Boot Device -> CD-ROM

Second Boot Device -> Hard Disks

 

BOOT PRIORITY

 

CD-ROM Boot Priority -> [Your CD/DVD drive model and brand]

Hard Disk Boot Priority -> [Your hard drive model and brand] Note: Don't let any other secondary or external hard drive be active. It has to be your primary boot-up drive!

 

After doing the above, insert the Windows XP SP2 disc into the drive and save changes to the BIOS and exit. See if Windows XP Setup now recognizes your primary hard drive.

 

 

 

Windows have encountered a fatal error and cannot start.

<windows root>\system32\hal.dll.

Please reinstall a copy of the above file

Are you allowed to Press on F8 and go to Safe Mode via Command Prompt? If that's possible, then all you have to do is to copy and paste the hal.dll file onto your hard drive using pure DOS knowledgable commands. If not, then all you have to do is to grab a bootable floppy disk that has MSCDEX CD-ROM support so you can do one of the following.

• Go to http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?hal to obtain the .dll file (might not be compatible though).
• Use your XP disc to copy the file onto the hard drive.

Edited December 22, 2007 by Ring_of_Fire

[SmK]

@Ring of fire

 

Well I can't go into safe mode.. Unfortunately!!

 

And I tryed fixing the boot priorities but it still wont work.

 

Here some pics of whats happening:

 

Boot devices.. correct right?

 

 

System recovery.. right after I pressed R, it gives me this menu, NO c:\WINDOWS

 

 

And when I try to replace the hal.dll, this happens.

 

 

I have tryed so many variations, replacing the letters c: and d: with e,f,g etc. And I have changed it to capital letters and so on.

 

I really don't hope I need a new harddrive, a lot of "valuable" stuff on the one I have

[drvixx]

If you have another PC... Use the HDD that isnt responding and set it as a 'Slave'.

 

Then see if it's usable in 'My Computer', on the other PC

Edited December 22, 2007 by drvixx

[Otter]

From the console, "C:", type

dir /w /p

and show us what comes up. What I'm suspecting is perhaps your windows folder is labeled something else, like "WinXP," "WindowsXP," etc.

 

Edited December 22, 2007 by Otter

[SmK]

 

From the console, "C:", type

dir /w /p

and show us what comes up.  What I'm suspecting is perhaps your windows folder is labeled something else, like "WinXP," "WindowsXP," etc.

It says:

 

C:\>dir /w /p The parameter is not valid. Try /? for help.

 

 

And if I type with no space:

 

C:\>dir /w/pThe path or file specified is not valid.

 

 

I guess that's bad

 

 

I'll try and move the HD over in my other computer and see what happens.

 

EDIT:

 

Well I found out that my harddisk is SATA and it therefore cant fit in my old computer. So unfortunately im going to have to buy a new one

Edited December 22, 2007 by SmK

[drvixx]

 

Well I found out that my harddisk is SATA and it therefore cant fit in my old computer. So unfortunately im going to have to buy a new one 

To save on money, and to make another check before spending allot of money on a new HDD...

 

Why not buy a cheap SATA External HDD Caddy/Enclosure off eBay or somewhere?

 

(Or, find out if any of your friends have a motherboard with SATA Connections)

[Ring_of_Fire]

 

And I tryed fixing the boot priorities but it still wont work.

 

Here some pics of whats happening:

 

Boot devices.. correct right?

What about "Hard Disk Boot Priority"? You only changed the boot order. Make sure to reset the BIOS to the factory optimized (not fail-safe) defaults before doing this. You can do so by pinning/unpinning the "JCMOS" jumper on the motherboard as well.

 

 

So I insert my windows XP CD, boot it and try to repair or atleast install a fresh copy. But the CD cannot find my harddrive (the internal one) so I can't do anything! Not even format it, since it isnt there, according to the boot CD.

If the CMOS/BIOS recognizes it, then it should work (go into Standard CMOS Features and you will see). I mean all you have to do is to boot up the Windows XP Setup disc and choose to do a fresh or repair installation. It should detect your hard drive (no reason not to if the CMOS can) and ask you if you want to format it as NTFS/FAT or partition it.

 

If you hard drive ain't showing up in Standard CMOS Features, then make sure the IDE1/SATA1 controllers and power cables are plugged in properly into the hard drive. Also set it to be a MASTER if you have a IDE drive. If still doesn't, the fact of the matter will be that your hard drive is deemed to be damaged.

Edited December 22, 2007 by Ring_of_Fire

[SmK]

 

What about "Hard Disk Boot Priority"? You only changed the boot order. Make sure to reset the BIOS to the factory optimized (not fail-safe) defaults before doing this. You can do so by pinning/unpinning the "JCMOS" jumper on the motherboard as well.

 

It's setup is as following, when I have reset it to factory optimized settings:

 

And yet it cannot find my hard drive.

 

 

Also I can hear it working (the hard drive), so it is properly connected, it just cant be seen.

Edited December 23, 2007 by SmK

[Ring_of_Fire]

Go inside the computer case and put the Maxtor hard drive into the SATA 1 connector, and not SATA 4. Now make sure there aren't any jumpers or special configurations such as encryptions and passwords on it that are preventing you from accessing it. After that - close the computer case.

 

Now go into the BIOS and make sure that the Hard Disk Boot Priority is set to "Maxtor 6Y120M0".

 

 

Note: I doubt the reason why this isn't working is because Windows XP Professional Setup cannot detect SATA drives? Also, I think you might need to reflash your BIOS to clear and refresh out the DMI area, Main area, and the Boot block.

Edited December 23, 2007 by Ring_of_Fire

[SmK]

Go inside the computer case and put the Maxtor hard drive into the SATA 1 connector, and not SATA 4. Now make sure there aren't any jumpers or special configurations such as encryptions and passwords on it that are preventing you from accessing it. After that - close the computer case.

 

Now go into the BIOS and make sure that the Hard Disk Boot Priority is set to "Maxtor 6Y120M0".

 

 

Note: I doubt the reason why this isn't working is because Windows XP Professional Setup cannot detect SATA drives? Also, I think you might need to reflash your BIOS to clear and refresh out the DMI area, Main area, and the Boot block.

I've tryed it all with the hard drive.. nothing works

 

I appreciate all the help though!

 

Flashing the BIOS? I've heard that it could be risky? Do you really think that flashing the BIOS will have any influence on my problem

[A.K.]

Flashing the BIOS will not affect the Windows file whatsoever.

 

One thing you have to learn is Ring_Of_Fire usually doesn't know what he is talking about.

[Ring_of_Fire]

 

Flashing the BIOS will not affect the Windows file whatsoever.

It's a mystery to me why XP setup doesn't detect his hard drive. I had given out my advice already - so what about your's and do you think you really know how to fix it? I am waiting for YOUR advice if you think it can be better than my own so far in this thread!

 

SmK, go to http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools/ and download "SeaTools for DOS". Now use the bootup disk to boot your Maxtor hard drive that seem to be given installations a hard time trying to detect it. Make sure you check the disk for errors/bad sectors and make sure to use the extra tools or utilities it comes with to see if it finds some password or encryptor on it. If still no luck, that's your chance to FORMAT your hard drive right there and try setting up Windows XP PRO on it again!

 

As for backing up first - I have an idea. Plug out the Maxtor SATA hard drive and put it inside a DIFFERENT computer (the "GTAForums" one). See if it can access it! If it can, you can also FORMAT it from there using the Disk Management console. Also, you can download DiscWizard / MaxBlast and if those programs manage to format and partition your "Maxtor 6Y120M0" SATA hard drive, then I am pretty sure it should snap it back to it's working self where any installer/setup can detect it without giving an "Access Denied" error.

Edited December 23, 2007 by Ring_of_Fire

[A.K.]

Flashing the BIOS will not affect the Windows file whatsoever.

It's a mystery to me why XP setup doesn't detect his hard drive. I had given out my advice already - so what about your's and do you think you really know how to fix it? I am waiting for YOUR advice if you think it can be better than my own so far in this thread!

 

 

I don't have advice that's why I didn't post anything.

 

I guess I could do what you do and sh*t up the thread with useless info.

 

Let me see, SmK, make sure you turn your monitor on. It might have something to do with the Windows file system, just as the BIOS does.

 

 

Ring, if you have no clue on how to fix the issue, don't post, no one has time for guesses.

[drvixx]

 

Flashing the BIOS will not affect the Windows file whatsoever.

It's a mystery to me why XP setup doesn't detect his hard drive. I had given out my advice already - so what about your's and do you think you really know how to fix it? I am waiting for YOUR advice if you think it can be better than my own so far in this thread!

 

 

I don't have advice that's why I didn't post anything.

 

I guess I could do what you do and sh*t up the thread with useless info.

 

Let me see, SmK, make sure you turn your monitor on. It might have something to do with the Windows file system, just as the BIOS does.

 

 

Ring, if you have no clue on how to fix the issue, don't post, no one has time for guesses.

OMG, dude shut up!

 

What we have been trying to do is diagnose the problem!

 

Ring_of_Fire has given some top notch ideas!

[Ring_of_Fire]

Dude, I wasn't even guessing - I was just telling him to try something.

 

 

make sure you turn your monitor on. It might have something to do with the Windows file system, just as the BIOS does.

lol That's nothing compared to my advice below here, and that wasn't even close to the "crappy" advices you think I am given out:

 

 

SmK, go to http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools/ and download "SeaTools for DOS". Now use the bootup disk to boot your Maxtor hard drive that seem to be given installations a hard time trying to detect it. Make sure you check the disk for errors/bad sectors and make sure to use the extra tools or utilities it comes with to see if it finds some password or encryptor on it. If still no luck, that's your chance to FORMAT your hard drive right there and try setting up Windows XP PRO on it again!

 

As for backing up first - I have an idea. Plug out the Maxtor SATA hard drive and put it inside a DIFFERENT computer (the "GTAForums" one). See if it can access it! If it can, you can also FORMAT it from there using the Disk Management console. Also, you can download DiscWizard / MaxBlast and if those programs manage to format and partition your "Maxtor 6Y120M0" SATA hard drive, then I am pretty sure it should snap it back to it's working self where any installer/setup can detect it without giving an "Access Denied" error. 

BTW, how you know I don't know what I am talking about? Are you judging a person's knowledge based on whether YOU personally think they are guessing? What if they are not? I am just telling SmK to try out something.

Edited December 23, 2007 by Ring_of_Fire