<windows root>\system32\hal.dll

You are going to need your Operating System disk.

I dont have an Operating System disk.

Then you are screwed until you get one.

WoRd Of WiSdOm

Thank you so much! I searched many sites and I had the exact same problem and I did exactly what you said in your first post and it worked perfectly. The only thing that happened that was differant was after I hit bootcfg/rebuild it said it was successful and then it ask me if I wanted to apply to installations Yes/OrNo/All . I hit All and then it asked me for some ID #'s and I just typed Exit and my system rebooted perfectly. Thank you for your post!

Hi,

This forum has been the closest solution I have had yet but I can not do the command bootcfg /rebuild. Once I enter this, the computer tells me that bootcfg can not be scanned possibily due to a corrupt file system. Any ideas?

Check if this helps you any.

Do I need to follow all those commands to rebuild my bootcfg? Can you elaborate a little please?

what if the xp setup does not start automatically

I have a Window XP op system. And I keep getting a "Windows could not start becaues the following file is missing or corrupt: <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

I have the Windows Recovery disk, recently sent by Dell, and try to reboot but it still keeps taking me back to this prompt. Any other suggestions besides the aforementioned in previous posts? I've also tried to boot in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, buy keep getting the same result.

I have data on this computer that would be devasting to lose for my business so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thx

I've got the same problem here. I called my local Computer repair shop and they told me I've got a virus. They told me it would cost from $40.00 to $80.00 to clean it out and make it back to where it was when I bought the computer. They would also save all my files on a disk for that price.

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ok i have done everything here.. to the point where i do DEL C:\BOOT.INI
when i do this it gives me access denied... any help please?

you can use the hard disk form another computer, as sb already said. copy everything you need. then format the disk. then reload with windows if you want to go on experiencing similar problems in the future. Or else, reload with other software.

i had the same problem 2 times.

VERY SIMPLE JUST TURN YOUR PC OFF AND GO TO THE MOTHERBOARD.
REMOVE THE JUMPER CMOS WILL ERASE LAST BOOT .
YOU WILL SEE THE PINS 1,2,3
TURN ON SEE BIOS WILL TELL YOU CMOS IS WRONG AND TURN OFF AGAIN
PUT IT BACK ON SAME PLACE
CLOSE THE CASE AND TURN IT ON AND DONE

This forum has helped me much and i advise everyone to switch to windows 7. Much better OS and you don't run into any problems like this one.