Thanks, Rock. I downloaded and created the resue disks. The 2nd disk gives me
the following error: 'File \ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded. Error Code=7'

Any suggestions ? Steve

"Rock" wrote:

> Steve wrote:
>
> > I set the BIOS to boot from the CDROM, but I still get the message and the
> > CDROM won't boot. I really don't want to reformat the hard drive.
> >
> > Rock, you're right that it's a corrupt Boot.ini, since the last thing I did
> > was to modify the Boot.ini to remove the 2nd version of Windows.
> >
> > Can anyone tell me why the boot diskette I created on my main system won't
> > let me see my C Drive on the bad machine? I can boot from the boot diskette,
> > but not change to the C:. Suggestions?
> >
> > Thanks, Steve
> >
> > "Rock" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Steve wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>I had a backup machine that I inadvently installed 2 copies of Win Home XP
> >>>on. I decided to clean things up, and now have a problem. I installed SP2,
> >>>and removed the 2nd version based on an article I found in the Knowledge
> >>>Base. Lastly, I edited the Boot.ini according to the instructions. When I
> >>>reboot my machine I get the following error at the DOS prompt:
> >>><Windows Root>\system32\hal.dll is missing or corrupt.
> >>>
> >>>I made a boot diskette on my main machine and copied hal.dll onto it. I can
> >>>boot from the diskette, but the C Drive isn't there (DOS won't let me change
> >>>to it, nor can I copy the missing DLL).
> >>>
> >>>Unfortunately, I don't remember enough about DOS to go beyond this step. Can
> >>>anybody help me. Thanks, Steve
> >>
> >>[Courtesy the late MVP Alex Nichol]
> >>
> >>That message is rather misleading. It happens because the boot.ini file
> >>that tells the boot where to look for 'Windows' is damaged, so it is
> >>looking for files in the wrong place - hal.dll just happens to be the
> >>first one it looks for. Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot
> >>the XP CD and, instead of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair.
> >>Assume any password requested is blank, and TAB over.
> >>
> >>Use
> >>Attrib -H -R -S C:\boot,ini
> >>DEL C:\boot.ini
> >> to delete the bad one
> >>BootCfg /Rebuild
> >>
> >>to search for Windows installations and make a new one.
> >>
> >>--
> >>Rock
> >>MS MVP Windows - Shell/User
> >>
> >>
>
> Is the C: drive formatted in NTFS? If so Dos won't see it. Download
> the six diskette set from MS. That should allow you to enter the
> recovery console.
>
> How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994/en-us
>
> How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/en-us
>
> --
> Rock
> MS MVP Windows - Shell/User
>
>