Fix Windows XP by using the XP installation CD

[admin_papa]

Good Day

Just wanted to share my new experience.

If your Windows XP fails to start due to an error related to lost HAL.DLL, invalid Boot.ini or any other important system boot files you can fix this by using the XP installation CD. Simply boot from your XP Setup CD and enter the Recovery Console. Then run "attrib -H -R -S" on the C:\Boot.ini file and delete it. Launch "Bootcfg /Rebuild" and then Fixboot

Cheers,
Carl

[laurentio]

Hi Carl,

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
You are right, hal.dll is a critical dll, required by Windows XP to talk to the computer's hardware via the 'Hardware Abstraction Layer'.
Two things can cause this type of errors you have mentioned above: Deletion of the file, or corruption of boot.ini file. Either way, the solution was posted above by Carl.

Also, this might help:
As Hal.dll is in c:\windows\system32

Expand F:\i386\hal.dll C:\windows\system32
Thank you.