Cannot Boot Windows

[diulasing]

Hi all,
I had a HD-A from another computer running XPpro updated at least to Nov 2009 that I move to a faster P4 system. It was running smoothly until I add another HD-B also had XPpro in it as a second drive.
Then I forgot my password to my Power User account on HD-A.
In a rush to get the computer going again I switched drives.
The system in HD-B is running OK except I cannot access my HD-A's Power User's Folder.
With a borrowered laptop, I set to fix my HD-A.
I disconnected the working HD-B and hooked up HD-A. But during boot, it shows a message, saying missing or corrupted ' /system32/hal.dll ' .

Question 1 :
Is there a way to retrive data from HD-A's Power User Folder without the drive being the main drive ?

Question 2 :
How do I go about fixing the ' /system32/hal.dll' file ?

Thanks.

 

[BadBigBen]

Q1:

Yes, by taking ownership of the whole drive...

How to take ownership of a file or a folder in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Q2:

Missing Or Corrupt Hal.dll Error Resolution

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbyerrormessage/a/missinghaldll.htm

Error message: "Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[diulasing]

Thanks Ben,
One thing I forgot to mention was that this drive had XPpro installed in D: instead of C: .

'expand g:\i386\hal.dl_ d:\windows\system32 ' did not work.
Got a 'Access is denied' massege.

The ' fixmbr ' from c: , d: , e: drive got this massege
** Caution **
This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record.
FIXMBR may damage your partition table if you proceed.
This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk to become inaccessible.
If you are not having problems accessing your drive,do not continue.

So I did not continue. I do not know what will happen if I say 'yes' .
Should I try ?

Use ' bootcfg /rebuild ' in D: got this

Error : Failed to successfully scan disks for Windows installations. This error ma be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from successfully scanning. Use chkdsk to detect any disk errors.
Note : This operation must complete successfully in order for the /add or /rebuild commands to be utilized.

When using chkdsk /p or /r did not detect any error in disk, just the usual # of allocation unit on disk etc. .

Any other solutions ?

 

[BadBigBen]

make sure that the working install, HDD B, is not attached until you get HDD A working again...

run CHKDSK on the C: partition... that is where your BOOT files are located at...

followed by FIXMBR (see below] and FIXBOOT commands, then repeat the BOOTCFG /REBUILD command...

I do not know what will happen if I say 'yes' .

it will rewrite the MBR with a standard bootable MBR.

Should I try ?

yes, it should do no harm... I get the same message on my system, this is due to having different installs (dual booting)....


now in the event that all this does not alleviate the problem, then I am afraid you will have to do what we call a REPAIR INSTALL, known as Inplace Upgrade Install...

a REPAIR INSTALL will not harm your data nor apps installed, what it does do is reset XP install to the SP level that the install media is at, you will have to redo all the HotFixes and Updates again... but most importantly, it also fixes boot issues, in that it rewrites the MBR, BOOT blocks, and the BOOT FILES in the process...

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[linney]

266745 - Error Message When You Run fixmbr Command

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;266745&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[diulasing]

Hi,
The fixmbr & fixboot came out OK, but bootcfg /rebuild got the same message as above.
The fixmbr command did not have the first two lines in linney's MS - 266745 , but said ' new master boot record has been successfully written '.
Would that be because HD-A Window is on drive D: ???

Still wait to re-install be the very last resort.

Thankyou

 

[linney]

Can you copy the contents of your Boot.ini file and paste them into here?

HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP (Q289022)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q289/0/22.asp

HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP(Q305595)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q305/5/95.asp

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

No floppy?

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=...to+cd&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

You could try placing the Boot files (namely Boot.ini, Ntdtect.com, and Ntdlr) in the root of both operating systems hard drive partitions.

 

[xkjdhdg]

Using the Windows Recovery Console

The Windows 2000 and Windows XP CDs supplied by Microsoft have a tool called the Recovery Console which can be used to repair errors that prevent Windows XP from starting using the command line. OEM versions of Windows XP, including computers that were supplied with Windows XP preinstalled, may not have this utility, so the following steps may not work:

* Insert the Windows CD and start the computer.
* When the Welcome to Setup screen appears, press R.
* Type a number corresponding to the Windows installation you wish to repair (usually 1) and press Enter.
* When prompted, type the administrator password and press Enter.
* At the command prompt, enter the following commands./ (The example commands assume that C: is your Windows drive. Change the drive letter if appropriate.)
ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\BOOT.INI
DEL C:\BOOT.INI
BOOTCFG /REBUILD FIXBOOT
* Remove the Windows XP CD from the drive and restart the computer.

If this does not resolve the problem:

* Repeat the instructions above to boot to the recovery console and log on as administrator.
* At the command prompt type the following command:
EXPAND D:\I386\HAL.DL_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\HAL.DLL

 

[flyboytim]

I find repair installs are a pain, with the multiple rounds of windows updates that follow, and the possible validation grief that Microsoft may give you.

Another possibility when there is an existing working install, but the XP bootloader does not want to be fixed by other methods, is to install another copy of XP to the same drive.

Assuming you have a recent back-up available, and there is enough space on the drive, of course.

The xp installation routine tells you that there is another version there, but do not upgrade it, or reformat the drive, or install to another partition. It tells you that it is not recommended, but press "c" to continue.

On the next screen select "leave the current file system intact <no changes>"

On the next screen press <ESC> to install to a different folder.

On the next screen change the suggested name of "\WINDOWS" to "\WINDOWS2", or whatever else different from the original installation.

Press enter and the install will continue as normal. Halfway through the install, after the blue console screen reboots you should see the new boot menu with two xp entries, and you should be all right. You will need to enter your product key.

You should end up with your original XP installation, and a new windows installation, and a boot menu with options to boot into two choices of XP, one of which will be the original system, the other new.

Now you can either keep both, or edit c:\boot.ini after unhiding it to remove references the newly installed system, get your original boot back to c:\windows, and delete the new installation. On systems where the original XP was broken, you can use the new installation to back up files and sometimes to repair the original.

It can be useful to use the program nlite to master a cut-down version of the XP installation CD with the unattended option just for such an occasion to cut down installation time.

It is also handy to have a bootable disk with NTPASSWD by P. Nordahl, in order to avoid the lost password situation in future.