I woke up the other morning and my computer had crashed. When I turned it on it would not boot giving me the dreaded blue screen with the "stop-c000021a-session manager initialization process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0c00000034 (0x00000000 0x00000000). After several tries to get it back up, I started getting a ntldr file missing. Then I got a missing hal.dll file. Is there any fix for this?
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missing hal.dll file 4
- Thread starter pcrhoads
- Start date
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Do you have your XP cd? Your first step should be to try a Last Known Good. Second, you can boot up off the CD, run Recovery Console (or if you installed it, just hit f8 at black screen), from command prompt run checkdisk utility. If you have bad sectors on the HD, sometimes you get these various files missing errors and BSODs. Checkdisk may fix these. You may also need to run some other utils like bootcfg and also replace damaged files from the CD itself. I found this site which has instructions for situations similar to what you're seeing:
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captaincrunch00
IS-IT--Management
Write down what files are missing and where they are.
Boot off of your windows CD, then boot into the recovery console.
Choose your C: and type in the admin password.
type:
expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32
I am assuming it needs to go in the c:\windows\system32 folder on that one. If it doesnt need to go there, change the path to the correct one.
If it happens to the NTLDR.dll as well, do the same thing but change the first one to d:\i386\ntldr.dl_
Boot off of your windows CD, then boot into the recovery console.
Choose your C: and type in the admin password.
type:
expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32
I am assuming it needs to go in the c:\windows\system32 folder on that one. If it doesnt need to go there, change the path to the correct one.
If it happens to the NTLDR.dll as well, do the same thing but change the first one to d:\i386\ntldr.dl_
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STOP 0xC000021a Caused by GoBack
Read about Session Manager (Smss.exe) in this article, it is a useful article about the whole startup process including HAL and NTLDR.
Troubleshooting the Startup Process
See if you can adapt this articles notes "Chapter 33 - Windows 2000 Stop Messages"?
Stop 0xC000021A or STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED
156669 - How to troubleshoot a "STOP 0xC000021A" error
HELP! missing hal.dll, no access to root
thread779-752222
Error Message Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt.
330184 - "Invalid Boot.ini" or "Windows Could Not Start" Error Messages When You Start Your Computer
Error Message: Windows Could Not Start Because of a Computer Disk Hardware Configuration Problem
The following two paragraphs are quoted from -
"NTLDR clears the screen and prints its version information: OSLOADER V4.0. The first two files that NTLDR loads make up NT's core: ntoskrnl.exe and hal.dll. Both files are located in the <winnt>\system32 directory. Ntoskrnl.exe contains the Kernel and Executive subsystems (e.g., Memory Manager, Cache Manager, Object Manager), and hal.dll contains code that interfaces NT to the computer hardware. Hardware abstraction layers (HALs) can provide interfaces to proprietary hardware, so Microsoft makes it possible for OEMs to supply custom HAL files. If NTLDR fails to load either of these files, it prints the message Windows NT could not start because the following file was missing or corrupt, followed by the name of the file.
Now the user has the option to select the Last Known Good configuration by pressing the spacebar. After a successful boot completes, NT makes a copy of the Registry tree that contains static and dynamic system and driver configuration information, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet, and marks it as the Last Known Good configuration. Because device drivers load based on information under the Services Registry key, this key is especially crucial. If a driver installs and at the next reboot prevents the system from starting, when the user selects the Last Known Good configuration, NT reverts to using the copy of the Registry tree that existed before the driver installed. Because the good copy does not include commands to load the driver, a boot using that copy will likely succeed."
315222 - A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP
From this site -
BOOTIT NG
"If the BOOT.INI file does not point to the correct boot entry for Windows XP, you will get an error stating that Hal.Dll is missing . Simply correct the partition(x) entry in the BOOT.INI file or reorder the partitions in the MBR Details section of the boot item configuration."
A lot of info and ideas to be found there.
Have a look under "H" for Hal at this site too.
NTLDR missing.
How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)
Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP
Have a look at ChkDsk /r, Fixboot, and possibly FixMbr in the Recovery Console.
How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.
This is a layman's version of Q307545 in simple language.
If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.
How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)
Read about Session Manager (Smss.exe) in this article, it is a useful article about the whole startup process including HAL and NTLDR.
Troubleshooting the Startup Process
See if you can adapt this articles notes "Chapter 33 - Windows 2000 Stop Messages"?
Stop 0xC000021A or STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED
156669 - How to troubleshoot a "STOP 0xC000021A" error
HELP! missing hal.dll, no access to root
thread779-752222
Error Message Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt.
330184 - "Invalid Boot.ini" or "Windows Could Not Start" Error Messages When You Start Your Computer
Error Message: Windows Could Not Start Because of a Computer Disk Hardware Configuration Problem
The following two paragraphs are quoted from -
"NTLDR clears the screen and prints its version information: OSLOADER V4.0. The first two files that NTLDR loads make up NT's core: ntoskrnl.exe and hal.dll. Both files are located in the <winnt>\system32 directory. Ntoskrnl.exe contains the Kernel and Executive subsystems (e.g., Memory Manager, Cache Manager, Object Manager), and hal.dll contains code that interfaces NT to the computer hardware. Hardware abstraction layers (HALs) can provide interfaces to proprietary hardware, so Microsoft makes it possible for OEMs to supply custom HAL files. If NTLDR fails to load either of these files, it prints the message Windows NT could not start because the following file was missing or corrupt, followed by the name of the file.
Now the user has the option to select the Last Known Good configuration by pressing the spacebar. After a successful boot completes, NT makes a copy of the Registry tree that contains static and dynamic system and driver configuration information, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet, and marks it as the Last Known Good configuration. Because device drivers load based on information under the Services Registry key, this key is especially crucial. If a driver installs and at the next reboot prevents the system from starting, when the user selects the Last Known Good configuration, NT reverts to using the copy of the Registry tree that existed before the driver installed. Because the good copy does not include commands to load the driver, a boot using that copy will likely succeed."
315222 - A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP
From this site -
BOOTIT NG
"If the BOOT.INI file does not point to the correct boot entry for Windows XP, you will get an error stating that Hal.Dll is missing . Simply correct the partition(x) entry in the BOOT.INI file or reorder the partitions in the MBR Details section of the boot item configuration."
A lot of info and ideas to be found there.
Have a look under "H" for Hal at this site too.
NTLDR missing.
How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)
Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP
Have a look at ChkDsk /r, Fixboot, and possibly FixMbr in the Recovery Console.
How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.
This is a layman's version of Q307545 in simple language.
If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.
How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)
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Before doing any of the above (which is all excellent advise) it would be advisable to check your hardware. Re seat all cards and connections and use something like spinrite from grc.com to check the health of your hard drive. There is no point in repairing XP if your hard drive is failing. It will only do it again and you may miss the chance to get your data off before it fails completely.
- Thread starter
- #6
Hi all. I want to thank everyone who replied to this thread. It turns out that I had some type of Virus that got into my core files. I finally figured it out when I dug out my old computer and pulled my hardrive out and installed it in that one. As soon as I turned it on, it too went on the blink doing the same thing. I ended up having to load up an old WIN98 disk, running a fdisk on the drives and deleting the partitions. Then I was able to load my XPpro disk and reload. The funny thing is that I believe the virus came from the Disney web page where my daughter goes to play games! Oh yeah, the virus seemed to get in and delete the front end off of every file. Once again, thanks everyone for the help!
I'm glad you fixed it and found the cause. Now is the time to prevent a recurrence. You need to ensure you have a good firewall and good anti malware software in place. Don't rely on just one, but use several. Ensure that all Microsoft's patches are applied and your anti virus/malware measures are in place before you go surfing.
I doubt you'll get any Brownie points stopping your daughter playing games. But ensure she has her own username and ensure that's an ordinary, not an admin user. Ensure that internet explorer is set up to block popups and third party cookies.
If you can, use a router to connect to the net that has a built in hardware firewall and set it up securely.
I'll leave it to others to give specific advise - but there is plenty out there and plenty on this site - if you look.
I doubt you'll get any Brownie points stopping your daughter playing games. But ensure she has her own username and ensure that's an ordinary, not an admin user. Ensure that internet explorer is set up to block popups and third party cookies.
If you can, use a router to connect to the net that has a built in hardware firewall and set it up securely.
I'll leave it to others to give specific advise - but there is plenty out there and plenty on this site - if you look.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks stduc. I did upgrade to the MSN Prem. browser that came with McAffee security package that has Firewall, Virus Scan and Webroot Spy Sweeper. I also still have my Windows Firewall and Norton. They also have this tool called Avert Stinger that you can download for free that does a real good job of cleaning your computer.
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