hall dll crisis

garyd855

New Member
I have an error (not uncommon) at startup with a system32\hal.dll, "missing or corrupt".

I have gone through all online suggestions to try and fix and have failed.

The computer is a Gateway that came without an original XP/Media Centre install cd.

I have tried accessing recovery console using an ISO Image
I have tried to use the XP Recovery CD's that I burnt when I first set up the machine
I have ensured the boot runs CD first

regardless of what I do - it gets to the same error message.

I am planning on selling the computer anyway, and someone told me just to wipe the operating system and sell the desktop as it is, as it has the xp/media center key sticker on the back.

I don't want to put the machine on ebay until I know it isn't being passed to someone with an error, and I know I have wiped off all family pictures, personal docs etc.

Any help is very much appreciated.

Gary :confused:
 
I have just read that I can't delete the OS unless I can access safe mode - so unless anyone can help - it looks like I'll be opening the case and smashing all the parts with a hammer:(
 
while I have the xp recovery cd's that I burnt when I first got my machine, I had no original cd - and despite this, my computer won't recognise the recovery cd. Plus it seems gateway did not put the recovery console on the recovery cd. So as you can see, my dilema remains. All i can get access to is the bios and boot menu, and then the system32\hal.dll error comes up - if I hit any key, it just reboots and goes back to this screen. I even tried to burn an ISO Image to cd and tried to get access to the recovery console that way, as described on youtube by 'britec' but that didn't work either.

I am slowly reconcilling myself to a dead PC.
 
Go into the bios and set the first boot device to the cd drive that way the computer will search the cddrive first for bootable media. You should get a prompt to press a key to boot from cd.
 
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