Boss had a problem with his computer, okay corrupted hal.dll.
tried using rec console, both cd-roms not loading cd. Boot seq is correct. Tried using floppy, recovery console becomes an option at os selection, but reverts back to corrupted hal message. Added another HD to his system to maybe copy files over, but after loading my os chkdsk begins checking that hd and reads segments unreadable. Last known does not work, out of ideas... any help would be great
Usually system file corruption will cause the "missing hal" problem. I would attempt a full chkdsk on that hard drive and see if that can fix it. The command is chkdsk c: /f .
For this I always use a bartpe because it will allow you to bootup the computer and run the chkdsk from the command line, and if that doesnt work you can also do a scandisk with bartpe.
All the data is still perfectly safe in your hard drive and recoverable, just a few corrupt files will make the entire drive unbootable and unreadable (if you check the hard drive with partition software it wil say invalid file system RAW). I've encountered this before from improper shutdown and a chkdsk c: /f has always made my drive bootable again. I would make every effort to get chkdsk to fix the hard drive first before trying anything else.
If chkdsk and scandisk won't run you can try the free "testdisk" to try and fix it, if it can't fix the partition "testdisk" has an addon called "photorec" that can be used to recover files from corrupt hard drives.
directions
bootup with the bartpe
at the GO bottom open the command box and type chkdsk c: /f , after c: is finished do the same for all the other hard drive partitions example chkdsk e: /f and so on.
If the command box doesnt work do following
Go/programs/a43 file management utilitys
Next rightclick on the C: partition/properties/tools/error checking
Right here you can run a scandisk (make sure both boxes are check to fix errors), scandisk is similar to chkdsk.
For some reason though, both dvd rom and cd rom drives will not recognize any disc. I have tried many different discs and in both drives. All the bios settings are correct, they are being recognized and are in the correct sequence. So thats why I resorted to the floppy.
the only time I ever had a computer that couldn't bootup from a boot cd, it was caused by a bad motherboard. I was getting input/output read errors.
I also suspected a bad harddrive, which I replaced but I was still getting read/write errors.
this would also explain why the hard drive won't boot, the hard drive is probably good but the motherboard might be reading the files as corrupt because of input problems.
In my case I had a spare motherboard and I was able to swap it out. It fix my problem.
I tried an ide drive that loaded fine when the sata drive was removed. When left in the ide boots until chkdsk scans the bad drive and hangs. does not allow me to skip. Tried other sata port as well.
Used another cd rom out of my system and was able to boot to recovery console. Chkdsk was finding nothing, tried rebuilding boot.ini, nothing was working. Just did a clean install. Thanks for the help though.
