How can I prevent the hal.dll error?

October 10, 2009

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file."

This is a common error and I see all kinds of troubleshooting online. This message has come on my computer many times. The error has probably happened at least 5 times and I had to reformat my hard drive each time. None of the online solutions helped besides reformatting. I maintain my computer with recent updates and Norton. I also noticed that when I install some LEGIT programs, my computer tends bring this error.

My computer is around 8 years old that uses XP SP2 but I can’t afford a new one. Is there a way to prevent this hal.dll error? Should I buy a new hard drive? I replaced my original hard drive around maybe 4 years ago with a Seagate Barracuda (currently using). One weird thing to note is that the hard drive has worked when under a hard drive enclosure. Not sure about now. Any suggestions?

How to fix .dll errors with being able to open registry cleaners?

August 26, 2009

Okay, I have Windows Vista 64-bit. Very recently, I started encountering two major .dll errors. The biggest error is the ADVAPI32.dll missing error. I get a message telling me the ADVAPI32.dll file is missing. I have checked in System32 and it is still there, at about 1,038kb.

I’ve seen solutions that involve using a registry cleaner but I can’t open the registry cleaners because that file is ‘missing’. Many of programs like Internet Explorer 32bit, Microsoft Word, MSN Messenger, all of my installed games, registry cleaners, anti-virus programs, and probably more programs will not open because of this.

I also get an error message that says ntdll.dll is missing from the ‘dynamic library’ when I try to open other programs.

How can I fix these .dll errors without using a registry cleaner?

Also, I tried doing a system restore from its farthest restore point. It simply will not work. I need a solution please!
Tried bringing up the command line as suggested in answer# 2.

Came up with
RegSvr32:
"The module ‘ADVAPI32.dll’ was loaded but the entry point DLLRegisterServer was not found.

Make sure that ‘ADVAPI32.dll’ is a valid DLL or OCX file and then try again."

corrupt registry in windows xp?

June 16, 2009

Hi everyone, i am new here. I have a problem with mi windows Xp with a message of some unable to find register in:

systemroot\system32\config\DEFAULT

I searched in google in another computer and i found this instructions from microsoft website.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q307545

I needed a windows xp cd (i got it from a friend) and with the Recovery Console i had to type:

md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

and then some other instructions for the safe mode in windows.
However, when i type
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

the console respond with “cannot copy file”

Fine, i searched google again and found this page:

http://forums.techarena.in/windows-xp-support/886894.htm

Someone wrote that in that case I should go direct to type

copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

cause there is no “default” file in the config directory. But when i do that, there is a message “Do you want to replace default file (Y/N)?”

I am confused, there is a default file, but i can not copy to a .bak file?
What do i do now? do replace the file? would there be a problem in the future for doing that?
I can not use windows Xp, not even with the safe mode.
Thanks for any help you can give me, and sorry for my bad english.

BSOD: Copied over /repair/software and now can’t login!?

June 6, 2009

BSOD: Copied over /repair/software and now can't login!?
My work computer recently stopped working. When I boot it up, it gives me blue screen with hive message can't find system32\config\system. I went into recovery console but it wanted admin password which I don't have and corporate won't give me. I don't want to send it in and wait to get it back, so I hooked up hdd to a desktop and copied c:\windows\repair\software to c:\windows\system32\config\sof… Put hdd back into laptop and booted up and it boots into windows! However, it doesn't recognize my username/password anymore. What can I do to fix this?
Thanks, but this is not a desktop it is a laptop. It is not the BIOS PW.
I have permission to fix my own computer. I am in IT at my local branch, but happen to work for a huge corporation who doesn't want to give me the ADMIN PW for obvious reasons.

I am trying to repair it on my own as mailing it in will take several weeks for a repair. Again, I do have permission to repair it on my own.

Thanks for the responses.