HAL.dll is missing or corrupt (Windows XP). Error loading Windows XP

What to say, many users of computer systems are so used to working in a Windows XP environment that they do not want to change it to more recent systems. However, the "expiry" itself, as well as subsequent versions of the Windows OS, is prone to errors such as "Can not start HAL.dll", "File not found", "File is corrupt or missing", etc. Let's see what can be done Do to restore the system load without any cardinal measures such as a full reinstall.

What is this file?

If we talk about the file itself, understanding its functioning for the average user will be quite complicated.

In general, in Windows XP, HAL.dll is responsible for the interaction of software and hardware components and is a so-called layer of software code at the level of hardware abstractions, that is, it hides some moments of hardware implementation at all levels - from hardware to application Programs. This applies to all components present in the system.

So why are there incomprehensible mistakes when loading the system when "HAL.dll is missing or damaged" appears on the monitor screen? Windows XP, as one of the aging systems, is prone to such failures the most.

The main functions of the library

As for the functional, we can say that this library is a kind of layer that allows not only the user, but also any software developer to use application commands for direct access to, say, some "iron" component, even without its brand , Name, manufacturer, etc.

In general, it is a universal bridge, which allows the program to work on any equipment in a universal mode. To make it clearer: in some ways, the functionality of the HAL.dll library by operation principle can be compared with the same DirectX.

Why does the error "HAL.dll is missing or corrupt" (Windows XP)?

In general, there can be a lot of reasons for such errors. The most commonplace situations are damage to the hard drive or the memory slats. In this case, you just need to diagnose them.

It goes without saying that one can not exclude the harmful effects of viruses that can not only change the structure of the file, but even completely remove it from the hard drive.

However, now we will not take into account such situations. We assume that the hard drive is OK, there are no viruses, and the error "HAL.dll is missing or corrupted" (Windows XP) is caused solely due to software failures.

System Restore

The first look at the situation when the system can still be downloaded. Naturally, at the beginning of the system boot, a line may appear on the black screen indicating that the Windows root \ System32 \ HAL.dll component was not found (missing or corrupted).

The simplest solution is to boot Windows XP in safe mode, but only with the command line (at the beginning of the boot process, use the F8 key, and then select the appropriate section).

After the command line appears, you just need to register the combination c: \ windows \ system32 \ restore \ rstrui.exe (system recovery) in it, and then just follow the instructions on the screen. In many cases it helps. But what if the message with the line missing the bootable Windows element root \ System32 \ HAL.dll l appears again and the system does not boot at all?

Correcting incorrect entries in the boot.ini file

Few users know that the download error is not always associated with the library in question. Sometimes this is only an effect, and the reason lies in the incorrect (incorrect) entries in the boot.ini file pointing to the volume partition where the operating system is located. You can, of course, use some programs for Windows XP (we'll list them a little later), but now let's see what can be done most without their help.

So, to boot, we boot from any Windows XP installation CD, first putting the CD / DVD-ROM as the priority boot device in the BIOS, and then pressing the "R" key to the Recovery Console.

Now select the necessary assembly of Windows XP, if necessary, enter the admin password, and then use the bootcfg / rebuild command and press Enter. After finding a copy of Windows and the incoming request, add it to the download list (press "Y" and enter the identifier as a modification of Windows XP (Home Edition or Professional), in general, what is installed on the computer).

After that, we reboot and choose the boot option with a new source. Only after that it will be possible to find in the system the file boot.ini, open it with the usual "Notepad" and delete the wrong boot path.

HAL.dll error: remediation with console

The above restoration options do not always work. The reason can really consist in the damage or absence of the desired file, which by default is located on the system disk (most often it is a "C" drive) to the address Windows \ System32 \ HAL.dll.

Here we again need an installation disk and an input to the recovery console, as described above. Now our task is to find the original file on the disk and copy it to the system partition of the hard drive. We will make a reservation at once: such actions are applicable exclusively to the Windows XP system, with the "seven" and "eight" such things do not pass.

Let's say the drive is identified by the letter "E". The file itself on the disk is located in the i386 folder. To verify that it really is, use the command E: \ I386> dir. Found? Perfectly! But why, then, does the file name do not match the original, but is designated as HAL.dl_? Just because it's a packed CAB archive, which we need to unpack.

To do this, use the expand e command: i386hal.dl_ c: \ windows \ system32 (with a space before the letter of drive "C"). You can, of course, unpack the file and just on the system disk, and then copy it to the right place. But why, if you can copy and replace directly? After that, the system should boot into the normal mode without any problems.

The best programs to fix the situation

However, if such methods of fixing the error "HAL.dll is missing or corrupted" (Windows XP), some users may seem too abstruse, you can use many specialized applications such as Acronis Disk Director, Acronis Recovery Expert, Bootice and others.

Such programs for Windows XP, in principle, do not differ much among themselves, since they need to be downloaded directly from an optical media or a flash drive, and they use similar methods in their work. Another thing is that the user does not have to enter specific commands, because the menu is fully specified in them, and basically they are designed to restore lost or corrupted data or even whole logical partitions of the hard disk.

If you have already noticed, all these applications are programs of a general type, so to speak, for all occasions. Naturally, in some ways they, for example, to an inexperienced user will be able to help. Although it raises legitimate doubts that an ordinary user, without the necessary knowledge, will use them. Unfortunately, most of them, without going into the essence of the matter, quickly take up the reinstallation of the system. But in vain.

It can happen that when you reinstall Windows there will be such errors that the installation will not be completed until the end, and as a result the user will get a completely inoperative system.

Conclusion

Of course, the use of information recovery programs is good. But still, there is no guarantee that the necessary dynamic library file will be fully restored, no one can give a guarantee. Therefore, despite the seeming simplicity of working with such applications and their almost complete automation, it is better not to be lazy and take advantage of standard methods of restoring the system load. Let them be more complicated or take more time, but in this case you can be completely sure that the working capacity of Windows XP will be restored entirely.

However, in some cases, when the errors of this dynamic library are not the cause, but the consequence of other program failures, the use of such utilities can be justified. However, if the problem is in the hard drive or in the memory malfunction, there's nothing to be done. First we will have to conduct a full test, and in the most unpleasant case - to replace "hardware" and install the system, as they say, from scratch. I'll have to accept this.