Cannot boot ... file is missing or corrupted:Windows root>\system32\hal.dll

Sdream

Active Member
Desktop machine
At booting, a message showed up saying:
Windows can not boot because the following file is missing or corrupted.
Windows root>\system32\hal.dll

First
The machine was operating on Vista.
Then
A HDD was added and Windows XP was installed on this HDD. Booting into XP only since then.
Now
Windows 7 is installed.
A boot menu of Win 7 & Vista is automatically created and can boot into eigther Win 7 or Vista but XP.
EasyBCD is installed.
Win XP shows up in the boot menu.
Trying to boot XP, the message showed up saying:
Windows can not boot because the following file is missing or corrupted.

In EasyBCD management, it states:
Entry #3
Name: Old Version Windows
BCD ID: (ntldr)
Drive: D:\
Bootloader Path:\ ntldr

Help, plese.
Can "Windows root>\system32\hal.dll" be restored from a file within the machine?
Or must it be downloaded?
Where?

Thank you very much!
 
Are you using EasyBCD 2 ?
That error is one of many encountered by users of the old version 1, which requires lots of manual action by the user in addition to the simple BCD entry that Easy1 created (possibly erroneous depending on what input you supplied - gigo)
All of those problems disappeared with Easy2, which automates the previously manual tasks.
Just get the latest version, delete the XP entry and add a new one, selecting the "auto" option.
Job done.
 
Hello, Terry

Thank you very much for taking time to help.
No. Not any old version.
EasyBCD 2.0.2 was freshly installed a few minutes prior to this attempt.

Appreciate your help.
 
In that case, did you alter something ?
Auto-configure means what it says. Don't go changing what it sets up.
the BCD doesn't point to XP, it points to the copies of the XP boot files in the "system" partition. They point to XP.
If you edit the BCD entry to point at XP directly, the boot will fail.
 
Desktop machine
At booting, a message showed up saying:
Windows can not boot because the following file is missing or corrupted.
Windows root>\system32\hal.dll

First
The machine was operating on Vista.
Then
A HDD was added and Windows XP was installed on this HDD. Booting into XP only since then.
Now
Windows 7 is installed.
A boot menu of Win 7 & Vista is automatically created and can boot into eigther Win 7 or Vista but XP.
EasyBCD is installed.
Win XP shows up in the boot menu.
Trying to boot XP, the message showed up saying:
Windows can not boot because the following file is missing or corrupted.

In EasyBCD management, it states:
Entry #3
Name: Old Version Windows
BCD ID: (ntldr)
Drive: D:\
Bootloader Path:\ ntldr

Help, plese.
Can "Windows root>\system32\hal.dll" be restored from a file within the machine?
Or must it be downloaded?
Where?

Thank you very much!

There is something else.
1.
The first HDD on which Vist was and still is installed is a SATA 2.
The second HDD on which XP was and still is installed is a SATA 1 .
2.
Prior to installing Win 7, the second HDD was disconnected from the mother board and reconnected back to the mother board after the installation of Win 7.

Does this have anything to do with the missing or corruption of the ntldr ?

Addendum:

In that case, did you alter something ?
Auto-configure means what it says. Don't go changing what it sets up.
the BCD doesn't point to XP, it points to the copies of the XP boot files in the "system" partition. They point to XP.
If you edit the BCD entry to point at XP directly, the boot will fail.

Yes.
I tried to arrange the boot order: Windows 7, then Vista, and Windows XP.
But I do not remember whether I hit the SAVE button.
Nothing else other than this.
Does this cause the problem?

Thank you!
 
Last edited:
Can you post a screenshot of your Disk Management, and paste the contents of EasyBCD "view settings" (detailed mode).
How-to in the sticky if needed.
 
I can't access those.
Please follow the sticky details to post attachments here.
 
That's not a Disk Management screenshot.
Can't see any detail in that of how the the partitions are located relatively.
The "view settings" shows an XP entry that wasn't generated by EasyBCD.
DId you delete the XP entry and re-add it using EasyBCD "auto-configure" as I asked in post #2 ?
 
That's not a Disk Management screenshot.
Can't see any detail in that of how the the partitions are located relatively.
The "view settings" shows an XP entry that wasn't generated by EasyBCD.
DId you delete the XP entry and re-add it using EasyBCD "auto-configure" as I asked in post #2 ?

Very sorry that I goofed again.
01.jpg

02.jpg

"DId you delete the XP entry and re-add it using EasyBCD "auto-configure" as I asked in post #2 ?"
No. I did not delete anything nor change anything.
All I did was putting a check mark V in the small check box of Windows XP and unmarked it right away.
 
Last edited:
Sir Terry,

Thank you very much!
I'll try.
Unpredictable is what I am now thinking.
I'll be back to you one way or the other.
Thank you!
 
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