Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Deleted important xp files

  • 12-12-2008 9:43pm
    #1
    ComplyOrDie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 538 ✭✭✭


    Hello I am having some problem with my desktop. I was trying to free up some memory (disk cleanup) and ended up deleting some important files. now when i try to start the pc i get the following message 
    windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<windows root>\system32\hal.dll
please reinstall a copy of the above file.

    I guessing I will have to reinstall windows to correct the problem, however I do not have a xp installation cd. I have a few questions

    1. I have a genuine xp home edition version but no cd so how could I reinstall. would I have to purchase a new cd.
    2. I have been reading that some computers come with no cd but the os already installed and it can be identified as a i386 file. can this be put onto a cd so it can be installed onto the computer
    3. if I reinstall xp will I lose all the stuff I have on the hard drive
    4. can the same version of xp be installed on more than 1 computer if so how many. I cannot get into the broke computer to get it's os so could I use the one from my other computer.
    can you's please help me try and fix the problem.
    thanks in advance
    complyordie


Comments

  • #2
    ttm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭ttm


    To save reinstalling the OS see if http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477 has any help.

    It might not be the hal.dll thats missing just the info that windows needs to find it?

    No CD Doh! Check the documentation as there is normally a way to reinstall or perhaps you were prompted to make a CD Restore Disk when you first had the computer and didn't bother?

    Edit > If you DO NOT reformat the HDD and just reinstall XP you shouldn't loose any data but will probablay have to hunt around for it and install all your applications again. You can install XP as many times as you like but MS will only let you Activate it on one computer at a time, if you have the wrong XP disk but still have a activation key sticker on the dead PC then you can use the XP disk you have and then phone MS to activate the license - very easy and quite painless.


Advertisement