hal.dll missing! Windows wont work!

[chaoticprout]

Help, what do I do! Using windows xp service pack 2, and it says hal.dll is corrupt or missing, what do i do, i cant reinstall! Thanks

[Peace]

Why can't you re-install ?

[66217]

Something similar happened to me.

First thing to do is to save all your files. You can acces you Windows partition from Mac OS X and copy all your Windows files to the Mac side.

Then just open the BootCamp utility and select to make the HD only one partition again. Then procede to install Windows again.
I found a way to repair the problem and re-install only the missing file, but it was a lot of work and very complicated.

[digiegg]

I'm getting this problem too...
Ugh this is so much trouble...

[digiegg]

all the setup files were installed and everything with the CD
it reboots then it wont even go into the xp installation.
First time i did this on my mac pro it went without any problems... but now it's giving me all this hal.dll
Ack!
and how can u merge the HD if one was windows?

[Chocomonsters]

Majority of hal.dll error is due to boot.ini problem.

If you google it, there are many sites showing how to determine if you do in fact missing hal.dll or not.

If you are missing hal.dll, it can be extracted via XP CD in safe boot mode.

If you do have hal.dll (the majority of cases), you need to correct boot.ini file. You need to identify which partition XP is installed and correct boot.ini to point XP installation to correct partition.

Most likely, your boot.ini will be something like

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

where x = partition #. Dont forget that partition does not start from 0 but from 1.

If you are not familiar with Windows and dont have time to run, just delete XP partition from OSX disk utility and reinstall XP from begining.

[dimme]

Something similar happened to me.

First thing to do is to save all your files. You can acces you Windows partition from Mac OS X and copy all your Windows files to the Mac side.

Then just open the BootCamp utility and select to make the HD only one partition again. Then procede to install Windows again.
I found a way to repair the problem and re-install only the missing file, but it was a lot of work and very complicated.

I just spent 3 hours with the same problem on a fresh reinstall. The only way to fix it is to do what is stated above. I guess when you reinstall boot camp is doing something to the partition.

[riscy]

Sorry for resurrecting this thread, but this is an issue for me here but a bit different.

I have BootCamp running nicely, but when I tried to install Parallels it seemed to take for ever (apparently it is supposed to be very easy if BootCamp is already set up). i want to have Parallels so that if required I can switch to Windoze without rebooting.

Now here is the weird part: in my boot.ini I have two references to Parallels neither of which will boot up, but the one in the middle is fine. [Obviously two references to the same partition is not good, any suggestions?]

[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Parallels configuration" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkopvs_.exe /hal=halopvs_.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Parallels configuration" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut /kernel=ntkopvs_.exe /hal=halopvs_.dll

[jsnola]

I did read the instructions of boot camp and parallels but I ignored the warning about XP SP2 cd required. SO I successfully installed a boot camp partition and then windows xp sp1, I could not upgrade the partition from boot camp - I was however able to update it to SP2 from parallels - and parallels worked ok with parallels tools - I could not then boot natively back into boot camp - I tried all the posts replacing the missing and corrupt files, but nothing worked. While parallels worked boot camp stalled at missing or corrupt ntfs.sys when booting natively.

I gave up and then tried reinstalling windows again - but got the error message "Press any key to boot from CD. Disk Error. Press any key to restart" when trying to launch the setup at 2nd reboot.

I gave up - using boot camp assistant I un-partitioned the drive back to 1 mac os drive, then restarted (a windows user here) then repartitioned and reinstalled windows using an SP2 cd - this time I got the error - missing or corrupt hal.dll file when trying to launch the setup at 2nd reboot.

SO this time I really gave up - I have had issues before with residual files from previous windows installations not going away completely - so his time I made the drive one os drive again, ran the disk utility, the permissions utility, and finally the erase all empty space on disk option (the quick all zeros option). Then I repartitioned the drive with boot camp assistant, and then reinstalled windows successfully entering the setup screen.

Now I will follow the manual!!!

[DaveF]

I had a HAL.dll error and it was temporary, caused by Parallels crashing. I rebooted my Mac, re-ran Parallels and then did a successful shutdown of Parallels. After that, Bootcamp was working again.

[brkirch]

For anyone who has been using Parallels with their Boot Camp partition and is now having the missing hal.dll problem, try the solutions given in this post (http://forums.parallels.com/showpost.php?p=94646&postcount=47).

[NeoThoR]

For anyone who has been using Parallels with their Boot Camp partition and is now having the missing hal.dll problem, try the solutions given in this post (http://forums.parallels.com/showpost.php?p=94646&postcount=47).

I have this same problem.. and reading this i have no idea what the hell you guys mean by 'Parrallels'

[Neil321]

I have this same problem.. and reading this i have no idea what the hell you guys mean by 'Parrallels'

This (http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/)

[The Flashing Fi]

This has been brought up in the past. No need to go through the hassle of reformatting. Bust out the Windows XP CD, go into the recovery console, and set up the boot.ini again. I don't have instructions off the top of my head, but they are in this forum, and I'm sure they have been posted plenty of times.

[Rei Diesel]

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1837988

[naql]

This fixed me right up, thanks. I had mangled the boot.ini, apparently, in breaking out of a parallels desktop startup. Changed partition number from 3 to 2, works now.

Majority of hal.dll error is due to boot.ini problem.

If you do have hal.dll (the majority of cases), you need to correct boot.ini file. You need to identify which partition XP is installed and correct boot.ini to point XP installation to correct partition.

Most likely, your boot.ini will be something like

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

where x = partition #. Dont forget that partition does not start from 0 but from 1.

[cpadude]

Is there a way to fix the hal.dll error without reinstalling windows? Every time I reinstall windows, I get the same hal.dll error.

I'd rather just go into boot.ini and edit it to look for the proper partition. Is this possible?

Thanks in advance.

[Gav Mack]

Is there a way to fix the hal.dll error without reinstalling windows? Every time I reinstall windows, I get the same hal.dll error.

I'd rather just go into boot.ini and edit it to look for the proper partition. Is this possible?

Thanks in advance.

Yes.

Boot off the windows CD, at the first setup screen press R for recovery console.

It will ask to log onto Windows (usually 1) then enter and asks for the Administrator password if you've set one else another enter.

Then type the following lines followed by enter

attrib -h -r -s c:\boot.ini
del c:\boot.ini
bootcfg /rebuild
fixboot

type exit and it'll restart.

[plat4m]

If you're having problems with hal.dll then it's because of missing bootloading. The #1 reason is people forgetting to named the partition "BOOTCAMP" when they reformat the drive. Remember to reformat in NTFS or FAT, and never to use "leave as it is" selection on installation.


Best of luck
Thomas
Apple Service Assistent