# Help! Computer is Fubar! Windows won't start **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 1, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177 "2014-09-01T18:44:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/1 "2014-09-01T18:44:13Z")
My other computer won’t work! (emachine, running Windows XP) Windows won’t start, not even in Safe Mode. It give me a message that “a file is missing or corrupt”, specifically \\system32\hal.dll What can I do? I’ve got a system recovery disc that will start up, but it gives me the only option of restoring factory defaults and I wonder if I’m gonna loose everything else. I’ve got all my music in windows media player. Over 10k songs. I’d hate to lose it all. As you can guess, I know shit about this kind of stuff. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/2 "2014-09-01T18:47:59Z")
Some suggestions: [http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_xp-system/windows-xp-missing-or-corrupt-file-system-restore/7cc0cc61-ebf6-4c31-97a9-79e510f858d8](http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-system/windows-xp-missing-or-corrupt-file-system-restore/7cc0cc61-ebf6-4c31-97a9-79e510f858d8) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/3 "2014-09-01T18:49:55Z")
I’m sure the answer is in one of the many threads already here. Which one? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/4 "2014-09-01T21:27:55Z")
The most likely fix is going to require a windows XP disk of the same version (home/pro/MCE) Boot to the windows disk and select recovery console. You should run chkdsk /r again until it finds no errors to correct. Remove the CD and type ‘exit’ to leave the RC and restart the computer. You do not have to adjust the BIOS again to boot on the HDD since the CD will not be present. If you still have the same message after chkdsk /r runs clean, we can use the XP Recovery Console CD to rebuild your boot.ini file, but do run the chkdsk /r commands first. the command to do that should be bootcfg /rebuild ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/5 "2014-09-01T22:14:19Z")
Hot Dog! Am I gonna lose all my stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/6 "2014-09-02T03:27:17Z")
Not if you backed it up. You do daily/weekly backups, yes? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/7 "2014-09-02T03:57:04Z")
hook the drive up to another computer, internally or externally, and copy your data files before attempting to repair the drive. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/8 "2014-09-02T03:58:55Z")
It should be possible to boot from a live CD (or a live USB stick) and explore the file structure. Doing that, it should be possible to copy the ten thousand songs (and anything else the OP wants or needs) to external media. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/9 "2014-09-02T11:22:38Z")
HAL is quite early in the boot process. It may be that the partitions had the drive order swapped. Also chkdisk the partition… it might just be having trouble with the filesystem for reasons other than the HAL.dll file being missing. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/10 "2014-09-02T17:41:21Z")
If it’s XP your best bet is to do a _ **repair install** _. You’ll need an XP disc of the same version, but XP is so old now you can actually legally download .iso images of XP discs (they’re CD-ROMs not DVDs) from sites (including Microsoft). Just as long as it doesn’t contain a hacked activation code it’s not illegal (you should still have & will need your code). Boot from the XP disc, DO NOT choose recovery console, just choose regular install, then let it find your existing XP partition and choose that. It will then ask if you want to wipe it and start over or do a repair install. **Choose repair**. It will seem like it’s wiping your files but its not. Not any of your data anyway. It will reset all of Windows XP’s service packs and security updates so the first thing you’ll need to do is re-install them. It takes a while, but you really won’t lose any of your user data. I’ve done it several times. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/11 "2014-09-02T17:49:43Z")
In my experience, the sort of error the OP saw is the first sign of a failing hard drive. So I’d recommend first backing up the useful data on the drive (perhaps using the liveCD approach I mentioned), and then testing the hard drive for errors. If any are reported, I’d replace the hard drive rather than trying to repair the Windows installation. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/12 "2014-09-02T18:36:09Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > If it’s XP your best bet is to do a _ **repair install** _. You’ll need an XP disc of the same version, but XP is so old now you can actually legally download .iso images of XP discs (they’re CD-ROMs not DVDs) from sites (including Microsoft). Just as long as it doesn’t contain a hacked activation code it’s not illegal (you should still have & will need your code). Boot from the XP disc, DO NOT choose recovery console, just choose regular install, then let it find your existing XP partition and choose that. It will then ask if you want to wipe it and start over or do a repair install. **Choose repair**. It will seem like it’s wiping your files but its not. Not any of your data anyway. It will reset all of Windows XP’s service packs and security updates so the first thing you’ll need to do is re-install them. It takes a while, but you really won’t lose any of your user data. I’ve done it several times. This should fix it as well, my way is just a little quicker and will not offer you the option to reformat your hard drive and does not require any keys to perform. I have done this fix probably 150 times, I lost track of how many windows reloads I have done over the years… probably in the 2000 range by now. But what do I know, I just run a computer shop 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/13 "2014-09-02T19:07:55Z")
Thanks, everyone! I’ll see if I can scare up a disk and let you know how it goes! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/14 "2014-09-02T20:47:39Z")
Well, I’m an idiot. I can’t seem to find the disc (if I ever had one to begin with), and can’t pinpoint what I can download to a thumb drive to get up and going. I found a program that will burn discs, but I’ve got no cd on this tablet thing I’m using. This is a problem I don’t need right now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/15 "2014-09-02T23:39:14Z")
HAL.dll? Hopefully your first name isn’t Dave. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/16 "2014-09-03T01:03:18Z")
Can you connect the PC and the tablet via USB cable? Are you able to see the drive on the PC from the tablet? Do you have enough room on the tablet to transfer your music? Do you know what version of XP you had? Google that (example: download XP Home .iso files) and see what you can find. Do you know your activation code? If not, that’s a problem. Another option, find a computer professional near you. There are over the phone options, but be careful, there are also some scams out there, and they come up near the top in the search. And, there are data recovery services that can get your stuff for you. Online or send the disk in. Not to add to your misery, but I wanted to make sure you knew that XP is not supported anymore. Even if you get it working again, and the disk is sound (which it might not be) you should upgrade your OS soon. Windows XP end of support - Microsoft > **[Experience the Power of Windows 11 OS, Computers, & Apps](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows)** > > Explore the versatility of Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system. Find out how our latest Windows OS gives you more ways to work, play, and create. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/17 "2014-09-03T02:24:44Z")
Have you seen **[this](https://neosmart.net/wiki/hal-dll-missing-corrupt/)** yet? It looks like it might be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/18 "2014-09-03T05:55:23Z")
I know the version and I found the code, so maybe I can get lucky. I’ve got to admit, I feel like a complete asshole and dweeb about this situation. I know wrenches and screwdrivers. I’ve been broken down in the desert and replaced a distributor drive gear with a nail and a rock, hand timed the fucking machine and driven home. I’ve bypassed a failed fuel pump using the windshield washer pump and lots of fancy switching and made it home. I once drove a POS with a plugged up radiator 400 miles using Coke bottles and rubber hoses. I’ve changed hundreds of flat tires (once without a jack!), driven home on even more flats, fixed motorcycle chains with bits of copper wire (well, alright, that didn’t go so well), limped home with broken clutch cables, seized a two-stroke on the top of a mountain, and was able to bust it free and get home, replaced engines, transmissions, timing belts/chains, all sorts of other minor components… BUT… you kind people basically give me hand-feed directions to fix this stupid computer and I have little confidence in pulling it off! Ah, Bullshit! Once I find a disk, I’ll be off to the races! Thanks to you fine people! Need to stop drinkin’ now… And that last link didn’t work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/19 "2014-09-03T06:25:16Z")
Trying to re-do that link for you. > **[Hal.dll is missing or corrupt: Fix for Windows XP, Vista, 7](https://neosmart.net/wiki/hal-dll-missing-corrupt/)** > > Get the fix for the error HAL.dll is missing or corrupt on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. About “HAL.dll is missing or corrupt” Description and Symptoms The error messages, al… ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177/20 "2014-09-07T16:25:36Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > This should fix it as well, my way is just a little quicker and will not offer you the option to reformat your hard drive and does not require any keys to perform. > > I have done this fix probably 150 times, I lost track of how many windows reloads I have done over the years… probably in the 2000 range by now. > > But what do I know, I just run a computer shop 😃 It will be quicker, but wouldn’t also not actually fix any files beyond what chkdsk is able to repair. I believe it’s very possible that. after fixing the MBR. he’ll still wind up having to do a repair install to replace files that couldn’t be fixed. So that’s what I suggest he do. Follow your advice, then do a repair install if that doesn’t work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-computer-is-fubar-windows-wont-start/697177.md?page=2)