Re: started with "blue screen" ended up with "missing system32\hal.dll

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kittikatt60 wrote:
Hi folks...
I'm praying somone can assist me as I've been waiting to hear back from Microsoft on this as it started (when I noticed - my daughter's computer) when trying to run updates from Microsoft.
Her system is older, running XP Pro and there isn't much on it believe it or not. AVG is the anti-virus and I've also tried running some registry scans. No avail, but cleaned a few things up. Mostly having to run in Safe Mode and Safe Mode w/Networking, yet will still eventually end up getting that blue screen and many times re-looping and getting stuck & F8 doesn't always work either.

Again, this is my daughter’s computer, and I believe this started about a week or so ago. She finally told me a few days ago and when I started taking a look at her system, this is all new, not past issues I’ve experienced.
1. The first thing I tried to do was to run a scan on her system to see if there were virus, etc.

2. Then I tried to run a windows update and that’s when I personally encountered the first blue screen of many…

3. I had already attempted many times to Use the “Last Known Good Configuration” to no avail, a few times the system couldn’t even get to running Windows without having returned directly to the blue screen.

4. Then I was able to use the Safe Mode with Networking, tried running Windows Update that way, didn’t work. Multiple attempts each ending in Blue Screen

5. I noticed that a message finally gave me something about a Driver issue, so went to Device Manager, and updated/reinstalled drivers a display screen and a multimedia device (neither of which I am familiar), but then the Device Mgr was clear.

6. Then attempted to run Windows update and it did actually download the Visualization Tool & Installed, thought I was actually getting somewhere… But then after it asked me to continue on with scanning for updates, I was back to the blue screen and it proceeded to no longer be able to start Windows again, just re-routing back to Blue Screen.

7. Last Known Good Configuration again, didn’t work.

I do have screen shots of the blue screens it gives, but the error codes are of no help as the four it gives me, always change.

I've finally turned the damn thing off as it was just re-looping to blue screen and couldn't load windows, so after 3 days of tyring to figure it out, I've given up....

Lastly, apparently my daughter turned the computer on, and now all it shows is a black screen with the "missing system32\hal.dll" file.
Now I've seen this when I got a brand new system running both Mac & OS systems, when I loaded windows. I figured out a work around for it on the Mac, but this system only runs Windows, so not sure what to do from here with it...

She has some things on her system that she's hoping I don't have to do a fresh install so any suggestions are tremendously appreciated.

Please let me know what further info I can provide to be of assistance.

Thanks so much,

Sunny

As a hardware guy, I start with hardware testing.

1) memtest86+ from memtest.org (CD or floppy version). This
will test your memory. A couple passes or a couple hours of testing,
if no errors are shown, is enough of a test.

2) Download the hard drive test, from the hard drive manufacturer web site.
Should load on a floppy. Boot with the test floppy and test the hard drive.

3) Boot an alternate OS. You can either use Knoppix (knopper.net - pick a CD version)
or Ubuntu.com . These are LiveCD's, meaning you boot with the CD and do not
have to install any hardware. If a LiveCD boots and you can do simple things
like web surf with Firefox, that tells you a lot of the hardware is working.
And then, your problem is likely with the Windows install.

If, on the other hand, Linux crashes, applications quit without being touched,
then you'd suspect some hardware instability. No reason to go back to Windows,
until you fix it.

4) While in Linux, you can visit Mersenne.org and download a Linux copy of
Prime95. That is another tool that can be used for CPU and memory testing.
Use the "torture test" option - no need to "Join GIMPS".

In terms of possible hardware problems that affect stability -

1) Power supply failures are a frequent occurrence.
2) The capacitors on the motherboard (aluminum cylinders with plastic sleeves)
have been known to fail. The tops bulge, and liquid leaks from the bottom,
leaving a brown stain. This will cause a reduction in the quality of power
fed to the CPU. After a short period of time, there will be complete failure
(no longer booting).
3) Hard drives fail after some years of usage, so a backup plan is a good idea.
Hard drives are so cheap, you should buy two at a time. Use one to hold a
recent backup of the other etc.

Adding a bunch of updates from Windows, to a machine that is already broken,
is the wrong thing to do. First, consider why has the machine started to fail
now. What changed up to this point ? I mean, kneeling in front of the machine,
and saying a prayer, would be as effective as visiting Windows Update :-)

HTH,
Paul
.

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