i have a 80gig Seagate Barracudda 7200.7 which i purchased last yr. Unfortunately for me it stopped functioning recently for some reason. FOrtunately it was still under warranty and was ecstatic to get it yesterday since my warranty runs out next week.
so i try to install windows xp pro...initial installation goes fine ie. formatting n copying files. Then when the computer restarts, a message at the top reads

' windows was unable to start because a file was missing/corrupt : windows/system32/dal.dll. Please install this file again for setup to continue '

i've tried this windows xp cd installation without flaws on a friend's com just 2 weeks ago. what gives?
pls help as i'm helpless with a non functioning computer!!!

I suggest you try the install again. The error you are getting is a standard error for any dll missing from system32 directory. Here is what I would do to correct your error:

• Get ahold of or make a boot disk (windows 98SE). I use http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm You'll want the win98SE OEM. It doesn't matter what operating system you are installing...the win98 boot disk will get us to the menu we want to get to. I use mine for just about every windows OS out there.
• Boot up off your boot disk. type the following: "fdisk /mbr" This will blank out your master boot record and get rid of any OS data that may be stored there.
• I would then format the entire drive...blank that puppy out.
• After this, I'd install windows normally and see what errors that gave me. You should be ok after that.
• If your install still results with the same or similar error...I'd say you may have a corrupt copy/cd of Windows.

Let me know what happens...I'm interested in seeing this one through.

interestingly the installation went thru when i swapped my optical drive with another one. go figure

That is a bit strange...well...darn. I didn't help squat. Oh well.

its ok TKS theres a next time...

I have run into that problem a few times, once I had to clean off the CD, and another time I had to replace the CD-Rom drive.

This answer (TKS) seems good, if and only if, one does not need the information within any other drive. I thought I should mention this just in case someone uses this as a solution and forgets the fact that s/he may have important info on another drive.