partition problems

[jacqwil]

Hi,
I recently installed windows xp onto one of my partitions because i was having so much trouble with windows 2000 on my c partition. after carefully backing up all my files i installed xp home edition on partition F. Then afterwards I tried to access my C partition again and it told me that 1 or more of the files were corrupt etc. so i decided to install windows xp over the C partition. that's where my problems start. now I can't access my F partition. My C partition is ok. Question is: Can i delete a partition, if so how, i am ok with loing my files and programs, but obviously i'd rather not. I read the post about windows root>system 32\hal.dll missing, cause that's what's happening on my F partition. I tried to do the chkdsk thingy but it's telling me that my F disc is fine, but it comes up with the hal.dll error. any suggestions? I am a complete newbie, my brother normally fixes these things, but i thought i'd give it a go myself, big mistake, anyway sorry about the long post.
thanks in advance

[jacqwil]

By the way, when i tried to Repair the F disc partition for some reason the only option that came up was for the C partition to be repaired, whay is F not showing in the list?

[jacqwil]

i read up on some other reasons for this occurring on Microsoft's website and the following info came to light http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477
apparently the Boot.ini file is missing or invalid
mine reads like this:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\C="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

is this right?
if not how do i change it and what to?

[jacqwil]

ok update on problem. i looked for the hal.dll file in search and found that it still exists in the drive that it says it's missing from. so i'm now wondering if it has to do more with the number of OS installations on my pc. if so how do i uninstall the ones i don't want? can i just delete the file from the boot config file? do i delete the partition and hope that the default is returned to the working OS?????
HELP PLEASE!!!

[c-tech]

hi jacqwil,
Yeah you can delete a partition. When you are installing windows, before it brings you the option to format the drives,it shows you the partitions that are already created. NB: this is after it passes the repair Installed Windows option. Here you can delete the F: partition and then create another one, then format it when you've already booted windows. Good luck.

[jacqwil]

Thanks for response..

will deleting the partition solve my problems? I want to delete the other partition i created in 'C' and keep the 'E' partition, because thats the one with all my stuff on it. I know that the 'C' drive is usually the default one but that is the one i want to reformat. at the moment there doesn't seem to be a recognition of my 'E' partition except when i log into the 'C' partition and i can see all of the files on there. i know that the hal.dll file is there because when i have searched i can find it. there just seems to be a problem with the dual installation of xp and Windows can't work out where to boot into and tells me that my hal.dll file is missing or corrupt.