my windows wont start up

[jollyton12]

hi
i went on system restor
n i was restoring my softwares
because it was taking time...i unplugged teh pc n turned on now the pc acts like it will work i c the loading screen n then a erro comes and when i close it my pc restsrts plz help me i dont have the restoring cd:rolleyes:

[jollyton12]

helpp

[gerbil]

hmmm. i thought sys restore flashed up a "wait" sign. But heck, why believe them? Basically a system restore is reloading the registry and other files from the HDD- it's a bit critical; u interrupted it, and you ended up with a broken registry. Okay, we can fix that. You need a way to get to system restore before windows starts, or tries to. Press F8 at startup [repeatedly if u do not know when.... actually just after POST runs is the proper time] to enter the Advanced Menu. Either go down the list to Last Known Good Configuration and follow that through, or enter Safe Mode when you will be given the chance to do a System Restore by pressing the No box [ you get to choose the restore date here].
See how you go.

[jollyton12]

mate i tryed it before but still i got same problem...

[gerbil]

ok, reboot, into BIOS using delete key, and set windows to NOT restart after errors. Then copy the error codes and info and post it here....

[jollyton12]

hi

i get this erro message i keep getting the messege... <windows root>\system32\hal.dll file is corrupt or missing, and needs to be replaced ? ?? ?? ? ?

[jollyton12]

i forgot thee admin pass as well

[gerbil]

i'm going to assume that you have XP. Okay, without the XP CD you have to replace hal.dll by file copying. Now, for sure there is a good copy of hal in the driver cache of windows on your puter [it's stored there, and unused in that location - it's a store only, right?]. It's in C:\WINDOWS\driver cache\i386\sp2.cab - which is a zipped folder. You must unzip, copy and paste it to C:\WINDOWS\system32\ - overwrite the original [which appears to be busted].
How to do this? Well, if u can get your hands on another puter, pull out your HDD and slave it in the other puter - just do a file copy as with any other file. Replace your HDD in your puter as master, restart. If it complains about drivers missing or corrupted just let it autodetect them.

If you have trouble with this solution eg, getting another puter, come back n say.

Another source, and the most likely, of the error would be a corrupted boot.ini file, meaning hal is probably there and ok but windows boot loader just cannot find it. But to repair your boot.ini file [edit it by hand or just let Windows Repair rebuild it [and then you would immediately exit], you would need an XP install CD to boot from. Sigh... If you can borrow one you must only use it to get your puter to boot so that you can go into command console. Do not go the full distance of a repair cos your mate would hate you forever if u used his activation code...

Admin password lost. Puter passwords aren't like your creditcard. Write it down somewhere? Gee, i hope this is your machine.... I'm afraid that you really do need the XP CD for this problem, and your activation code. This is the method:- http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=305

[gerbil]

meant to include this:- if you can get hold of a Xp Install CD, boot from it and get the command console open, and at the cmd prompt type
bootcfg /rebuild
-and then type exit