[MacTUG] Bootcamp issue with large window xp hard drives partition

[Steve Hellyer]

Hi Ed.

Google for "Cannot Find \Windows\System32\hal.dll"

I think you find that this is an error seen on several Windows XP  
installs (not just BootCamp).  The articles don't really seem to  
explain why just that is occurs when an install file is corrupted.  
(You may want to try a different Windows XP SP2 installer.)

> That's most commonly a boot.ini problem. Not sure how it works in  
> Bootcamp or Parallels, but on Windows boxes you would boot to the  
> Windows disk and start the recovery console, then type:
> Attrib -H -R -S C:\Boot.ini
> DEL C:\Boot.ini
> BootCfg /Rebuild
> Fixboot
>
> or you may have to copy the hal.dll file from the install disk, like  
> this:
>
> Enter the recovery console and type:
> expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32\hal.dll. Substitute d:  
> for the drive letter of your CD. Once you have expanded the file  
> type "exit" to exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.


http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbyerrormessage/a/missinghaldll.htm
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=432009

Just seem like a normal Windows PC support issue that pops up from  
time to time.  Remember when you reboot into Windows XP with BootCamp  
you now under the full control of Windows XP and all normal Windows XP  
issues, troubleshooting, etc... apply.

Steve

Not sure it's replaced to partition size.

On 22-May-08, at 6:38 AM, Edward Chrzanowski CSCF wrote:

>>
>> Ran into the following problem today with two Intel iMac, Mac OS
>> 10.5.2 that is kind of strange.
>>
>> Windows XP (SR2) would install fine under bootcamp, when the windows
>> partition was 160 GB (or smaller). However, when ever we tried a
>> windows partition size of 200 GB, windows would start the install,
>> copy files, etc all the way to the first reboot stage. Upon reboot,
>> one gets the error message that the hal.dll file was missing. I think
>> the exact message was "Cannot Find \Windows\System32\hal.dll"
>>
>> Why the drive partition size would matter, I could find an answer to.
>> For the moment, the problem has been solved by just going with a 160
>> GB Windows partition.
>> Now, I don't know if a partition size > 160 GB but less than 200 GB
>> would work as we didn't try it (it is just to time consuming to wipe
>> out the windows partition, create a new one using bootcamp, install
>> windows (doing the full NTFS format) and installing windows).
>>
>> Anyways,  if anyone comes across something to explain this, please  
>> let
>> me know as right now it makes little sense as to why this is  
>> happening.
>>
>> Thanks.
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>> MacTUG at lists.uwaterloo.ca
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>>
>
> I ran into this problem a year ago when I was experimenting with  
> bootcamp.
> What helped me was:
> http://forums.bombich.com/viewtopic.php?t=8875&highlight=bootcamp++hal+dll
> Also take a look in http://www.bombich.com/mactips/dualboot.html
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