Computer crashed--SOLVED

Hakkekage

I left my computer on as I went to sleep last night. Something must have triggered a reboot or it crashed while I was asleep and now all I have is a black screen that says the following:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll
Please reinstall a copy of the above file

I am flipping out, I really need my computer and I have a shitload of important things on my drive. If I lose it, I'm fucked beyond belief. I tried looking arround and all I can see is it might have something to do with my CPU--AMD Athlon--but not how to fix it, or at least, how to fix it in terms I can readily understand.

I only have a short while on my sister's computer, please help Note: I am technologically stunted, so please keep it simple.

EDIT: And I can't find a Windows XP CD-ROM, does this mean I'm double fucked?

starlancerii

From what I know, chances are something went wrong with your had drive (probably got corrupted), which is why it can't boot.

HOWEVER, all your stuff is most likely not lost. If it is indeed your hard drive having problems, what you need to do is to take it out, connect to your sister's computer, and transfer off your files (chances are only hal.dll got corrupted)

I'm sure whoever posts after me will tell you about doing chkdsk with repair or something, but rest assured, your files are most likely completely fine

Fantasma

Hello,

Read the instructions found in this place:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm

Work from Option two in the middle of the page.

P.S.

I have not tested these procedures myself, so I take no responsibility if you trash your system beyond repair.

F

Tasteticle

Also, if you have no other choice, create a linux live cd (use ubuntu or something), pop it in the cd drive and boot off of that. The linux OS will come up and from there you can probably access your harddrive.

theSquid

Second. Always have a Linux LiveCD on hand. I don't mean to give off a smug-Linux-elitist-bastard vibe, but for future reference if ever you get into deep shit like this you can still have a functional OS and access to all of your files. Then you can suss out the problem on your own time.

Hakkekage

See I have no idea how to get one or make one. I can't even get my computer to boot up.

My friend tried to connect my HD to his computer and copy the missing/corrupted file to it, but once we finally got the computer to recognize it exists it wouldn't let him access the WINDOWS folder. He thinks it's because my computer has a password, but it won't let us enter it. So I can't even access my files to back them up.

I'm like a headless chicken running around in circles, I don't know what much of this means

theSquid

Are all your files within the WINDOWS folder? Surely he can back up all your documents from the other folders - Documents and Settings or whatever.

Failing that, get your friend to burn an Ubuntu LiveCD or a Knoppix LiveCD (you can download the isos freely on the internet and burn them onto a spare CD-R) reboot your computer with one of those CD's in the CD drive, get it to boot the OS directly from the CD, and you'll get a slow working version of Linux on your machine that you'll be able to use to access all your files, including the Windows folder. From there getting that dll from your friends PC onto your computer should be trivial, since among other things it has Pidgin and Firefox, so you can send the file over IM or email.

Monolithic_Dome

First, relax. Take a few deep breaths. Everything is going to be OK. You probably didn't lose any data, and I'll get your computer running by the end of this message. Once you get it up and going, you can figure out what's wrong and fix it, but in the mean time.

I'm gonna break this down nice and easy. Remember, relax. Everything is OK.

1. Borrow another computer. It needs an internet connection and a CD burner.
2. Acquire a blank CD.

You are going to be making a live CD of "Ubuntu," a Linux-based operating system. This will allow you to use your computer until you get Windows up and running

3. Go here to download the Ubuntu ISO. You want the Desktop edition. An ISO is an "image" file that tells a computer how to make a bit-for-bit copy of a CD.

4. While the ISO is downloading, go have a cup of coffee or something. Chill out.

5. Once it's done, you are going to need to burn that ISO onto a disk. You are going to do that with a program called ImgBurn. There's a video right here that will explain what you need to do. That page also has a link to download ImgBurn

6. Once the CD is done burning, pop it out, grab a sharpie, and label it "Ubuntu"

7. Stick it back in the CD drive and restart your computer. One of two things will happen:

-You will be greeted with a menu with a big Ubuntu Logo on top and a menu, skip to step 9
-You will get the same error message about a missing DLL, go to step 8

8. You need to set the boot order so that your computer looks at the CD drive first. To do this you'll need to enter your BIOS setup. Every computer is different here, but when you boot up there should be a message saying something like "Press Del to enter setup." you are going to want to press Del (or whatever the key is). When you are in the BIOS setup, you'll need to find an option for "Boot Order" and make it so that the CD Drive (usually listed as ATAPI CD ROM or something) comes before the Hard Drive. Reboot

9. On the friendly Ubuntu menu, select "Start or Install Ubuntu"

10. Wait for Ubuntu to load. It'll take a little longer than windows normally does because it's loading from the CD

11. When ubuntu loads, there should be an icon on the desktop for your hard drive. Open it up and back up the important files to CD/USB drive/External Drive

There, now have a running OS and your files are safe and sound. While you are figuring out your windows stuff you might check here for various tricks and howtos for Ubuntu.

Monolithic_Dome

ADDENDUM: If Ubuntu doesn't mount (geek speak for "make available") your windows partition automatically, here is step-by-step instructions to read files off your windows drive. You'll have to copy and paste commands into a terminal window (another way of telling your PC to do stuff). You can open the terminal via the applications menu.

Also, where he says "Feisty Users, you can skip this stuff," you can skip this stuff. Ubuntu releases are nicknamed in alphabetical order. You are runnning "Hardy Heron," which comes after "Feisty Fawn"

theSquid

That was a much friendler post than mine, Monolithic_Dome. Bask in my approval.

Bask.

dgs095

Monolithic_Dome wrote: »

First, relax. Take a few deep breaths. Everything is going to be OK. You probably didn't lose any data, and I'll get your computer running by the end of this message. Once you get it up and going, you can figure out what's wrong and fix it, but in the mean time.

I'm gonna break this down nice and easy. Remember, relax. Everything is OK.

1. Borrow another computer. It needs an internet connection and a CD burner.
2. Acquire a blank CD.

You are going to be making a live CD of "Ubuntu," a Linux-based operating system. This will allow you to use your computer until you get Windows up and running

3. Go here to download the Ubuntu ISO. You want the Desktop edition. An ISO is an "image" file that tells a computer how to make a bit-for-bit copy of a CD.

4. While the ISO is downloading, go have a cup of coffee or something. Chill out.

5. Once it's done, you are going to need to burn that ISO onto a disk. You are going to do that with a program called ImgBurn. There's a video right here that will explain what you need to do. That page also has a link to download ImgBurn

6. Once the CD is done burning, pop it out, grab a sharpie, and label it "Ubuntu"

7. Stick it back in the CD drive and restart your computer. One of two things will happen:

-You will be greeted with a menu with a big Ubuntu Logo on top and a menu, skip to step 9
-You will get the same error message about a missing DLL, go to step 8

8. You need to set the boot order so that your computer looks at the CD drive first. To do this you'll need to enter your BIOS setup. Every computer is different here, but when you boot up there should be a message saying something like "Press Del to enter setup." you are going to want to press Del (or whatever the key is). When you are in the BIOS setup, you'll need to find an option for "Boot Order" and make it so that the CD Drive (usually listed as ATAPI CD ROM or something) comes before the Hard Drive. Reboot

9. On the friendly Ubuntu menu, select "Start or Install Ubuntu"

10. Wait for Ubuntu to load. It'll take a little longer than windows normally does because it's loading from the CD

11. When ubuntu loads, there should be an icon on the desktop for your hard drive. Open it up and back up the important files to CD/USB drive/External Drive

There, now have a running OS and your files are safe and sound. While you are figuring out your windows stuff you might check here for various tricks and howtos for Ubuntu.

Excellent post, do this!

If it doesn't work and you have a little cash to burn there are professional data recovery people. But really, this should work, post here again if it doesn't for some reason.

Hakkekage

Thank you guys, so much. Seriously.

My friend got the corrupted file fixed so now my main issue is prevention. My comp is up and running again but I expect something like this to happen again in the future, so I'm currently following monolithic_Dome's excellent and idiot-friendly list just in case something like this happens.

Sorry I'm not too good in a situation I don't understand. Thanks for the quick and timely responses
This can get locked now, I guess.

Monolithic_Dome

Glad you got it working! I'll fit this in here real quick before it gets locked.

-I'd highly recommend playing around with Ubuntu a bit after you get the CD burned. It's pretty sweet.

-Now is a good time to get into the habit of making regular backups. There are about a million billion programs that are there to help you. Best if your backup is on a separate physical device from your computer, IE a portable hard drive or somesuch.

Hakkekage

Yeah my friend lent me his external HD so I could get it all off while I go and buy my own.

Currently burning the ISO. Once again, thanks for the help.

Hakkekage

Fuck, now my computer is being attacked by Vista Antivirus 2008. It must have caused the crash in he first place. I just registered and am installing SpyHunter right now to try and get rid of it.

theSquid

Better and safer antivirus and antispyware for me are AVG Free Anti-Virus, Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy.

They can all be found on this page: http://www.filehippo.com

It also features a number of other freeware/open source Windows security tools among other things.