Missing hal.dll after resizing partitions

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by sfcpc, Aug 16, 2005.

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  1. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    Hi All!

    I'm using the following:
    Acronis True Image 8.0 build 786

    I have a 120 GB drive with 3 Fat32 partitions. Today I created images of all three partitions and then restored them to the same drive and locations but changed the size of each drive (two smaller, one larger) - these restorations were done sequentially without any reboots (all from my True Image boot CD). When I rebooted, I got a message that windows couldn't find system32\hal.dll. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get the system to boot.

    I then checked this forum and searched for hal.dll and found that others had the same complication when moving/resizing partitions. I also found the following link:

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

    I can boot from a dos disk, from the True Image boot disk, and from a Windows CD. However, when I load the Windows CD and select R (for repair), I'm first asked for which installation log on to (1. C:\Windows, so I select "1") and then I'm asked for an administrator password. I don't believe I set a password when I installed WinXP, there is only a single user setup on this computer and no log-on password is required. I've tried hitting return, tab and other keys but, after 3 "returns", a message is displayed that I've had 3 attempts and now must reboot.

    Please, how do I resolve this issueo_O? Should I 'restore' the images back to their original sizeso_O

    Steve
     
  2. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Steve, I've seen the hal.dll error a few times. Each time it was due to an incorrect boot.ini and I was able to fix it in a few minutes.

    I've always disliked the Windows Recovery Console. I use BartPE to directly edit the boot.ini.
     
  3. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    I have BartPE running right now (gave me access to the boot.ini). Following the linked instructions above I visualized and deleted the boot.ini but cannot run bootcfg. Have I screwed up or is there something I can do in BartPE??

    PS - I just accessed the image file for this drive and have the boot.ini file from just before the restore:

    [boot loader]
    timeout=30
    default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
    [operating systems]
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

    Could I edit it (and how?) and then copy the revised file back onto the drive?
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2005
  4. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    If you now don't have a boot.ini you can create one with Notepad (in BartPE) and save it to C:\

    Mine (WinXP Pro) is



    [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 Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect



    As you can see my WinXP is on partition 1. I assume yours is too.
     
  5. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    I just saw your edit. Simply change the 3 to 1. Then do, File, Save.

    Should boot now. Let us know.
     
  6. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Sorry, I'm confused. Is there a boot.ini visible in BartPE?
     
  7. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    That's an interesting question - note from my edited post above yours that my active partition WAS 3 (taken from the backed-up boot.ini). When the file was restored to the SAME partition, could it's number have changedo_O

    Sorry - We're almost real time!

    No - I loaded the True Image file for this partition onto another computer and can see it there.
     
  8. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Steve, can you see the boot.ini in BartPE?

    In which partition is WinXP installed? 1, 2 or 3?
     
  9. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    When I first loaded BartPE and went to c:\, boot.ini was not visable.

    Following the instructions from the link above, I ran:

    C:>Attrib -h -r -s boot.ini

    and boot.ini was then visable. Unfortunately, without looking at it's contents I deleted it (per the instructions) so I don't know what the version AFTER the restore looked like. The version BEFORE the restore (from the image) is posted above.

    Is there a simple way NOW to know what partion I'm in (when BartPE loaded is started a command prompte and types c:return)?
     
  10. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    OK. When you restored your 3 partitions, what was the order? We are almost there.
     
  11. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Which BartPE do you have? The ordinary or Reatogo version?
     
  12. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    I did not wipe or reformat the disk before restoring - i simply made the images and then used True Image to restore them, readjusting the size of each partition.

    I restored the XP partition first (the primary boot partition), then a Win98 partition and then a logical (data) partition 3rd.

    Just tried booting with a boot.ini that was switched to 1 and got same error:

    [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 Professional" /fastdetect

    I used PE Builder v3.1.3 to make BartPE - not sure what
     
  13. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Steve, are you saying that you are not sure whether WinXP is in partition 1, 2 or 3. If that is the case then try the boot.ini as 3 and if that doesn't work use 2.

    Are you using the A43 program in BartPE to view the boot.ini? That's how I do it.
     
  14. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    Hi Brian:

    I am a novice with BartPE (just made the boot disk today because it was referenced in another post on hal.dll and seemed useful). Initially I did edits on another computer but, following your suggestion, I did subsequent edits with A43 (handy program!).

    The boot.ini file on my image was set to partition 3 (no longer working).

    I changed to partition 1 - still no boot.

    Changed back to partition 3 - still no boot.

    Changed to partition 2 - IT BOOTS!

    Things seem to be working fine!!!
    _______________________________

    Is there anything else I need to modify or tweak (fixmbr, fixboot, etc.) or
    clean up (reset the attributes of boot.ini)o_O

    MANY, MANY THANKS BRIAN FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT!!!!!

    Steve :D
     
  15. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Great work Steve. Nothing else to do. We all enjoy learning.

    Win98 must be partition 1 on your computer.
     
  16. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    When I try to boot from Win98 will I have the same problem (I looked - there isn't a boot.ini file)?
     
  17. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    There is no boot.ini for Win98. Your boot loader should work OK. Which one do you use?
     
  18. sfcpc

    sfcpc Registered Member

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    I'm a simple guy - I don't like choices each boot as I rarely go out of XP these days so I use the XP Disk Management utility to select the active partition for boot (and fdisk in Win9:cool:.

    Actually, I just opened the disk management utility and I still have 27 GB of unallocated space!!! My goal was two drives of about 20 GB for XP and Win98, with the remainder (~70 GB) for data - any reason I shouldn't have been able to do that under Fat32?? At this point, perhaps I should reformat the disk and start over (at least I should be able to fix the same problem)??
     
  19. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    I'm no expert on Acronis TI and the way it handles partition sizes. There are many here who can help. Start a new thread.

    I gather you don't have any partitioning software to resize your partitions. That is what I'd do.
     
  20. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Steve, as you like BartPE, you will like the Reatogo version even more. It's by far my favourite. You can even add Acronis TI, built from the files installed on your HD.

    http://www.reatogo.de/
     
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