How do I reinstall system32hal once it has been wiped out by a virus and all I can enter is F2 and F10?

What is the system 32.hal file error?

The system 32.hal file error can occur due to an infection by a computer virus as well as during an upgrade of the operating system. When it occurs, the functioning of the computer ceases since this file is necessary in order for Windows to function properly. Hal stands for "hardware abstraction layer," a pretty impressive phrase.

Reinstalling system32.hal: Installation Disk

If you have the installation disk that came with your computer, you can use it to reinstall the system32.hal file. You simply need to insert the disk into the computer, turn it on and select the proper option to boot your computer from the CD. Then you can follow the prompts (select "r") in order to select repair the operating system. If you are prompted for the administrator password, type it in. If you don't have one, then pressing the "enter" key generally works.

Reinstalling system32.hal: Secondary Computer with Windows XP Pro

This next strategy is a bit tricky, so you should back up the system and all files first. If you don't have access to a recovery CD, you can try to purchase one from the manufacturer of the computer. Alternatively, you can uninstall the hard drive from the problematic computer (provided it is virus free) and install it on another computer that is using the same operating system. You will have to set it up as the "slave" drive.

Once the hard drive is installed, you need to boot up, enable "Explorer\tools\folder options." Next, display the contents of the system folders and allow hidden files and folders to show. You'll need to uncheck the "Hide protected OS files." Locate the hal.dll by searching for all or part of the file name. Copy the file to the slave hard drive. Undo any changes that you made to the computer's OS. Remove the hard drive and replace it in the original computer. Hopefully it will allow the computer to boot up, but remember to set it as Master.

Replace the Boot.ini File

In some cases, a missing boot.ini file is the real culprit behind the missing system32hal error message. If nothing else has worked, you can try replacing the boot.ini file. For instructions on this file, refer to this document from Microsoft: Support Microsoft 289022.

Replace Windows OS with a Clean Installation

Although replacing your operating system with a clean installation will cause you to lose your documents, files, etc, performing a clean installation often resolves hal.dll errors. If you go this route and the problem still exists, you might want to consider replacing the hard drive.

Susan Keenan | May 27th, 2009
Tags: hal error, hal.dll, missing system32hal, system32 hal error, system32.hal
Categories: DLL errors

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