sytem32 folder is empty

M

manindersingh

yesterday when i boot my pc then a message comes on screen that system32/hal.dll file is missing reinstall it using window xp cd.
i also have ubuntu installed on my pc so boot ubuntu.
after that i download the hal.dll file from internet and trying to copy it in system32 folder but copying is failed,some error message is popup.
when i check system32 then i found that folder is empty their is not any file in the folder.

So please tell can i restore the system using ubuntu, if yes then how?I have registry backup,can those registry be used to restrore system or recover system32 files?

can this is possible that i download the files from internet and copy them in systme32 folder, will this works?

Please tell solution.
 
courtesy of Jose Ibarra

If the thought is that you need to replace your hal.dll because your system was complaining that the hal.dll file was missing or corrupt, the message is usually misleading and the real problem is usually the boot.ini file and has nothing to do with the hal.dll file.

Sometimes XP just can't find the file because the file system is corrupted and you just need to run chkdsk /r from the XP Recovery Console so XP can find the file again.

I would always start with a chkdsk /r first (it will not hurt to run chkdsk /r even if it finds nothing to do), then take a look at the boot.ini file.

This is also why when folks trying to help give you instructions to put in your XP CD and expand the hal.dl_ file to replace yours, it is generally weak advice from a well meaning novice. THe hal.dl_ file on the XP installation CD is the least likely to be the right choice of the possible hal.dll files on the CD.

That kind of help is usually going to be very wrong - although it sort of makes sense at first and is "logical", but it will never work out favorably and that is generally not the problem anyway. You can learn about all the different hal.dll files on the XP installation CD and then figure out which one is the right one for your system, but that file is probably not really missing or corrupt.

I have never needed to replace a hal.dll file to resolve this issue - that is never really the problem.
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run checkdisk either from the recovery console or from within windows:

go to start, run, type in cmd

in cmd type chkdsk c: /r (if your os is on your c drive) and press enter

type y for yes and press enter

type exit and press enter

restart pc, this is a lengthy process allow to finins, percentages will fluctuate, this is normal, you may need to run at least twice.

post back with results.
 
Examples of Boot.ini

A typical simple example

[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

Example with Recovery Console as an option

[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
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons


Example with Safe Mode as an option and "timeout" =10 seconds

[boot loader]
timeout=10
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
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog
 
now porblem is changed littlebit please tell solution

thanks for the reply but i have moved some step so problem is little bit change so i writing about current situation of my pc

i have download hal.dll from internet.
and copy it in system32 folder and restart the pc and then messages shown that ntoskernl.exe is missing

i found ntoskernl.exe in my windows folder by searching folder and then copy it to system32 folder and restart the pc

now after restart message shown is load needed dlls for kernl

so please tell how to get those dll files back for window xp sevice pack2 because i do not have window xp cd?

Can anyone provide the list of files which should have in system32 to run the pc?

if someone using window xp when reading this thread then provide the list of files present in your pc in system32 so that i can get them from somewhere.
 
Last edited:
you would not need the files for sp2, you would need the files for sp3

if you had run recovery console your problem would have been cleared up.

you cannot just download hal.dll, as there are several versions.

if you are only at sp2, then you need to be at sp3.

unless your system is a 64 bit system.

there are 3948 files that the windows file protection program keeps track of,

you can see a list of them at this skydrive:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=6a7e789cab1d6f39&id=6A7E789CAB1D6F39!311
 
@elizabeth23
i have already trying to open that skydrive link from sevral hours but this link not opens.

about 3month earlier one other file is got missing which i download from that skydrive link and paste it in system32 to folder but this time system32 folder is completly empty.
 
I do not know why you can not view that link it open for me fine.

if your pc has never been formatted you might have a restore partition that will take you back to factory settings but you would lose all your data.

if you look in disc management does it show a separate partition of about 4gb?

with the problems you have I would suggest a reinstallation if you could borrow a cd from someone of the same xp version, and same oem version. then you could use your key which should be on your pc somewhere.

I do not run ubuntu, do not know if that is causing problems or not.

if system 32 were empty, you could not boot at all.
 
because i was using ubuntu

their is problem in ubuntu . in ubuntu many websites not open in any browser so this skydrive link was not opening

now i check the link on window pc and it opens.
 
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