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NTLDR: fatal error 512 reading boot:ini

5K views 9 replies 2 participants last post by  chauffeur2 
#1 ·
Hello, I'm running windows XP Pro, I am getting the above message when I start up my computer. I have tried booting with the disc and run through the set up, hit R for recovery and then get a message "which windows installation would you like to log onto (to cancel press enter)"
At this point I'm stumped. Can you tell me what to do from here? Thanks for your help
 
#2 · (Edited)
Hi Kelsey,...Welcome to TSF! :wave:

There is a fairly 'simple' way around this NTLDR problem.

Here's the 'fast fix'...

You will need 2 things:

1. A floppy Disc
2. A friend with a computer with the same version of Windows® XP
[i.e: XP Home or XP Pro].
If you have XP Home then you will need access to a computer with XP Home etc.

What you do is go to the 'good' computer and copy these files to the floppy Disc...

Ntldr ; NTDETECT.COM ; and, boot.ini

To view these particular files, you will have to "show hidden system files" from the Folder options.

Once you have these 3 files on the floppy, put it into the 'crook' computer, and start it up...Hey Presto! It Boots!
But wait there's more..... :laugh: once you are up and running, you will have to check to see that the boot.ini file on your computer is reading the same for whatever version of XP is installed.

Then copy the three files from the floppy to the 'crook' computer.

Please Note: ALL 3 files must be copied, in order for this 'quick fix' to work.

That's about it...I did it this way and have not missed a beat since.

Give it a try and let us know the result.

Regards,
 
#3 ·
Thank you, when I now start up the computer I get the following message:
"The following file is missing or corrupt <windows root>system32\hal.dll Please re-install a copy of the above file"

My son is running the same operating system XP Pro so I copied the above .cab file from his computer onto a floppy, but I can't figure out how to load it onto my system. I still need to XP disc to boot the computer, I choose repair installation "R" and end up in a dos page C:\windows
I've tried DIR EXTRACT to try and get the file out of the floppy without luck. It just reads from the C drive not the A Drive where the floppy is. I don't know how to change directories, my dos syntax is not good.

Do you have any suggestions as to how I could restore this file onto my computer

Thanks
 
#4 ·
Ok Kelsey,

Sorry for the problems you are having, but these cantankerous contraptions never want to make it easy. :laugh:

So, let's try this to make it behave...

1. Use the Windows XP CD-ROM to start your computer.

2. When you receive the message press R to repair Windows by using the Recovery Console, press the R key.

3. Select the Windows installation that you want, and then type the administrator password when prompted. (If there is no password, just hit Enter)

4. Type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER.

5. When the Windows installation is located, the following instructions are displayed:

Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
[Type Y in response to this message.]

Enter Load Identifier:
[This is the name of the operating system. Type Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition.]

Enter OS Load options:
[Leave this field blank, and then press ENTER].

After you perform the preceding steps, restart the computer, and then select the first item on the boot menu. This should allow Windows XP to start normally.

After Windows XP has successfully loaded, the Boot.ini can be modified to remove the incorrect entry.

See what happens after you try this.

Post back with the results.

Kind Regards,
 
#5 ·
Thanks Dave. I have followed your instructions, after step 5 on the C:\Windows prompt I typed in Exit and the computer restarts. On the boot menu I chose windows xp professional (the top item on the list) but I still get the missing corrupt message re system32\hal.dll.
On the boot menu I now have
windows xp professional (as per your step 5)
Y (I tried a rebuild earlier but didn't know what to do so put Y to all three options)
Blank (when I first looked at rebuild I shied away from it and just hit enter at all 3 options)
Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Think this must have been what was there before the machine went crook)

I then followed your instructions a second time and at step 5 entered Microsoft Windows XP Professional. I now have 5 items on the boot list, the first and last being the same wording, but the corrupt message still comes up

Have you any other thoughts
Thanks
 
#6 · (Edited)
Hi Kelsey,

"The following file is missing or corrupt <windows root>system32\hal.dll Please re-install a copy of the above file"
My son is running the same operating system XP Pro so I copied the above .cab file from his computer onto a floppy, but I can't figure out how to load it onto my system. I still need to XP disc to boot the computer, I choose repair installation "R" and end up in a dos page C:\windows
Let me be the eternal optimist here :grin:...try and boot the computer with the XP CD; however, this time, Please DO NOT give it any keyboard instructions, meaning just let it continue on its merry way, and hopefully this time you will get to the Desktop.

Once at the Desktop, open My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View.
In here you will need to tick the bullet (under the sub-category Hidden Files and Folders) Show Hiddens Files and Folders > (if prompted say YES) > scroll down to the box Hide protected operating System Files (recommended) and Untick it > Yes > Ok.

Now, Right Click on the C: Drive > Explore...navigate to WINDOWS click on the + sign > system32 > open >scroll down to see if the hal.dll is there. (Don't worry if it isn't there)..Close out of the system32 folder, and all the others until you are back to My Computer.

Insert the floppy with the hal.dll on it into the A: Drive >Right Click the A: Drive Icon > Open.

In this window highlight the hal.dll file, and on the left it will have copy this file > highlight it; then, navigate to here...C:\WINDOWS\system32 > Copy . say Yes to overwrite/replace the file > ok.

Remove the floppy, close all open windows, back to the Desktop; then, reboot the computer.

Cross your fingers..Hopefully it will start behaving itself. :grin:

Post back with the result, and if successful, we can then work on rectifying those extra boot entries.

(You might still need to boot it with the CD, but don't worry, as we can 'remove' the extra entries from within Windows when it is running.)

EDIT: If you are confronted with that list of boot options, (mentioned in Post #4), select the First one and see what happens.
Kind Regards,
 
#7 ·
Thanks Dave, unfortunately it never gets to desktop.
When I start up the computer the screen shows Award Plug & Play BIOS extention. At the bottom of the screen is "Press DEL to enter setup"

It then flicks to the next screen which gives CPU type, info re drives, disks, ports; PCI device listing. At the bottom of this page is
Boot from ATAPI CD-Rom:
No Emulation
Press any key to boot from CD

If I do nothing it goes to the next screen "Please select the operating system to start and it lists the 5 that I mentyioned in the previous Message, Microsoft Windows XP Professional; windows xp professiosnal; Y; Blank and Microsoft Windows XP Professional. If I do nothing after about 20 seconds I get the message about the missing or corrupt file and that's as far as I get.

If I press any key as per the preceeding paragraph I can boot from the CD and I'm into the the area where you directed me previously.

If you've got any other thoughts on how to rectify the position it would be appreciated cause I'm stuffed

Thanks
 
#8 ·
This is surely being a cantankerous contraption Kelsey, :laugh: :upset:

Rather than mucking around for hours on end, it might be a good idea to just retrieve your important files and data; then, wipe the Drive and start the installation again from scratch.

This might sound daunting, but it is not that bad a task.

You will need to connect the HDD from the 'crook' computer into a 'good' computer as a 'Slave'....this means that you physically connect the Hard Drive to the middle connector of the IDE in the other computer, with the jumper pins set to "slave".

Once this is done, and you boot the 'good' computer, the 'crook' drive will be recognised and you can retrieve the files and data.

You might be thinking "Why can't I copy this hal.dll while it is 'Slaved' ?"...I only wish it was that simple..but alas it is not. :upset:

Once you have done the task of 'moving your data, post back and we will give you instructions on how to wipe the 'Crook' Drive and set it up for a 'clean' installation.

Post back with your thoughts, and if you need any further directions to retrieve the data.

Regards,
 
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