Hal.dll is missing or corrupted

SeekerBlog · Jul 13, 2008

I have a new problem with my Boot Camp partition when started as a VM under Parallels. I get the following Windows startup error:

<<
...\System32\Hal.dll missing or corrupt:
Please re-install a copy of the above file.
>>

the same error I was experiencing with direct boot into XP following a Parallels crash. What is really strange is that now direct boot into XP works fine. I just retested to verify that Windows starts fine on its own -- but Parallels generates the hal.dll error.

John@Parallels · Jul 13, 2008

Click Clear button on Configuration Editor-Configuration-Hard Disk 1 -Advanced

bydefault · Jul 14, 2008

Me too. Hal.dll is missing or corrupted

I've been through the suggested repair from the Windows XP Installation disk... but it did not change anything. Other suggestions?

John@Parallels · Jul 14, 2008

bydefault
If you have Boot Camp you need to perform repair from there

bydefault · Jul 15, 2008

I do not have boot camp. What do I need to do?

John@Parallels · Jul 15, 2008

Perform backup for VM as described in Parallels Desktop for Mac user guide from http://www.parallels.com/en/download/file/doc/Parallels_Desktop_for_Mac_User_Guide.pdf on page 243

Perform step from article http://kb.parallels.com/en/4867

Please backup because if something goes wrong you may lose all data

bydefault · Jul 15, 2008

John@Parallels said:
Perform backup for VM as described in Parallels Desktop for Mac user guide from http://www.parallels.com/en/download/file/doc/Parallels_Desktop_for_Mac_User_Guide.pdf on page 243

Perform step from article http://kb.parallels.com/en/4867

Please backup because if something goes wrong you may lose all data

I performed the backup and am running the repair, but the recovery console gets to a command prompt "C:\>" and instructs me to type EXIT if i wish to quit and restart. It never asks me for my administrator password, nor does it seem to do any repairing of any sort. If I type EXIT, it ends this session and I'm right back where I started.

John@Parallels · Jul 15, 2008

It shouldn't
there are 2 options
-1) Boot VM from Windows Installation CD. When the text-based part of Setup appears, follow the prompts. Choose the repair or recover option by pressing R.

2) When prompted, type the Administrator password. (if you did not create one try pressing enter).

3) You should expand the file from the CD. The command would be

expand D:\i386hal.dl_ C:\windows\system32\hal.dll.

Substitute D: with the drive letter of your CD. Once you have expanded the file type "exit" to exit the Recovery Console and restart VM.

another one is kb
-http://kb.parallels.com/en/5138