Comments on: Invalid Boot.ini or Missing Windows/System32/Hal.dll

By: Recovery Console Installation Guide (Add to Windows Boot Menu)

Recovery Console Installation Guide (Add to Windows Boot Menu) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 06:45:58 +0000

[...] Invalid Boot.ini or Missing Windows/System32/Hal.dll [...]

By: Invalid boot | Finalpriceauto

Invalid boot | Finalpriceauto — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 07:16:38 +0000

[...] SOLVED: Invalid Boot.ini or Missing Windows/System32/Hal.dll Boot …Jul 25, 2009 … After switching on your computer or after restarting Windows XP you receive either of the error messages below and cannot get into Windows. [...]

By: Rosco

Rosco — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 04:09:11 +0000

Steve, F10 System Recovery is NOT the same as a recovery console CD. System recovery will likely wipe your system and reset it to factory default.
Yes, you can create a bootable USB or external drive by following these directions: http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2009/05/11/burn-iso-image-to-usb-flash-pen-drive-kon-boot-to-usb/

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 03:04:02 +0000

I am able to hit F10 and go to system recovery. is that
the same thing as using the recovery cd? Can I use the link you provided and put it on a usb or external and run it that
way? The only other computer I have is a Netbook which
doesn’t have a CD drive.

By: Rosco

Rosco — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:47:34 +0000

Steve..if you create and boot from a recovery cd to the recovery console and follow the directions in this post then you *shouldn’t* lose any data. Saying that there are things you can do in recovery console to lose everything…just be careful and follow the steps.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:51:24 +0000

will I lose all my data when I do this? How can I back
everything up if I can’t load windows?

By: Rosco

Rosco — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 06:47:37 +0000

Hi Steve..You can create a recovery console bootable CD by following these directions: http://www.proposedsolution.com/downloads/download-windows-recovery-console/

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:11:49 +0000

how can I get a copy of the boot file if I don’t have my CD?

By: 3 Ways To Save Your Files When Windows Won't Load

3 Ways To Save Your Files When Windows Won't Load — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:23:27 +0000

[...] Proposed Solution there’s been a lot of emphasis on Windows boot problems (NTLDR is missing, Invalid Boot.ini, etc) and online backup including the release of the new [...]

By: Rosco

Rosco — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 09:49:38 +0000

Hi Dutch…

Sounds like your BIOS isn’t configured to boot from CD. Have you set the startup device order or boot order? Post the specs of your PC if you can’t find this and I’ll have a look for you. Also, if you have set the boot order correctly, are you able to boot from a different bootable CD or have you tried booting a different PC with your Windows XP cd and verifed that it works correctly?

You’ll really need to carry out a process of elimination exercise here to determine the issue.

Hope this helps.

Rosco

By: Dutch

Dutch — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:33:00 +0000

Even worse problem!!!!!!!!!!
Hi i have a bigger problem… i cant start from my windows xp sp2 cd because it doesnt load it… it keeps saying that there isnt a disc in it! Im pretty okay with my comp so no dirty or damaged disc so on… really weird that it just doesnt load from my cd and to make things worse when it skips the cd and says the boot.ini starting from C:/windows/ it gives me a blue screen… sooo to be clear:
It wont start on the winXP sp2 cd. so i can’t format or what so ever. and now it keeps giving me blue screens when i start without it… Any1? Thnx in advance!

By: My computer has a Boot.INI file C:\Window\ error and upon loading up it freezes. Any help is welcomed? | Web Moments

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:02:52 +0000

[...] First try: http://www.proposedsolution.com/solution… [...]

By: freedom

freedom — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:10:43 +0000

where can i get a boot.ini for my flashdrive to be inserted to my computer….i cant insert the windows xp cd….due to….my computers harddrive is not available…
tnx in advance..

By: Mahmoud Gouda

Mahmoud Gouda — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:58:39 +0000

This article describes how to view and manually configure the Boot.ini file in Windows XP from within the Startup and Recovery dialog.

In Windows XP, you can quickly and easily locate the Boot.ini to verify and/or edit the file.

It is suggested to backup the Boot.ini file before editing. The first tasks will involve modifying folder option so as to view hidden files and then backing up the Boot.ini file.

Back to the top
Save a Backup Copy of Boot.ini
Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
-or-
Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
Under System Startup, click Edit. This opens the file in Notepad ready for editing.
In Notepad, click File on the Menu bar, and then click Save As.
Right click in an empty area of the Save As dialog box, point to New in the context menu, and then click Folder.
Type a name for the new folder, for example temp, and then press the ENTER key to create the folder named temp.
Double-click the new folder named temp, and then click the Save button to save a backup copy of the Boot.ini file.

Back to the top
Edit the Boot.ini File
To view and edit the Boot.ini file:
Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
-or-
Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
Under System Startup, click Edit.

Back to the top
Sample Boot.ini File
This is a sample of a default Boot.ini file from a Windows XP Professional computer.
[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
This is a sample of the above Boot.ini file with a previous installation of Windows 2000 on a separate partition.
[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=”Windows XP Professional” /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT=”Windows 2000 Professional” /fastdetect

Back to the top
Modifying the Boot.ini
While you can modify the Boot.ini file using the Startup and Recovery dialog, where you can select the default operating system, change the timeout value, or manually edit the file, the following method uses the command line utility, Bootcfg.exe.

Note The Bootcfg.exe utility is only available in Windows XP Professional. This utility is not available in Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. Therefore, this section does not apply to Windows XP Home Edition.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open text box, type cmd.
At the command prompt, type bootcfg /?.
The help and parameters for BOOTCFG.exe will display.

Adding an Operating System
At the command prompt, type:
bootcfg /copy /d Operating System Description /ID#
Where Operating System Description is a text description (e.g. Windows XP Home Edition), and where # specifies the boot entry ID in the operating systems section of the BOOT.INI file from which the copy has to be made.

Removing an Operating System
At the command prompt, type:
bootcfg /delete /ID#
Where # specifies the boot entry ID that you want to be deleted from the operating systems section of the BOOT.INI file (e.g. 2 for the second Operating system that is listed.

Setting the Default Operating System
At the command prompt, type:
bootcfg /default /ID#
Where # specifies the boot entry id in the operating systems section of the BOOT.INI file to be made the default operating system.

Setting the Time Out
At the command prompt, type: bootcfg /timeout# Where # specifies the time in seconds after which default operating system will be loaded.

Back to the top
Open the Boot.ini File to Verify Changes
Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
-or-
Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
Under System Startup, click Edit.

By: Bryan M

Bryan M — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:45:03 +0000

Thank you for your response Brian. I have a OS cd-rom and Recovery cd from another PC, but the computer I am having problems with did not come with any OS or Recovery cd’s (came with XPH pre-installed). I was able to use the OS & Recovery cd to follow the rebuild steps to allow me to login to Windows again, however when I tried to use the same “foreign” OS CD from within Windows it recognized that the OS CD was not compatible with the existing installation of XP.

I haven’t tried dragging the boot files from the i386 folder on the OS cd yet. Do you think that it will still work even if the OS cd is from another PC’s version of XPH? Thanks again, and thanks in advance for your help.

By: Rosco

Rosco — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:15:51 +0000

Hi Gina…

Can you give me some info on your system? i.e. make/model of PC, message on screen, etc

By: Gina

Gina — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:51:12 +0000

What if I can’t boot from CD?
I have tried changing bios to boot from CD first but it doesn’t work.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:56:29 +0000

Bryon M I fixed mine by inserting boot disc that came with computer. Then in the I386 folder i found all the boot files (they say boot in name) copied all of them I think theres was 5. Then droped them in 386 folder on my computer theres were only 2 in there it asked if I wanted to replace those 2 i said yes. It has been fine since.

By: Bryan M

Bryan M — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:41:55 +0000

I am having the same issue, and have followed the rebuild procedure twice, both times successfully restoring Windows and allowing me to boot up completely. However, as soon as I restart again the same error messages appear (I receive both the errors listed above, Invalid Boot.ini,
and Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: Windows/System32/Hal.dll). Is there anything else I can do, or is it probably due to the hard drive beginning to fail?

By: Rosco

Rosco — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:19:14 +0000

Hi Brian,
Which error are you getting? There are two possible errors for this solution.
Describe the sequence of events please?

Thanks
Rosco