My friend gave me this computer because he is building a new one. The hard drive had fried, so it has a new 160 gb seagate. When I go to set up windows, everything goes through fine, but right after it formats the drive and copies the setup files and does the restart, it gives me the missing or corrupt hal.dll file error message. This is a fresh, brand new drive and this set up has worked before, with only the hard drive different. My friend brought over a different copy of Windows XP to try, an older copy that only could manage 137 gb partitions. That disk installed fine on the smaller partition. When I used the Seagate Diskwizard to create the full 160 gb partition and used the same windows disk, it gave me the same dll file. I have tried with 3 different windows disk, XP home with sp1, XP pro without service packs, and an XP Pro with sp2 (my original disk). Has anyone experienced this error on a fresh hard drive? you think something is wrong with the hard drive? I am baffled, windows won't install.

you might want to try this link. http://pcsupport.about.com/od/pcrepair/a/missinghal_dll.htm Jim R

I don't think that is what is needed. He needs to force the hal because it is a new set up. To do this is to boot to the installation disc and when it prompts to hit F6 key for third party drivers hit F5 instead. This will allow you to select a new HAL to be installed on the hdd of a new installation. you will need to know what HAL is needed so when the options come up (2 at a time only use arrow keys for more)read what each hal represents then the best one that matches your motherboard select it and it will then be installed. you should read up more on it here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299340/en-us In The Matters Of Style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, Stand Like A Rock