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| Thread ID: 108362 | 2010-03-25 10:36:00 | Hal.dll error help | Rahotep (14854) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 870009 | 2010-03-25 10:36:00 | Hi guys/girls, I have a Windows XP SP3 computer which has had a hal.dll error occur causing Windows to stop working. The main user is a girl doesn't know what could have caused the issues. The only abnormal issue noted by her was that several times before the error occurred the computer had run chkdsk on startup. I've rebuilt the boot file and the computer is up and running again but whatever caused the error in the first place is probably still affecting the computer and/or will strike again if not resolved. The PC has AVG antivirus and spybot on it. Could this be a spyware/virus/rootkit etc issue or a hardware issue? Either way, what should I do next to find out and fix it? I'm willing to do any scans, post reports etc on here if anyone is kind enough to help me try figure out the underlying issue here :) Thanks!! |
Rahotep (14854) | ||
| 870010 | 2010-03-25 10:53:00 | uninstall AVG i'd get microsoft security essentials, malwarebytes, trojan remover, update them, run full scans, then post a Hijackthis log. |
GameJunkie (72) | ||
| 870011 | 2010-03-25 11:16:00 | Maybe this will help support.microsoft.com (From the above article) This may be worth noting (your HDD may be defective :horrified) This behavior can occur if any or some of the following conditions are true: * The Default value in the section of the Boot.ini file is missing or invalid. * Windows XP is not installed in the location specified in the Boot.ini file. * The Ntoskrnl.exe file is missing or damaged. * The partition path in the Boot.ini file is not set correctly. * [B]General hardware failure. Especially seeing as she said this several times before the error occurred the computer had run chkdsk on startup. |
feersumendjinn (64) | ||
| 870012 | 2010-03-25 19:06:00 | Yeah, I would definitely get hold of the manufacturer's diagnostic utility (eg Seatools if it's a Seagate), and do a full diagnostic test on the hard drive. | ryanjames.powell (13554) | ||
| 870013 | 2010-03-25 19:38:00 | Backup! Backup! backup! anything she doesnt want to lose first | Gobe1 (6290) | ||
| 870014 | 2010-03-25 19:44:00 | Whenever I have seen this error it has been because the computer is set to boot in a sequence starting with usb port before hdd and someone has left a flash drive plugged in and re-booted the computer. | zqwerty (97) | ||
| 870015 | 2010-03-25 20:11:00 | Hi all, Thanks for the great responses so far :) GameJunkie I'll do as you said and will post HJT results tonight when I'm home. I assume you suggest to uninstall AVG just to avoid duplication with Microsoft Security Essentials? feersumendjinn and ryanjames.powell I fear(ed) this may be the case so I'll try to find the diagnostic tool and run it tonight. It's a Dell PC so I'm pretty sure (from memory) the tool will already be on the PC if not on a CD supplied by Dell with the PC so hopefully this should be easy to do. Gobe1 I will endeavour to backup their data, I use the admin account on the PC - can I backup the girl's password protected user account without the password (given I'm on an admin account) or will I need to ask her for the password to access her data? zqwerty the PC has no flashdrives in use so this is definitely not the issue. The only USB ports in use are for the printer and keyboard/mouse. Again, thanks to all for your help/advice. Will follow-up tonight with the scan reports but any further info in the mean-time is appreciated! |
Rahotep (14854) | ||
| 870016 | 2010-03-25 20:23:00 | Wouldn't be surprised if AVG caused it. Since one of its updates killed system files. You should only have 1 AV program, NOT 2 or more | Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 870017 | 2010-03-25 20:40:00 | GameJunkie I'll do as you said and will post HJT results tonight when I'm home. I assume you suggest to uninstall AVG just to avoid duplication with Microsoft Security Essentials? It's a Dell PC so I'm pretty sure (from memory) the tool will already be on the PC if not on a CD supplied by Dell ! I wouldn't bother. The more the hard drive is used the worse it's likely to get. Dell won't provide anything other than their own diagnostics - get the manufacturers one. Although I wouldn't even bother with that - I'd say it's 95% certain the drive is on the way out. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 870018 | 2010-03-26 08:37:00 | Hi again everyone, As per the advice above I downloaded the manufacturer diagnostic tool (Hitachi - Drive Fitness Test). I ran both quick test and advanced test and both came back at "operation completed successfully. Disposition Code =0x00". I'm guessing this is a positive result? I have downloaded the other programs and ill provide test results as soon as I've completed them. Any continued advice is appreciated :) Cheers! P.S. As soon as I restarted the PC after running the diagnostic tool the hal.dll error was back and I had to go through the rebuild process again. |
Rahotep (14854) | ||
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