windows doesn't like me....Follow

...and I REALLY need help

I use AVG as my anti-virus program, but was suggested Avira or Avast in a post of the WoW general forum.
I picked Avast, the comp I used (was out of town) to ask had it on it.

I downloaded, and installed (when I returned home) and it asked if I wanted to restart windows to allow it to scan.
I picked yes. I was 95% sure the comp was clean, as I just reinstalled Windows XP on it.

It scanned, was finished, and then froze when it was booting windows the rest of the way up.
So I manually reset the comp.

Upon loading it tells me the file hal.dll is missing from the system32 folder on windows root.
Booting stops, and restarts. It tells me I have to replace it to fix the problem.

No problem. . . it is a Dell comp... I have my Dell Windows XP SP2 CD RIGHT next to me, because I used it about 2weeks ago.

I get the computer to boot from the CD. I pick "repair windows" or something along the lines and it takes me to a
"command prompt" screen. Asks me what Windows to repair, I choose the only one. It asks for Admin pass, i input it.

That is all I know what to do.

How do I go about getting the file to copy from the CD and place it back in the <window root>?

I did:

c:\copy system32\hal.dll

And it copied something, but how? it tells me the file is MISSING from windows?

I fail at this type of stuff. I'd rather not have to reinstall XP again . . . replacing this file/folder seems like the fastest way.

Thanks ^-^


edit: i think I found a site to help me out. I'll give it a try tomorrow. really hope Avast didn't f the comp. I heard good things about it

Edited, Aug 31st 2009 11:10pm by Sandinmygum

weird thing. I turned off the comp with the issue and went to bed shortly after posting the OP.
I just booted it up to do the repair the way the site I found and the one Shaowstrike gave.

However, Widows booted normally. The only thing changed is my Screen settings (reverted back to default).

When I tried to do repair through Recovery Console I made it nowhere (thus the needed help OP).

So I guess everything is fine, but its odd that it gave me the error a few times and now all is fine.

Windows, you confuse me!

Edit: after another restart, it told methe file wasn't there or curropt ><
Decided to just reinstall windows.

Edited, Sep 1st 2009 2:10pm by Sandinmygum