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I have Windows 98 on 'C' drive and Windows XP on extended partition and Redhat 9 Linux on linux partion.The installation worked fine for many months.On booting PC, boot loader Grub offers options of booting to either MS DOS or Linux.After selecting DOS option, options for Windows 98 and WindowsXP used to be offered.Since yesterday ,after selecting DOS option I get following message.
"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt.
<windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file."
I tried to re install windows 98.Installation starts but after some time ,I get following error message.
"Message SU0013"
"Setup cannot create files on your start up drive and cannot setup Windows98.
"If you have HPFS or NTFS,you must create MS DOS Boot partition.If you have LANtastic server or super stor compression,disable it before running setup.See setup.txt on setup Disk1 or Windows 98 compact disc."
Is there any way to boot and rescue Windows98?`
ErnieK
10-25-2004, 03:16 AM
Here is a list of further links (7 of them) in MSKB concerning the error oyu are recieving. Search through them snd see if anyhting is relevant to you. Let us know either way.
http://search.microsoft.com/search/results.aspx?st=b&na=88&View=en-us&qu=+su0013
Paul Komski
10-25-2004, 04:35 PM
It would appear that some corruption has occured to some of the boot sectors and/or the partition tables. It is also a little confusing to have got a hal.dll error message directly after choosing the "DOS" boot option, which should have first given you the next two boot options from the boot.ini in the C: drive. One would normally only see that error if you had chosen to boot WinXP from the windows dual boot menu or if the boot.ini reference to Win98 had been removed thus making WinXP the only and thus the default windows OS. Hal.dll errors most commonly arise when the references in boot.ini are not longer correct and cannot find the WinXP system files for whatever reason.
Basically it looks as if the first partition is no longer correctly identified as a normal, visible, primary FAT partition when grub offloads the daisy chain boot processes back to Windows. You could overwrite grub by using fdisk /mbr from a boot floppy diskette and then ensure that the C: drive is the active partition from fdisk itself but that may not help things if I am right about the other corruption, which will not have been removed.
Just how to proceed depends on your priorities (1) as to which of the three operating systems is the most important to preserve and whether you can afford to sacrifice any of them and (2) whether the priority is to recover your own data or a functioning operating system. We also need more information about the partition structures and at the most simple level whether you can read the contents of the C: drive from a boot floppy. Suggest downloading PartInfo for DOS (ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/tools/pq/utilities/PARTINFO.ZIP) unzip and then add it to a boot floppy and use it to glean more detailed partition information.
Trying to install Win98 over the original is not the wisest course when the problems are with the boot processes rather than the file system and will, if nothing else, prevent further booting to WinXP unless it is first repaired.
And, finally, can you still boot Linux normally?
ErnieK
10-26-2004, 04:24 AM
Looking at Paul's answer this would be a perfecr time for an image backup to be used if this was the way you did backups.
I keep backups of both my OS's in the l dual boots OS's using an old version of Ghost and, if/when, something goes wrong it is just acase of re-inserting either of the images. After you have it sorted think about this way of backing up as it can be a real life saver.
Thanks Paul,
Answers to your querries are as follows.
I want to preserve Windows98 as all important data is on Windows 98 which is on C drive.
There is no data on WinXP and Linux.I can reinstall them.
I can read contents of 'C'drive by issueing 'DIR' command in dos using bootable floppy.
Link to 'Partinfo for DOS' did not work.
I can boot Linux normally.
Paul Komski
10-26-2004, 04:03 PM
Im sure that ftp link used to work. You should however be able to go to its parent folder at ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/tools/pq/utilities/ and then copy or download the partinfo.zip file that way.
You could also try GetDataBack from http://www.runtime.org if you just wish to recover data.
Paul,
I have downloaded partinfo file and executed it.Output is given below.
Partition Information Program
Sep 16 2002 - DOS32 Version
Copyright (c) 1994-2002, PowerQuest Corporation
Permission is granted for this utility to be freely copied so long
as it is not modified in any way. All other rights are reserved.
PowerQuest, makers of PartitionMagic(r), Drive Image(tm) and DriveCopy(tm), can be reached at
Voice: 801-226-6834 Web site: http://www.powerquest.com/support/
Fax: 801-226-8941 Email: help@powerquest.com
BiosExtensions: 0x2100 Subsets (0x00000005): Access EDD
EGeo 0x0000 0 0 0 20005650 0 512
================================================== ==========================
Disk 0: 1245 Cylinders, 255 Heads, 63 Sectors/Track.
BiosExtensions: 0x2100 Subsets (0x00000005): Access EDD
The BIOS supports INT 13h extensions for this drive.
============================ Partition Tables ==============================
Partition -----Begin---- ------End----- Start Num
Sector # Boot Cyl Head Sect FS Cyl Head Sect Sect Sects
---------- - ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ---- ---- ---- ---------- ----------
0 0 80 0 1 1 0B 622 254 63 63 10008432
0 1 00 [ 623 0 1] 0F [1023 254 63] 10008495 9960300 [Large Drive Placeholders]
623 0 1 1242 254 63 Actual Values
10008495 0 00 623 1 1 0B 915 254 63 10008558 4706982
10008495 1 00 916 0 1 05 928 254 63 14715540 208845
14715540 0 00 916 1 1 83 928 254 63 14715603 208782
14715540 1 00 929 0 1 05 [1023 254 63] 14924385 4321485 [Large Drive Placeholders]
929 0 1 1197 254 63 Actual Values
14924385 0 00 929 1 1 83 [1023 254 63] 14924448 4321422 [Large Drive Placeholders]
929 1 1 1197 254 63 Actual Values
14924385 1 00 [1023 254 63] 05 [1023 254 63] 19245870 722925 [Large Drive Placeholders]
1198 0 1 1242 254 63 Actual Values
19245870 0 00 [1023 254 63] 82 [1023 254 63] 19245933 722862 [Large Drive Placeholders]
1198 1 1 1242 254 63 Actual Values
================================================== ================================
Disk 0: 9766.1 Megabytes
============================= Partition Information ==============================
Volume Partition Partition Start Total
Letter:Label Type Status Size MB Sector # Sector Sectors
------------- --------------- -------- -------- ---------- - ---------- ----------
C:NO NAME FAT32 Pri,Boot 4886.9 0 0 63 10008432
ExtendedX Pri 4863.4 0 1 10008495 9960300
EPBR Log 2298.4 None - 10008495 4707045
D:NO NAME FAT32 Log 2298.3 10008495 0 10008558 4706982
EPBR Log 102.0 10008495 1 14715540 208845
Linux Ext3 Log 101.9 14715540 0 14715603 208782
EPBR Log 2110.1 14715540 1 14924385 4321485
Linux Ext3 Log 2110.1 14924385 0 14924448 4321422
EPBR Log 353.0 14924385 1 19245870 722925
SWAPSPACE2 Linux Swap Log 353.0 19245870 0 19245933 722862
Unallocated Pri 15.7 None - 19968795 32130
================================================== ======================
Boot Sector for drive C: Drive 1, Starting Sector: 63, Type: FAT32
================================================== ======================
1. Jump: EB 58 90
2. OEM Name: MSWIN4.1
3. Bytes Per Sector: 512
4. Sectors Per Cluster: 8
5. Reserved Sectors: 32
6. Number of FAT's: 2
7. Reserved: 0x0000
8. Reserved: 0x0000
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors Per FAT: 0
11. Sectors Per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Big Total Sectors: 10008432 (0x98B770)
15. Big Sectors Per FAT: 9765
16. Extended Flags: 0x0000
17. FS Version: 0
18. First Cluster of Root: 2 (0x2)
19. FS Info Sector: 1
20. Backup Boot Sector: 6
21. Reserved: 0x00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
22. Drive ID: 0x80
23. Reserved for NT: 0x00
24. Extended Boot Sig: 0x29
25. Serial Number: 0x171E1302
26. Volume Name: NO NAME
27. File System Type: FAT32
28. Boot Signature: 0xAA55
================================================== ======================
Boot Sector for drive D: Drive 1, Starting Sector: 10008558, Type: FAT32
================================================== ======================
1. Jump: EB 5A 90
2. OEM Name: MSWIN4.1
3. Bytes Per Sector: 512
4. Sectors Per Cluster: 8
5. Reserved Sectors: 32
6. Number of FAT's: 2
7. Reserved: 0x0000
8. Reserved: 0x0000
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors Per FAT: 0
11. Sectors Per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 10008558 (0x98B7EE)
14. Big Total Sectors: 4706982 (0x47D2A6)
15. Big Sectors Per FAT: 4592
16. Extended Flags: 0x0000
17. FS Version: 0
18. First Cluster of Root: 2 (0x2)
19. FS Info Sector: 1
20. Backup Boot Sector: 6
21. Reserved: 0x00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
22. Drive ID: 0x80
23. Reserved for NT: 0x00
24. Extended Boot Sig: 0x29
25. Serial Number: 0x1D063038
26. Volume Name: NO NAME
27. File System Type: FAT32
28. Boot Signature: 0xAA55
================================================== ======================
Boot Sector for drive *: Drive 1, Starting Sector: 14715603, Type: Ext-3
================================================== ======================
Ext-2 file system super block:
1. Inodes count: 26104
2. Blocks count: 104391
3. Reserved blocks count: 5219
4. Free blocks count: 91765
5. First data block: 1
6. Log2 of block size in k: 0 (1024 bytes/block)
7. Log2 of frag. size in k: 0 (1024 bytes/fragment)
8. Blocks/group: 8192
9. Fragments/group: 8192
10. Inodes/group: 2008
11. Mount time: 0x4181C5EF
12. Last write time: 0x4181C9AE
13. Mount count: 5
14. Max. mount count: -1
15. Magic number: 0xEF53
16. State: 0x0001
17. Error behavior: 0x0001
18. Minor revision level: 0
19. Last check time: 0x418122F6
20. Max. time bet. checks: 0
21. Creator oper. system: 0
22. Major revision level: 1
23. Reserved block def. UID:0x0000
24. Reserved block def. GID:0x0000
================================================== ======================
Boot Sector for drive *: Drive 1, Starting Sector: 14924448, Type: Ext-3
================================================== ======================
Ext-2 file system super block:
1. Inodes count: 270368
2. Blocks count: 540177
3. Reserved blocks count: 27008
4. Free blocks count: 114104
5. First data block: 0
6. Log2 of block size in k: 2 (4096 bytes/block)
7. Log2 of frag. size in k: 2 (4096 bytes/fragment)
8. Blocks/group: 32768
9. Fragments/group: 32768
10. Inodes/group: 15904
11. Mount time: 0x4181C5E7
12. Last write time: 0x4181C9B1
13. Mount count: 5
14. Max. mount count: -1
15. Magic number: 0xEF53
16. State: 0x0001
17. Error behavior: 0x0001
18. Minor revision level: 0
19. Last check time: 0x418122F1
20. Max. time bet. checks: 0
21. Creator oper. system: 0
22. Major revision level: 1
23. Reserved block def. UID:0x0000
24. Reserved block def. GID:0x0000
Paul Komski
10-29-2004, 06:53 PM
The basic parameters look OK and there is a normal disk signature. Both the Windows partitions are formatted as FAT so you should be able to see both C and D from a boot floppy.
I would suggest first booting to a win98 boot floppy and running fdisk /mbr at the A prompt - that should clear grub from the mbr.
Then try booting normally and see if you get back your dual boot menu. If you still fail to boot you could try repairing the WinXP instalation - http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm or rebuilding the boot.ini file by booting to the recovery console using the WinXP installation CD and running bootcfg /rebuild - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q291980
If you get into WinXP you should be able to access the C partition or to replace the boot.ini reference for Windows98.
If all that fails you could install Win98 over the current installation or as a parallel installation, having first renamed the Windows directory on the C: drive to windowsold from a boot floppy.
If the data is really reallly precious then copy/backup the partition(s) somewhere else first before writing anything to the drive.
Paul,
I did fdisk /mbr when first time you suggested and got rid of Grub but could not get to work dual boot menu.Even I could not boot to win xp by changing BIOS.I could not start setup for XP through bootable 98 floopy.I get message that this programe cannot run with DOS.I still unable to get xp booting.
Paul Komski
10-30-2004, 08:25 AM
I could not start setup for XP through bootable 98 floopy
The only way to install WinXP from a Win9X boot floppy is a clean installation using WinNT.exe in the i386 folder of the setup files. For a repair you need to run the installation by booting up to the installation CD - as per the link above - or by using the recovery console to run bootcfg.
What specific error messages are you getting when you now attempt to boot up.
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