Hi everyone, my daughter just give me a emachines T3522 desktop it has Win XP Home Edition and has never been hooked to the internet. This morning she gives me the computer to fix it. Sound wasn't working so she reformatted both C and D on the HD now when it come up it gives me this error message <windows root>\system32\hal.dll. it won't go into safe mode or anything. Please help
Thanks hommer426

Hello and welcome to PCHelpForum.

Well why she installed on C: and D: I just dont know.

You need the operating disk CD and follow this link.

Error message: "Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem"

OR:

You can just reinstall windows on C: drive and delet D: partition during the install.

I have the operating disk and after I run recovery and reboot the error message comes up. If I press any other keys at this point it reboots its self and goes back to the error message. I can't get a command prompt or anything else to come up. I am not able to access windows or any of the drives. It is just a black screen with the error message.
Thanks hommer426

Did you set first boot in BIOS to CD rom put in disk save and exit and still got error while trying to do a full format not repair or recovery?

Then you may need to buy a new hard drive.

Yes tried a full format and still get the same error. Only thing I know to do is get a new HD.
I have a different emachine and it has XP Pro could I some how copy this from my computer and install on hers? I did try to use the recovery cd for my system but it didn't change anything.
Thanks hommer426

If both computers are running XP Pro you maybe be able to attach the other hard drive and reboot repeatedly tapping F8 and then choose last known good config.

This does some times work for me.

OK. So I get totally aggravated and just swipe my hand across the keyboard and lo and behold Windows boots up and is running.Now the only problem is it is telling me I have no sound devices installed. It's not letting me add anything from the add hardware wizard and when I go to system information Under problem devices it says Ethernet Controller, PCI Device, PCI Simple Communications Controller, and Video Controller. The drivers for this devices are not installed. Any ideas on how to get my master volume and sound recorder up and running?
Thanks,
hommer426