Help!! "windows cannot load---system32.dll not found"

[Cheech42]

When i turn on the pc after the asus logo, theres a message saying windows could not load because it couldnt find some system 32 dll file, it says reinstall or something like that.

Before this happend i came to my pc, and my hard drive was making a wierd noise, and then i immediatly turned it off, and then restarted and this happend, luckily i had another hard drive with windows on it. How can i fix that problem on the old hard drive- i have too much important things.

its called \system32\hal.dll

[ether.real]

Go to the website of your Hard Drive's manufacturer. They should have some diagnostic tools that you can download. Use those tools to diagnose your HD, report back, and we will go from there.

[SureShot]

Originally Posted by ether.real

Go to the website of your Hard Drive's manufacturer. They should have some diagnostic tools that you can download. Use those tools to diagnose your HD, report back, and we will go from there.

If that comes back A-ok you'll have to run a windows repair, hopefully you have an xp cd.

[Cheech42]

Ok i followed a tuturial where many ppl had this problem, i used the repair thing, but at the part where it says type bootcfg/ rebuild, it says things that i cant because of that missing file

[ether.real]

did you run the HD diags?

[Cheech42]

i cant do it from software, but in the windows repair it says cannot continue cuz of the file

Additional Comment:

i didnt really have that much of important things on it, so if i cant get it fixed than ill try getting the hd replaced from the company and use the one im using now as a backup

[ether.real]

All HD Diagnostic tools boot from either a floppy or CD. They access the drive directly without going through windows, for exactly the reasons you are experiencing.

[Cheech42]

Crap, ran the test and quick test showed Read failure, and the extended test took 50 minutes and said too many errors found, contact tech support.
GOD! ok, next time, what can i do to prevent hard drive errors? is WD a good brand? Hopefully WD will replace it

[ether.real]

Not really much you can do to prevent them so to speak, other than to not drop the drive. Just luck of the draw. Yes, WD is good. If you need the data, you can try to image the drive off from a different windows machine.

[Cheech42]

hmm, i havent dropped it, this is my first build so im extra careful, but when i came to the pc, there was a wierd sound that keeps coming "chhhh" for a quick second twice, every know and then, anything to explain that?also, is switching hard drives physically, like take the sata and power wire from one hard drive and putting it on another damaging any how?

What is bumping?

[ether.real]

I am not saying you did drop it, I am just saying, there is little you can do to damage a HD, other than dropping. When they do fail, it is just luck of the draw. The sound was likely the heads crashing, a sure sound of a dying drive. No, swapping the cables should not damage it.

[Cheech42]

i have the worst luck ever, i had the hard drive for a month and a half,

[PommieB]

You should be able to RMA the drive, that's assuming you want the same make of drive, also when fitting the drive, don't touch the pcb board on the bottom, static electricity will shorten the life of the drive.

[Cheech42]

o,, uhhh, thats how my maxtor must have died, i had it right on carpet, ok, ill the the WD replaced

[PommieB]

Carpets aren't the place to work on computers, especially synthetic ones, static electricity heaven.