hal.dll [RESOLVED in v2.0.11.43+]

[Guest]

[comicfan2000]

Why dont you crate a new topic in General Discussion? Good idea, BTW, I'd be curious to see how many aussies are on here.

cheers,
Ewen :-)

 I'll do it for you. It'll be called OZ fest. 


 Paul

[~Daniel~]

isn't there a beer there called Foster's?  maybe Foster-Fest?

[kishork]

Hey paul,

While your info makes sense and is factual, hardware is, unfortunately, not the only cause. Bitter voice of experience speaking here.

Clean install of XP. clean install of CAVS2. ran for two days faultlessly. tonight - BANG - hal.dll. nothing happening on the system at all, just sitting idle and up came the warnings about files being replaced by unknown versions. No chance of it being virus, there was no internet connection on that box - the plug got pulled immediately after the AV was authenticated. File and size count after killing the internet connection was identical to file and size count prior to killing it.

Can on ly be CAVS doing it, but its only doing it internittently.

Thank god for paragon drive backup.

cheers,
ewen :-)

Hi Ewen,
Do you have some datas on other drive in the same disk or any other disk attached to this syetem? Or its having only one drive which was formated before fresh XP installation?

Could you do the following test.
1. install on fresh xp as you did.
2. Change the on-demand general setting to "Do not automatically disinfect and prompt for an action when the scan is complete"
3. Scan complete system
4. Check Does it detect any virus. Check that wheather  they are dlls from system32 dirctory.
5. Do not quarantine them that could be fasle positive.
6. After scanning completes, send troubleshoot log to us.

Note: If on-demand does not detect any virus then you can say that there is no false positive. and CAV does not delete them.

Now, keep this sysetm isolated as you did. (disconnect it from internet and LAN). And let it run. If hal.dll problem comes, Pl send troubleshoot log to us. Also you can check that is there any file quarantined by CAV. The quarantined files are at %All Users%\Application Data\comodo\Comodo AntiVirus\Quarantine.

regards
Kishor

[kishork]

Excuse me, mate, but at no stage did I say that I couldn't access the bios or that my hard drive had been destroyed! That's how I managed to change the boot order (to CD for Windows Repair) and also set the old drive as slave and new one as master.

When I had the hal.dll error the PC could not boot into windows (but I COULD access the bios) and windows repair would not find the HDD. That does not mean that the contents of the drive could not be copied from it once my new HDD was installed as master with a new install of windows and the old HDD as slave. All the files could be accessed as a separate drive when it was set as slave but would not boot when set as master... got the hal.dll error. Personally, I think there was a problem with the MBR, caused by the installation of CAV v1.1.

Exactly! That's why I had to buy a new drive. I could have formatted the drive and reinstalled windows but then I would have lost all my work files.

For some reason you think that the drive was badly damaged. I don't think so... it is still installed in my PC and being used to dual boot Ubuntu and a version of windows for testing purposes. It works like a dream 

I only set my PC up to dual boot AFTER I had the hal.dll problem and had resolved it. I had been wanting to test out Ubuntu linux for a while and when I got this problem I saw the opportunity to buy a new HDD and give it a go in a dual boot environment (but installed on a different drive).

cheers

Hi
Please send the Troubleshoot Logs to analyse this issue. You can collect the logs from CAVS settings. Go to Settings->Reports. Click "Save log" will saves logs. If it is failed, copy this folder(%Documents and Settings%\All Users\Application Data\comodo\Comodo AntiVirus\TroubleShootLog) and send to us. This logs will help to us for further analysis.

regards
Kishor

[Quintessence]

George: What could not find your HDD, the BIOS or XP?

Windows XP repair doesn't recognize the HDD, the BIOS does

[Quintessence]

Hi
Could you send us the troubleshhot log by attaching the victim HDD to another HDD as secondary. From that log we may find the reason of such problem.

When my computer is fixed, I will. Right now I don't have a working computer...
I bought a new HDD just like booglywoogly and for the same reason, i want to recover my data. I haven't had time yet to try to get the new HDD working.

[Quintessence]

You found the bios? The bios doesn't go missing, this would mean a firmware breakdown in which case no recovery or the chip got up and decided to take a midnight stroll. Do you mean you found how to access the bios in Cmos setup? tapping some common keys F12, F8, F1, F2, Del ?

 On to what I really believe happened....
 As well, I will say for sure it wasn't COMODO. >>hal.dll is a very common dual boot failure of some sort. This means you either had two OSs either two drives, or two OSs on one drive. This traces back to a corrupt boot.ini file. I use knoppix to go in and repair the boot.ini file, the hal.dll goes away and bam, OS back up most of the time. I would almost GUARANTEE you were dual booting.

Yeah, i found the key to get into the bios, it was Del, although i thought i used another key in the past. Sorry if i'm not very clear, but i'm not a native english speaker.

As far as I know, I never had more than one OS in my computer...

[kail]

Windows XP repair doesn't recognize the HDD, the BIOS does

That does sound like the MBR (Master Boot Record) as booglywoogly said, I think a boot.ini problem would still allow you to recover from the  XP CD. What happens when you try & boot from the XP CD?

BTW I don't know how it can be arranged. But, I'm very sure that Kishor (CAVS Dev Leader) would be very interested in the CAVS content of your dead HDD. May I get Kishor to email you in order that you can discuss this?

[Quintessence]

When I had the hal.dll error the PC could not boot into windows (but I COULD access the bios) and windows repair would not find the HDD. That does not mean that the contents of the drive could not be copied from it once my new HDD was installed as master with a new install of windows and the old HDD as slave. All the files could be accessed as a separate drive when it was set as slave but would not boot when set as master... got the hal.dll error.

I hope it will be the same with me

[kail]

Searching the web says it isn't the MBR. Since even with the MBR corrupt, you still be able to get to the recovery console, via the XP CD, and do a FIXMBR/FIXBOOT.

Perhaps, Bootdisk.com can help. Based on what I got back from a search on "MBR XP", I recommend you do the same.

[Quintessence]

That does sound like the MBR (Master Boot Record) as booglywoogly said, I think a boot.ini problem would still allow you to recover from the  XP CD. What happens when you try & boot from the XP CD?

BTW I don't know how it can be arranged. But, I'm very sure that Kishor (CAVS Dev Leader) would be very interested in the CAVS content of your dead HDD. May I get Kishor to email you in order that you can discuss this?

How do I boot from the XP CD? I only have the option to install or repair XP.

That is ok with me, but my first priority is to get a working computer.

George

ps did I answer all questions?

Searching the web says it isn't the MBR. Since even with the MBR corrupt, you still be able to get to the recovery console, via the XP CD, and do a FIXMBR/FIXBOOT.

Perhaps, Bootdisk.com can help. Based on what I got back from a search on "MBR XP", I recommend you do the same.

I will when I have time

thanks, George

[kail]

Sure, I understand that & think you answered all the questions.

Kishor will see these posts & see that he has permission to email you directly. He may, of course, choose to do it on the forums.

The web search? Yes, you'll find posts on technical forums just like yours. It is well worth your time.

Looking at that Bootdisk site, it seems to have the answer. They even have a link to a boot CDdiskette that allows you to meddle (change, move, delete, copy, etc..) with an NTFS disks (free Avira NTFS4DOS Personal). They also have various XP boot disks. If you can get to the command prompt with one of these, then you can do a FIXMBR, FIXBOOT and/or FDISK /MBR. Of course, these commands rewrite the MBR.. So, you'd loose any dual-booting that you had previously set-up.

[comicfan2000]

How do I boot from the XP CD? I only have the option to install or repair XP.

That is ok with me, but my first priority is to get a working computer.

George

ps did I answer all questions?

I will when I have time

thanks, George

Let me note, if you have the option to repair, have you did this or why not? It should keep all your files in tact.
Also:
 Can you get a Knoppix\make a Knoppix cd? A slight possibility to access the drive, find the boot.ini file> rewrite like this...

[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

Of course if only singe OS you will only have one of the two or if the same, may be in same order\switched around, you get the idea. and the (2)\windows would only be a 1 in both instances.

After you edit the file which BTW will have to be edited with a text editor, NP there, knoppix will do or even make another with all the correct info, replace Boot.ini file.

I ask about repair because you can do a false install as well, and go through until you get the option to repair the selected install. You go further than where it asks to install but you hit enter , not esc or F3. Then repair the partition. Just some options.

 Paul

[Quintessence]

Let me note, if you have the option to repair, have you did this or why not? It should keep all your files in tact.
Also:
 Can you get a Knoppix\make a Knoppix cd? A slight possibility to access the drive, find the boot.ini file> rewrite like this...

I tried to repair, but it says it cannot detect any HDD.

I'll try Knoppix later maybe. Right now I got the problem that the new HDD i bought won't be detected at all, not by bios, via raid or windows xp cd.

Thanks for all the help guys, I wish I got more time to solve all this.

George

[comicfan2000]

I tried to repair, but it says it cannot detect any HDD.

I'll try Knoppix later maybe. Right now I got the problem that the new HDD i bought won't be detected at all, not by bios, via raid or windows xp cd.

Thanks for all the help guys, I wish I got more time to solve all this.

George

Did you set the jumpers correctly? Did you put it as master on IDE closest to edge of motherboard, top plug? Also, get into Cmos setup to set the bios to recognize the drive. HDD auto detect if you have it, F10 save exit. Also you may want to reset the bios to original settings"fail safe" "usually" F6, F5.  Also, if this fails, you can do this carefully take out your Cmos battery for around 30 -40 seconds, put it back in. This helps reset.

 Paul

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