From: andrew@thefatcontroller.fsnet.co.uk   
      
   "Ben Myers"  wrote in message   
   news:JZKdnUM2wMAhobLNnZ2dnUVZ_hudnZ2d@earthlink.com...   
   "Andrew Wilson"  wrote in message   
   news:mzSVr.758228$IP4.409740@fx26.am4...   
   > Hello again   
   > Have tried using a laptop running with WinXPSP3 but after the POST screen   
   > it   
   > seems to die leaving a black screen with blinking cursor.   
      
   Tap the F8 key during bootup and select "Last known good configuration".   
      
   > I have tried to reactivate using three different Win XP CD's in case of   
   > boot   
   > problems. Two are no use at all whilst one of them comes up with 'Set up   
   > is   
   > inspecting your current configuration' but then hangs.   
      
   Try cleaning the CD's.   
      
   > I have also made a boot floppy from this Windows XP installation using   
   > win.ini, NTLDR and Ntdetect.com   
   > This seems to run but puts up:   
   > Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:   
   > /system32/hal.dll   
   > Please reinstall a copy of the above file   
   > If I can't get a WinXP CD to even run how do I do this please or has the   
   > hard drive/memory died?   
      
   Try making a new one.   
      
   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305595   
      
   Ben   
      
   Thanks everyone.   
   Got it going again. Turns out hard drive was corrupted and after wiping with   
   Memtest86 was able to do a clean install.   
   Regards   
   aw56001   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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