Missing file

[MattyT2012]

im new to forums like this so im sorry if i go on a bit,
my old tower PC (windows XP) has recently started showing the 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

 

[MattyT2012]

btw, sorry if i posted in the wrong section, i couldnt quite find one that fits any better than this section of the forum

 

[pjmelect]

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbyerrormessage/a/missinghaldll.htm

The problem may not be with the hal.dll file itself but rather a corrupt disk or boot.ini or even worst case a faulty hard drive, see the above link.