Serious Laptop problem

[Oldboy]

Tried all that OB without success. Also tried  setting boot up to default settings which puts first option as removeable drive but nothing happens

Very strange! It's not easy trying to workout what's happening without seeing it happen. When you ran Chkdsk did you use any options? I suspect it's either a bad sector or you have more than one system file that's corrupt. 

[Alfonso_Frisk]

As I said earlier, the hal.dll error no longer appears
i get this error now
<windows\system32\config\system missing file

I tried copying the config folder from g drive installation but it wont let me paste it within the c drive folders.

[Trickee]

It might be less brain draining to buy a new operating system. 

[Alfonso_Frisk]

It might be less brain draining to buy a new operating system. 

Might be more therapeutic to smash the Shiite out of the lappy with a bloody great hammer, and its getting more tempting by the hour

[Oldboy]

As I said earlier, the hal.dll error no longer appears
i get this error now
<windows\system32\config\system missing file

I tried copying the config folder from g drive installation but it wont let me paste it within the c drive folders.

If you are using NT file system then the Config.bat file contains nothing. In the earlier post you didn't say it was missing file! It could still be the hal.dll file but now it can't find it! When you pressed F8 did it list Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking Etc. If so, did you try selecting Last Known Good Configuration option? If not try it. 

[Alfonso_Frisk]

As I said earlier, the hal.dll error no longer appears
i get this error now
<windows\system32\config\system missing file

I tried copying the config folder from g drive installation but it wont let me paste it within the c drive folders.

If you are using NT file system then the Config.bat file contains nothing. In the earlier post you didn't say it was missing file! It could still be the hal.dll file but now it can't find it! When you pressed F8 did it list Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking Etc. If so, did you try selecting Last Known Good Configuration option? If not try it. 

tried all options from F8
get the start page listing 2 installations of xp pro
but I can only load the newest (g drive)
selecting the first always asks for the installation cd

[Oldboy]

As I said earlier, the hal.dll error no longer appears
i get this error now
<windows\system32\config\system missing file

I tried copying the config folder from g drive installation but it wont let me paste it within the c drive folders.

If you are using NT file system then the Config.bat file contains nothing. In the earlier post you didn't say it was missing file! It could still be the hal.dll file but now it can't find it! When you pressed F8 did it list Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking Etc. If so, did you try selecting Last Known Good Configuration option? If not try it. 

tried all options from F8
get the start page listing 2 installations of xp pro
but I can only load the newest (g drive)
selecting the first always asks for the installation cd

As you can get into the C:\ drive try to copy the hal.dll from c:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 to C:\Windows\system32. It's a backup on the C drive. 

Not sure how your original harddisk was set up, but if it had harddrives C, D and E then you might be able to recover to factory default by typing retten in to  the command prompt line, as drive E is a backup of all system files. 

[spinner]

Been a while since I used XP, but doesn't the "Computer Management" service in the Admin section of control panel allow you to delete and expand drives? If you've got everything you need from your C drive and are thinking of formatting anyway, why not try to delete C using the cComputer management service, then expand G to take up the left over space. It might not allow the expansion since it is the running operating system (which is why it would not let you copy and paste some files).

[Alfonso_Frisk]

Actually doing that now spin as I type funnily enough.
2nd attempt though. The first attempt gave me some error messages about video card problem at installation.
Going to get this up and running then invest in another faster machine.
Recomendations welcome

[Skhilled]

As I said earlier, the hal.dll error no longer appears
i get this error now
<windows\system32\config\system missing file

I tried copying the config folder from g drive installation but it wont let me paste it within the c drive folders.

I suspect that you will need more than one file to be copied than just hal.dll. Sometimes when you uninstall/delete things you delete Windows files or files that Windows needs to be shared with other programs in the process and I believe that is what started this. There may be more than just the one file, hal.dll, that is needed.

The video card problem means that you'll need to upgrade your drivers for it, most likely.

[Alfonso_Frisk]

Well that's my first ever format and reinstall done and up to now all is OK even after over a hundred windows updates.
Ive missed a prompt somewhere when applying labels to the 2 drives
I have a E drive (67gb) with everything installed there
and a New volume C drive (41 gb) which is empty for now
zone alarm, avast and adaware all installed plus network magic. Now to start on the cam progs.
fingers crossed

[spinner]

I'm not positive, but I think, if you delete the empty C drive using the Computer Management service you can then rename the G drive to C.

[Skhilled]

I think you're right.

[Alfonso_Frisk]

I think you're right.

I tried that and the emty C drive (41gb) has gone
It wont let me rename the E drive. So I am 41gb down now in theory as the space from C has not been added to the E drive.
Something is still amiss though with the system. Programmes sometimes hang and it only part boots if I select to start in safe modes.
Im suspecting a hardware issue now

[spinner]

If I was you, before I did anything else, I'd grab a copy of the Hard Drive manufacturer's diagnostic software and check the disk to make sure it isn't the problem. Save a lot of frustration if you find out the disk is bad, on the otherhand if it gets a pass you can work with it.