CD ejecting

I have a Mac Mini, model A1176. Partitioned so that E: partition has MacOs 10.2...and C: HAD Windows SP Pro SP3. The other partitions are of no consequence. Windows went south the other day (Thank my lucky stars for external back up hdd.)

Here is what I need: When I said Windows went south, I mean it was fubared and took stuff with it. My MacOs partition is perfect! I have tried to reinstall the OS. Set up gets to a point that it restarts Windows. Error Msg is that there is a file missing or corrupt:hal.dll. I know what this .dll is for. I dl'd the file.

First, I cannot use any of the 'f' (function) keys to set boot sequence, etc. I can only get a command prompt using the repair console, which only shows the contents of C. What I need to do is figure out how to eject the CD while in that mode so I can copy the dll to Cwindows\system32.

The ONLY way I can eject a CD is by going to the MacOS and doing it from there. I need a way to physically eject the setup CD so I can put in the CD with the file on it. HELP??

Also, I cannot get Ubuntu to boot at all. Pressing alt at boot up brings up three options when the win setup is in the CD-ROM: MacOS, Windows, and the CD. When I have the .ISO Ubuntu in, then only options are MacOS and Windows. Does not recognize the .ISO CD. Sorry if my explanation is so long but I am getting very frustrated with this.

Thanks in advance!!

Jann

Well, have you thought about just doing a complete reinstall of windows? Might be easier in the long run, especially when you have everything backed up anyways.

Housekat said:

Well, have you thought about just doing a complete reinstall of windows? Might be easier in the long run, especially when you have everything backed up anyways.

Click to expand...

Umm if you go back and read my initial post, that is what this is all about. I CANNOT get past the error msg during the Windows set up. I CANNOT get into the C: partition AT ALL. NONE of my function keys work. I CANNOT do an install for this reason. My question was: How do I physically eject a CD so I can copy hal.dll to C ? I need this answer in order to do the COMPLETE reinstall.

Jann

Well, in OSX you should be able to see the windows partition and be able to copy the said file to where the destination requires. As far as physically removing the cd, that may be just about impossible without taking the whole thing apart. I could be wrong of course, but thats how I see it. I would wager that maybe you borrow someone else's windows setup disk and see if it comes up with the same error from a fresh install. Also did you format that partition, or just choose repair or setup over without reformating.

@JanniEd

Copying "hal.dll" is not going to work. Your hal.dll file is fine. (Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL. The problem is your "boot.ini" file is messed up and is pointing the Windows boot loader to the wrong partition, hence, that error pops up.

How to resolve the hal.dll error: LINK

Getting past error: hal.dll

Housekat said:

Well, in OSX you should be able to see the windows partition and be able to copy the said file to where the destination requires. As far as physically removing the cd, that may be just about impossible without taking the whole thing apart. I could be wrong of course, but thats how I see it. I would wager that maybe you borrow someone else's windows setup disk and see if it comes up with the same error from a fresh install. Also did you format that partition, or just choose repair or setup over without reformating.

Click to expand...

I have tried another copy of XP Pro, same thing. So, I tried to install my Win 2000 Pro, same thing. Without that dll file nothing will get past that error. And I can't get into the BIOS. I thought about doing it in OSX but wasn't sure I could transfer a file between partitions. I will look into that. My other option, as I see it, is to delete, format the C: partition for now and just use the Mac side. Will let you know what happens!!! Thanks.

Jann

chscag said:

@JanniEd

Copying "hal.dll" is not going to work. Your hal.dll file is fine. (Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL. The problem is your "boot.ini" file is messed up and is pointing the Windows boot loader to the wrong partition, hence, that error pops up.

How to resolve the hal.dll error: LINK

Click to expand...

I think I may be able to do this by selecting R when setup asks me what I want to do. I should say that that is the ONLY way I can get to a command prompt. Your post jarred a memory and I think I can get there and fix it. Will let you know! Thanks!

Jann

chscag said:

@JanniEd

Copying "hal.dll" is not going to work. Your hal.dll file is fine. (Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL. The problem is your "boot.ini" file is messed up and is pointing the Windows boot loader to the wrong partition, hence, that error pops up.

How to resolve the hal.dll error: LINK

Click to expand...

Okay, this is dreadful. The only command prompt I can access is CWindows. cd.. doesn't work and when I do dir, I get a few temp looking files that I cannot open. So any attempt at doing anything from the command prompt is out of the question.

On the mac side there are no longer two hdd icons, just the MacOs partition shows. Now I can't even format the C partition from setup. It does format it then goes right back into downloading setup files

So what I need to do is delete that partition from the MacOs side. I can get to the management utility but need to know how to format just that partition, leaving it blank for now. I am going home tomorrow and will be leaving that machine with my granddaughter. I think I can merge the MacOs and the C for her so she can just boot into Mac. I need a little instruction so I don't screw the whole thing up! THANKS!!!!

Jann