2 seperate CDs, hal.dll missing, windows can't boot!

[Dev2]

I have a Blackbook with Leopard installed. The other day me an my friend decided we wanted to play LAN (C&C Generals), I have a desktop that can run it perfectly. I know Generals can't be played on Windows and Mac over multi player i.e. LAN.

Anyway the Problem:

I downloaded XP Pro from my MSDN account and burned it to a DVD no problem. Got boot camp to partition the hard drive. Then I encountered a problem but after some Googling I found a solution, defrag my Mac at the boot screen. Problem gone.

So I could finally install windows XP as per usual and did, come the boot into windows (pre windows logo) I got an error:

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.

So naturally I reinstalled windows again with the same disc. Same problem.
I assumed download, burning process or something a long the line screwed up.

I go dig out an old XP Pro disc I had in some boxes. Do the installation.
Same issue.

My MSDN account does allow me to have Vista Business, but since my Blackbook is limited in spec for gaming I figured I'd go with XP, since it technically has a lower footprint.

Suggestions?
Dev.

 

[gugucom]

It is an installation fault by your side. Windows under Bootcamp requires you to re-format the Windows partition from the Windows install disk. You MUST do this. However you MUSTN'T partition after you have created the partition by the Bootcamp assistent. It is more difficult to find the formatting menue than the partitioning menue of the XP install disk. That is why many people make this mistake. It is a very akward procedure and Apple/Microsoft do not make it easy for the user.

 

[bobnugget]

I downloaded XP Pro from my MSDN account and burned it to a DVD no problem.
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.

I go dig out an old XP Pro disc I had in some boxes. Do the installation.
Same issue.

Suggestions?
Dev.

Did you download the XP Pro including Service Pack 3 (or including Service Pack 2) disc? MSDN has an ISO for straight XP Pro (with no service packs), XP Pro SP1, SP2 & SP3 available. I seem to remember the first one on the list is the straight XP Pro disc. Only the SP2 or SP3 ones will work.

I don't think this problem is due to partitioning - if the partition was unreadable, what would be giving the hal.dll error?

 

[JNB]

The hall.dll error is well-known and long-standing; it is an issue with the boot.ini file not looking in the right place. gugucom's post is correct, but sometimes there's something else you missed or overlooked. Print, read, and follow to the letter the instructions on installing Windows in Boot Camp; they are available for printing when you launch the Boot Camp Assistant.

 

[Consultant]

You might want to format as ntfs

It is an installation fault by your side. Windows under Bootcamp requires you to re-format the Windows partition from the Windows install disk. You MUST do this. However you MUSTN'T partition after you have created the partition by the Bootcamp assistent. It is more difficult to find the formatting menue than the partitioning menue of the XP install disk. That is why many people make this mistake. It is a very akward procedure and Apple/Microsoft do not make it easy for the user.

No, it's not apple's problem that MS made their windows installer so unintuitive.