Please help meee

Hi everyone - I have just been reading this thread http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=121842 - it has been very very helpful - "oldman" gave some very clear instructions on how to boot using a disc….I have followed the instructions up to the point where my computer cannot find the directory specified.

I have typed cd "C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 but it doesnt find it - it just returns, The system cannot find the file or directory specified.

Please help.

I am running Windows XP Home SP2.

I'm not sure that I can help you as I don't know what it is that you're trying to do… however… I can tell you that on my computer the i386 folder is located on the root of the drive (C:\I386). I do not have a ServicePackFiles folder in the windows directory.

Thanks for your reply Tomk. I have an old computer that I decided this evening to have a go at getting to work. The problem is, I think, has a corrupt hal.dll file. So after looking online I came to this forum because of a post by "oldman" which showed how to get rid of this problem but now I am stuck because I cant get to the file/path.

Ultimately I think I have to get to the point where I can input - copy hal.dll C:\windows\system32 and from what the post says this should fix the problem.

In order to follow his instructions… you need to find the I386 folder. Based upon what you have said, I must assume it is not located at C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386. It might be located at C:\I386 as mine is… but it may be elsewhere. Are you using Puppy Linux to look for this folder?

On second thought… if you have your windows disk… the I386 folder will be on it.

I am going to download puppy linux now. I dont have the windows disc, I have downloaded/created a boot disc.

If you can boot from a boot disk… you should be able to look for the I386 folder.

What do you get when you boot from the disk? Do you get a Dos type prompt?

If so type cd \ and hit enter

That should bring you to a prompt that looks like c:\>

Now type dir and hit enter.

A directory list will be made. Is I386 listed?

its not listed in the directory of c:\> ….so I go to C:\>WINDOWS and try dir there and its not listed there either.

You can continue to keep searching… but there is no guarantee that an I386 folder has been installed on your system. It is sounding to me like your best bet is to borrow a Windows XP Home disk from someone.