failed to successfully scan disks for windows installation

You will have none of these issues with Hiren's.

Remember that I read about some instances of your issue (regarding the message from bootcfg  /rebuild) in the Dell forums and while I did not read anything about a real "solution" and some silly ideas there is a possibility that your hard drive is just afflicted somehow.

For the hal.dll missing/corrupt message I always start with a chkdsk with error correction (chkdsk  /r) and that (so far) has always worked to resolve that problem.  If that works out, the chkdsk  /r may also resolve your bootcfg  /rebuild problem but you don't "need" bootcfg  /rebuild to fix an afflicted boot.ini file - you can fix them with a text editor (also on Hiren's).

P.S.  This text editor implementation really bites.

I guess the people that came up with it have never actually tried to use it.

For a hal.dll missing or corrupt message, always start with a chkdsk with error correction (chkdsk  /r) either from the XP Recovery Console or from the previously mentioned Hiren's Boot CD.  The Hiren's Boot CD will give you the maneuvering room you need.

If you still have the same message after the chkdsk with error correction runs clean (you may need to run it more than once) then I would rename the suspicious c:\boot.ini file to something you can remember like:

c:\boot.ini.bad    (now the c:\boot.ini file is "missing").

Then with no c:\boot.ini (since you renamed it) see if XP will boot.

I am not sure what "I successfully reinstalled corrupt Config system remedy" means.

I so appreciate your reply. However I need you to do what they do in Ireland when a Yank asks for directions. Give me what I need to get my system to successfully boot. Then I'll ask for help to get to the next step. Here is the additional info you requested.

Dell Inspiron 

Model #PP12L

XP

One drive I think idea.

Service tag GXVKS71

I believe an improper shutdown was the offending event.

One month ago I successfully reinstalled corrupt Config system remedy.

Thank you

If you mean you are seeing a message like this:

Error:  Failed to successfully scan disks for Windows installations.

This error may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from successfully scanning.

Use chkdsk to detect any disk errors.

Note:  This operation must complete successfully in order for the /add or /rebuild commands to be utilized.

First tell us something about your system.

What is the system make and model?  (Dell something or another)

What is the Dell Service Tag number?

Do you know if the system has SATA or IDE hard drive(s)?

What do you think happened to the system prior to this affliction of hal.dll missing or corrupt?

Was the issue preceded by a power interruption, aborted restart, or improper shutdown?  (this includes plug pulling, power buttons, removing the battery, etc.)

How many hard drives are in your system and are any of them split up into multiple partitions?

Do you just have one instance of Windows (just XP) or some kind of multi-boot configuration and describe it if multiple.

Are you booting into the XP Recovery Console from a genuine bootable XP installation CD that you already have, a bootable Recovery Console CD you made (no XP media required) or some other way?

When you boot into the Recovery Console does the prompt say C:\ or does the prompt say C:\WINDOWS?

I have a system like that (not a Dell) with a 1TB SATA HDD where bootcfg /rebuild will not run properly and once tried to figure out why and couldn't make it work no matter what BIOS tricks I tried and I know the file system is not corrupt - bootcfg /rebuild just won't behave.  I never did pursue it for there is more than one way to skin a cat.

For the error message about hal.dll being missing or corrupt, it is always a good idea to start with a chkdsk with error correction (chkdsk  /r) first.  Around here, folks will often start with telling you how to replace your hal.dll but they don't know what they are talking about and never give the right instructions to do that anyway - and I have never replaced a hal.dll in my life for that message.

The problem is always (at least so far) that XP just can't find the file either due to file system corruption (usually) or the boot.ini file is telling XP to look for the file in the wrong place and XP just can't find it.

Assuming your chkdsk with error correction (you did run chkdsk  /r, right?) worked and the file system is clean, the problem may be an afflicted boot.ini.

Even if your bootcfg /rebuild worked, you would not want to run it without first renaming or deleting your suspicious/afflicted boot.ini file since the bootcfg /rebuild would build on top of the suspicious/afflicted one and it might work but you would have a sloppy configuration.  Nobody ever tells you that part either (except me).  This is how systems end up offering multiple XP boot options on startup - running bootcfg  /rebuild several times without getting rid of the current boot.ini file first.

We know that in a single partition configuration XP doesn't even need a boot.ini file to boot properly.  If there isn't one, XP will try to load the Windows from the standard directory on the first partition it finds and will boot just fine.

Microsoft explains it this way:

NTLDR starts by reading the boot.ini file. If the boot.ini file is missing, the boot loader will attempt to locate information from the standard directory. For Windows NT and 2000 machines, it will attempt to boot from C:\WINNT. For Windows XP and 2003 machines, it will boot from C:\WINDOWS.

For example in a single partition installation where there is no boot.ini file, XP will complain like this (but still boot):

Invalid BOOT.INI file

Booting from C:\windows\

So if you know your file system has no corruption, from the XP Recovery Console rename or delete the suspicious boot.ini file so you don't have one, then boot normally, then you can fix your boot.ini file.

From the RC you would enter something like this:

cd   \

attrib   -rhs   boot.ini

rename   boot.ini    boot.ini.bad

exit

Then if your system boots, you can work on fixing your suspicious/afflicted boot.ini or just make a new one.  Since the boot.ini file is just a text file, fixing it or making a new one is easy.

Just in case, you should consider making a Hiren's Boot CD since it give you more flexibility about fixing things than the XP Recovery Console and you can run your chkdsk with error correction from there.  You can't run bootcfg  /rebuild from Hiren's but you can edit/manipulate your boot.ini file a lot easier.

Here's how:

Make yourself a Hiren's Boot CD which you can download from here:

http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

The ZIP file is large, so the download will probably take a little while to complete bit it is worth it.  Then unzip the download to extract the Hirens.BootCD.ISO file that will be used to create your new bootable CD.

Creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file is not the same as just copying the .ISO file to a blank CD.  You have to use software that understands how to burn a .ISO file to a CD to create a bootable CD.

In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it, but I have never used it and prefer to use ImgBurn.

If you need a free and easy CD burning software package, here is a popular free program:

http://www.imgburn.com/

Like many third party programs you might install, the ImgBurn installation defaults to installing things you probably don't want installed on your system in the form of extra Internet browser toolbars or may make other adjustments to your browser.  You don't want to install any of that so you have to pay attention during the installation.

When clicking through the installation screens be sure to pay attention to the screens and always choose a Custom install and UNcheck the following (or any other things like it):

UNcheck:

Install the AVG toolbar and set AVG Secure Search as my default search provider

Set AVG Secure Search as my homepage and newly opened tabs

Choose custom installation again and UNcheck the following:

Uncheck:

Install QuickShare

There could be other things too.

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

It would be a good idea to test your new bootable CD on a computer that is working.

You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.

These adjustments are  made before Windows tries to load.  If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

When booting on the Hiren's CD you will see a menu of options.  Choose the Mini XP option.  Then it will appear that Windows is being loaded and you will be presented with a desktop that has the look and feel of the Windows Explorer interface you are already used to using.

Remember:  You did not boot on your hard disk - you booted into the Hiren's desktop.

One way to check the disk for errors is to open My Computer and right click your afflicted drive and choose Properties, Tools, Error-checking, Check Now... put a check mark in both the boxes and then Start.

Sometimes that doesn't work, so you can also click Start, Run and in the box enter:

cmd

Click OK to open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command (assuming XP is installed on your C drive)

chkdsk  c:  /r

This disk checking can take a long time (perhaps several to many hours) depending on the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what the disk checking finds to do.

Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find.

Depending on the the speed of your system, the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what chkdsk finds to do, it may take a long time for chkdsk with error correction to complete (several to many hours) or it may appear to be 'stuck'.  Be patient.  If the HDD light is still flashing, chkdsk is doing something so don't interrupt it.  It will finish eventually one way or the other.  Keep an eye on the percentage amount to be sure it is still making progress.  It may even appear to go backwards sometimes.

You may have to run the chkdsk  /r  it more than once.

When the chkdsk runs clean, remove the CD and restart your system.