Windows XP won't start need resolution

Hi I hope I'm writing in the correct category. My issue is this. My sister was on the comp playing sims3 and when she shut it off and turned it back on widows xp wouldn't start and came to a error page saying the <systemroot>hal.dll file is corrupt or missing so I googled it and followed whatever directions that were most similiar to my problem. I entered the windows boot cd and went through the process of going to the repair page by pressing R and I did the bootcfg /rebuild and put in the info I did the the fixboot, I did the chkdsk r/ thing and still nothing I did the expand and copy of the file ntoskrnl.exe still nothing but instead now I get an error page of windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. So I deleted my existing partition and created a new one and still nothing. I even opened up the comp and disconnected the hard drive. Can some1 please help

Hopeless88,

Have you tried booting into safemode?

Yup same message pops up

Try checking the boot order on your system. How many hard drives do you physically have intstalled on your pc?

I have one hard drive... How do I check the boot order?

It depends on what type of system you have. On startup, it will tell you in the top right or bottom right of the screen to hit like "F2" or "F10" to change the boot order. Once you hit the appropriate key, it will take you to a different screen to select which device you want to boot from. Just make sure your hard drive is selected as the first option. If you still get the error after that, you can try running system restore if you have not already done so.

Nope still nothing same message windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem

Can you get to the bios at all? You would go into it the same way by hitting one of the function keys. You may try to restore the bios defaults to see if that will resolve it.

Ya I did that doesn't work