Hi.
I'm trying to load red hat linux 7.2 on my machine so that I can learn how to use it. I'm having a very difficult time. I attempted to install it so that I can dual boot between linux and w2k. But now I can't boot up. I get a message saying that system32/hal.dll is either missing or corrupt and that I need to replace it. I attempted to repair it by using the windows erd but it says my hard drive is corrupt. I can log on to Linux using the Linux erd that I created, but I'm not sure how that helps me. Plus, I know nothing about linux. Any suggestions?

I think i face your sorts of problem soemtimes before.this happends when you Install Linux and in the part of intalling Lilo. Im sure you did install Lilo. Do you ? When you want to install Lilo but you allready installed another boot select software like Boot Magic Etc. You should select install on the partition where your Linux reside not the Primary boot partition. If you select to install lilo on Primary boot partition it will install lilo on it but in the mean time destroy any existing system files ( especially other booting softwares ).On your case system32/hal.dll error. It seems like hal.dll is one of the Booting up component of your win2k and not its corrupted. You can either boot your win2k using boot disc and try to reinstall win2k and try to map back the Linux boot directory. (Pitty me when i came thru this problem last time i replace my Maxtor 40GB HDD due to time consuming). Post back if this doesnt help..

Win2k is set up by default with the NTFS filesystem.
Please please don't tell me you let Linux write to the NTFS filesystem! (It shouldn't do it by itself, but if you mounted your Windows drive read-write, that is what could do this). Writing to it corrupts the filesystem bad enough that you have to run a utility in Linux on the device before rebooting, then let chkdisk finish the job when Windows comes up...

Here is the info listed when recompiling the kernel:
It also mentions that it only works with NT4 and earlier, so the Win2k NTFS versions , nor the WinXP versions of the filesystem is supported (That is, if you even want to call the NT4 fs "supported").

This isn't set by default in any kernel that I've ever seen, so if you did recompile to get this functionality, you should have been reading all the recommended docs, and absolutely do NOT enable any kernel function that you are unsure of - research first!

There may be ways to fix it though, that I am not seeing. Search google for lots of information, and visit the many Linux-NTFS sites.

Well this is what I've done so far. I deleted the 3 partitions that contained linux and I used that space to install win2k. So now I'm dual booting between win2k and win2k. But now I'm able to access everything once again. But I still don't have linux on my machine. I guess I have to delete the new win2k partition and try installing linux again. I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to do differently. I guess maybe follow killerserv's advice although I'm a bit confused on what to do. We'll see what happens.

let's try to fdisk you hardisk first, install w2k, then install boot magic to partition it to some ext2 or (ext3(RH 7.2) - if u wanna convert it later on linix) in your win2k, then only you install your linux, it shall be work, then the lilo boot you install in your secondary boot partition, (it works for me) i have win98, w2k, RH 7.2 install on my computer, but i have 2 hardisk, RH 7.2 i installed on the other fix drive, and it runs smooth... FYI, w2k or winxp has a boot.ini... this file can be edited so that if you don't wanna use some OS just delete the line and you can delete your second OS -- W2k directory safely.