Problem with dual boot
 

I had a computer with Windows XP pre-installed. The computer came with two partitions already, one for HP recovery, the other for all the other files. I had long turned off the Hp recovery program and formated the partition. I was able to run windows without a problem after formating the partition. I installed Linux Mandrake 9.2 in the empty partition. The installer did pretty much everything. Now the problem is when I turn on the computer and try to boot windows with lilo, I get a message that windows could not boot because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hall.dll

Anyone knows what I can do to fix this and be able to boot windows xp?

Linux is able to boot without a problem, I want to be able to boot both windows and linux without a problem.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

I know Mandrake 9.1 acts smart by installing lilo to the MBR regardless of what you choose, but not sure of 9.2.

However, a quick fix to your predicament would be to boot from a Win98 CD/boot disk and get on a DOS prompt. Run fdisk /mbr and lilo should be gone from your MBR and you can start XP as normal.

After that, take a look at bootpart :)

It could be that Windows is confused about what partition it's in. Can you post the output of the Linux 'fdisk -l' command, and the contents of the C:\boot.ini file?

No no, don't use fdisk/mbr since that's an *old* win9x command that will overwrite your winxp mbr which would become unaccesible.
to recover winxp mbr try:
fixmbr -and-
fixboot
in recovery console, booting from winxp installation cd
but first, try:
chkdsk /r
also from recovery console

hope this helps

Thanks for the info Rockmanexe, I have just posted a very similar question. On my system Lilo has messed up after installing Mandrake 9.2 to a new HDD. I fitted a new HDD which I installed Mandrake onto to keep them seperate, but I allowed the installer to create a Lilo Boot loader.

On Rebooting my Dell machine (which I believe also has the hidden recovery partition), I just get a screen full of 7's, instead of the boot menu. On removing the windows HDD I can boot into Mandrake. So I think its the main drives mbr that has been messed up.

That's not true... XP will reclaim the MBR on the next boot.