There are several complications/problems that can occur while running Ubuntu in a dual boot/wubi configuration.

This article shows you how to fix them.

Wubi

Missing hal.dll

This is a frequent error seen on wubi installations. It leaves windows unable to boot and complains about a missing C:\windows\system32\hal.dll

hal.dll is the Hardware Abstraction Layer (just like linux has) for windows.

This problem can be fixed by using the following steps.

1. Boot up off a Ubuntu LiveCD
2. Under the "Places" menu, select your windows partition (it will only be shown by its partition size)
3. navigate to windows/system32/dllcache
4. copy hal.dll from there to windows/system32/
5. reboot.

Dual Boot

Recovering After Resizing Windows Vista / 7

Windows 7 / Vista will not boot after its partitions are resized by ubuntu.

This is due to the checks that windows 7 / vista performs on its partition at bootup.

The proper way of resizing a windows 7 / vista partition is to

1. Go into the control panel
2. Select "classic view" or "icon view" (youll have to look around hard for this)
3. click on "administrative tools"
4. click on "computer management"
5. click on "disk manager" (or something similar)
6. right click on the windows partition and resize.

To recover from this boot problem, you can either

a) Boot from your recovery dvds

• Select "startup repair"

b) Download either

• For Vista : http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

  For Windows 7 : http://neosmart.net/blog/2009/windows-7-system-repair-discs/

• Burn the ISO to a disc
• Boot up from it
• Select Startup Repair.

Additional Links

NeoSmart Windows 7 Recovery Discs

NeoSmart Windows Vista Recovery Discs