UGH

Ok so my windows install got corrupted. Apparently the hal.dll file was bad or missing. So a little research points to 2 things, that i either have a bad or missing hal.dll, or i have a bad or missing boot.ini.
The most direct solution is to unzip the hal.dll from the xp cd onto your computer into the windows/system32 folder through the Recovery Console. Easier said than done as i haz ACCESS DENIED to my windows folder. Well shit. So another advice that "looked" to work was to install windows into a different folder, then move over the correct files to the old windows folder since you can access these files through reg windows. I must have not done it right, as it was supposed to prompt me to choose whether to install over the old installation or choose a new directory.
it didnt.
it installed over the old directory.
everything in my documents and desktop are lost now as it was overwriten. no more pics, no more itunes library, no more random notes i write myself on my desktop.
gonna try to see if a file recovery prog will work but it looks like im shit outta luck.
So lesson of the day, either backup your desktop files and my document files, or make sure to keep them NOT in those folders. As if you do try to reinstall windows, you might screw yerself like i did.