Windows 2000 Stop Messages

This message, also known as Stop 0x79, is displayed when the hardware abstraction layer (HAL) and the kernel or the computer type do not match. This error most often occurs when single-processor and multiprocessor configuration files are mixed on the same system.

Interpreting the Message

The types of mismatch parameters are defined in order of appearance in the sets as follows. The first parameter determines which set is applicable.

  1. If this parameter is 1, the processor control block (PRCB) release levels mismatch (that is, something is out of date).

  2. Major PRCB level of Ntoskrnl.exe.

  3. Major PRCB level of Hal.dll.

  4. 0 (zero).
    – Or –

  5. Build type of Ntoskrnl.exe.

  6. Build type of Hal.dll.

  7. 0 (zero).
    (Build Types: 0 = free, multiprocessor-enabled build; 1 = checked, multiprocessor-enabled build; and 2 = free, single-processor build)

Resolving the Problem

Stop 0x79 can occur if either the Ntoskrnl.exe or Hal.dll files have been manually updated. The error can also indicate that one of those two files is out-of-date (that is, the HAL is designed for Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0 and the kernel is for Windows 2000). Additionally, the computer might erroneously have a multiprocessor HAL and a single-processor kernel installed, or vice versa.

The kernel file Ntoskrnl.exe is for single-processor systems and Ntkrnlmp.exe is for multiprocessor systems. However, these file names correspond to the files on the installation media; after Windows 2000 has been installed, the file is renamed Ntoskrnl.exe, regardless of the source file used. The HAL file also uses the name Hal.dll after installation, but there are several possible HAL files on the installation media.

To resolve this error, restart the computer using either the product CD or the four Setup disks and enter Windows 2000 Setup. Press ENTER at the Setup Notification screen to go to the Welcome to Setup screen. Press R to repair a Windows 2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. Use the Copy command to copy either the correct HAL or kernel file from the original CD into the appropriate folder on the hard disk. The Copy command detects whether the file to be copied is in the Microsoft compressed file format. If so, it automatically expands the file copied on the target drive, although you need to specify the correct file name extension as part of the command. These files can also be located within the Driver.cab file. If so, use the Expand command to extract them from the CAB and copy them to the hard disk. For more information about the Recovery Console, see Troubleshooting Tools and Strategies in this book.

For more troubleshooting information about the 0x79 Stop message, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base link, using the keywords winnt and 0x00000079 . For information about this resource, see chapters under Additional Resources at the end of this chapter.