Microsoft Windows library files: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:09, 17 August 2006

Revision as of 18:09, 17 August 2006

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== Hal.dll ==

'''Hal.dll''' is the core file of the [[Windows NT]] family of [[operating systems]] that provides and handles the interaction of software and hardware via the [[Hardware Abstraction Layer]]. Without hal.dll being present, any machine running a [[Windows NT]] based [[operating system]] will spectacularly fail to function, if it even boots.

Windows includes several HALs to support different kinds of hardware; the appropriate HAL is chosen during the initial installation of Windows. Generally speaking, the determining factors for HAL selection are uni- vs. multi-processor [[CPU]], [[ACPI]] vs. non-ACPI, and [[APIC]] vs. [[Programmable Interrupt Controller|PIC]].