• Registered: 2009-03-19
  • Posts: 14

Topic: please help me clarify the 3 critical file for unipro and multipro HAL

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source: http://www.vernalex.com/guides/sysprep/hal.shtml
ACPI Uniprocessor PC
DLL: halaacpi.dll
Kernel: ntoskrnl.exe
PAE: ntkrnlpa.exe

ACPI Multiprocessor PC
DLL: halmacpi.dll
Kernel: ntkrnlmp.exe
PAE: ntkrpamp.exe
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Hi. My reference computer is laptop with AMD turion 64 x2.
I am making xp pro sp3.
i researched the resource about half switching. Many people have great success to downgrade from ACPI multiprocess to uniprocess with the following:

Scenario:
Source computer: ACPI Multiprocessor (ACPI APIC MP)
Destination computer: ACPI Uniprocessor (ACPI APIC UP)
To force the Uniprocessor HAL, use the following entry:
UpdateUPHal=ACPIAPIC_UP, %windir%\inf\hal.inf

People said it will work on both type of computers(single core and dual core). Multiprocess PC use halmacpi.dll and uniprocess pc use halaacpi.dll. Many ppl didn't mention the following question:
do i have to extract 3 files DLL, kernel and PAE in %windir%\inf\hal.inf?????????? where do i find these 3 files?
can i extract them from my xp sp3 cd?? i mean does this step require?

Another quick question: Since i build the image on AMD computer, do i have to disable intelppm with:
sc config intelppm start= disabled

Then few mins later, i check the HAL files at driver detail in device manager. I find something interesting:
the ACPI multiprocess PC using these 3 files:
C:\windows\system32\hal.dll
C:\windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
C:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

why multiproces hal using uniprocess hal files?? that's weird.
The reason i asked because it maybe works, but i am not sure if it degrade performance or cause any blue screen in the future. That's why i ask if it is required to add those 3 ppl to %windir%\inf\hal.inf and which 3 files i should add.

There are many ways to add driverpack to sysprep.
? "SysPrep Guide."  Vernalex.com.  <http://www.vernalex.com/guides/sysprep/index.shtml>.
? "Using DriverPacks with Sysprep."  DriverPacks.net.  <http://forum.driverpacks.net/viewtopic.php?id=1682>.
is driver pack scanner's method same as " [HOWTO] Using DriverPacks w/ Sysprep (Updated for BASE 7.04)"???
Are these 2 methods doing same job??? which one do you guys prefer and easy to use?

Last edited by roadorange (2010-12-28 14:56:23)

  • From: Argentina
  • Registered: 2009-09-11
  • Posts: 13

Re: please help me clarify the 3 critical file for unipro and multipro HAL

Hi, Intelppm.sys is Intel Processor Power Manager and it will only load itself if you make the "source" image on an Intel based computer, therefore if you make the image with an AMD processor none of this happens, if by change you use a Intel CPU when creating the image then you will have to switch startmode to 3 on that service for the image to boot on an AMD machine.

In several microsoft KBs HAL and Kernel combos are mentioned but I think there where only two KBs that says there are performance issues by using a HAL not tailored to your processor, I`ve been switching HALs like 4 years now and never have BSODs, dunno about performance, but problems have not arisen so far.

If by chance you get your hands on a Longhorn Beta 1 NTLDR that NTLDR has automatic HAL switching, so you extract all HALs and Kernels to their proper locations and use a BOOT.INI switch to tell NTLDR to guess wich one to use, I think this method works better.

Here is some reference to the HAL / Kernel.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/99588/en-us

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/237556/en-us    - This one is for windows 2000 but it works for XP too, check out the filenames as they are a complete reference.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309283/en-us

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/159111/en-us    - This one mentions problems with multiprocessors using uniprocessor HAL.


Please forgive my english grammar, my native regional settings are spanish, Argentina big_smile

Feel free to reply or mail should you want to further discuss this topic.

Best of luck !!!