HAL means.....

When you start installing a Server, microsoft's HAL (Hardware Accessibility List) can be used to determine wether you system is compatible & ready to uinstall NT / 2000 Server OS.

Its basically a list of hardware devices listed by their model / brands released by Microsoft.
if you subscribe MSDN you'll get it ona CD, else check microsoft's web site for HAL.

Nice try! HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer). I think the last poster was thinking of the HCL (Hardware Compatibilty List).

It's a DLL Dynamic Link Library that is used low-level to interface with differnet hardware and issue instructions to the CPU. Different processors with different stepping use differnet HALs.

HTH

Answer 2 got HAL correct. It is Hardware Abstraction Layer. The idea of this layer is that it sits within the operating system and isolates the hardware within your system from direct access by user level applications. All calls made directly to hardware from software are made via the HAL, which can then intercept any calls that would normally cause a machine to crash (normally just giving you a Dr Watson instead).

The HAL (Hardware Accessibility List) list, listed ALL the drivers provided in the cd rom that works (were tested & approved) to work with an OS.
It doesn't mean that some HW not listed can work under the OS. The HAL changes day by day and is tracked inside Micorsoft site.

It also means that, if you have some hardware NOT listed and you are experiencing problems, Microsoft WON?T help you.

Hope it helps!

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