VFAT device initialization failed

dear sir

mine is a p3 PC operating on windows95

my computer starts and shuts down immediately

i tried to find out the problem by starting it by using startup disk and found:

VFAT DEVICSE INITIAZATION FAILED:

A DEVICE OR RESOURCE REQUIRED BY VFAT IS NOT PRESENT OR IS UNAVAILABLE . VFAT

CANNOT CONTINUE LOADING

SYSTEM HALTED.

please help in solving this problem.

thanking you

prashantha k r

This question was answered on June 12, 2001. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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First, thank you for your question Prashantha, although I was sorry to hear about your trouble It's always frustrating and unnerving when you can't get your system to boot.

To find your answer I went to the Microsoft web sight and grabbed the following info for you from their searchable database By the way don't worry if some of it is not familiar to you, I just wanted to provide you with everything that might be pertinent to your situation If you scroll down there is a "Resolution" section that should walk you through a possible solution If you still need more help, resubmit and we will be glad to give you a hand..

SYMPTOMS

When you start Windows, you may receive the following error message on a blue screen:

VFAT Device Initialization Failed

A device or resource required by VFAT is not present or is unavailable VFAT cannot continue loading

System halted

CAUSE

This problem can occur under any one of the following conditions:

If the Ifshlp.sys file is missing from the Windows folder.

-or

If the Config.sys file contains a line that points to a previous version of the Ifshlp.sys file.

-or-

If the following Ifshlp.sys statement is deleted from the Config.sys file after you reinstall Windows:

DEVICE=C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys

-or-

If the [Paths] section in the Msdos.sys file is incorrect.

-or-

If a Winboot.ini file from a previous incomplete installation is present in the root folder on your Startup disk.

-or-

If a "maxfile cache = 4096" line is present in the System.ini file.

RESOLUTION

To resolve the problem, use one of the following methods

Ifshlp.sys File Missing from Windows Folder

If the Ifshlp.sys file is missing from the Windows folder, extract a new copy of the file from your original Windows floppy disks or CD-ROM to the Windows folder

For information about how to use the Extract tool, view the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q129605 How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

The Config.sys File Points to a Previous Version of the Ifshlp.sys File

Windows 95

Restart your computer When you view the "Starting Windows 95" message, press F8, and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Windows 98

Restart your computer, press and hold down CTRL after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Use a text editor (such as Notepad) to open the Config.sys file

Delete the line that loads the Ifshlp.sys file Note that Windows automatically loads this driver when you start your computer

Save and then close the Config.sys file

Restart your computer

Ifshlp.sys Statement Was Deleted from the Config.sys File After You Reinstalled Windows

When you reinstall Windows, the Ifshlp.sys statement is deleted from the Config.sys file and it is not replaced To add the Ifshlp.sys statement to the Config.sys file:

Windows 95

Restart your computer When you view the "Starting Windows 95" message, press F8, and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Windows 98

Restart your computer, press and hold down CTRL after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Use a text editor (such as Notepad) to open the Config.sys file

Type the following line in the Config.sys file:

DEVICE=C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys

Save and then close the Config.sys file

Restart your computer

Incorrect [Paths] Section in the Msdos.sys File

Windows 95

Restart your computer When you view the "Starting Windows 95" message, press F8, and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Windows 98

Restart your computer, press and hold down CTRL after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Type the following command at a command prompt:

attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys

Use a text editor (such as Notepad) to open the Msdos.sys file

Verify that the following lines in the Msdos.sys file are correct [Paths] WinDir=Windows WinBootDir=Windows HostWinBootDrv=C where Windows is the folder that contains Windows Note that if you are using disk compression software, you must change the drive letter in the HostWinBootDrv= line to the drive letter of the host drive

Save and then close the Msdos.sys file

Type the following line at a command prompt:

attrib s h r msdos.sys

Restart your computer

Winboot.ini File Present in the Root Folder of the Boot Drive

Windows 95

Restart your computer When you view the "Starting Windows 95" message, press F8, and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Windows 98

Restart your computer, press and hold down CTRL after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option from the Startup menu

Type del winboot.ini at a command prompt to delete the Winboot.ini file in the root folder of the boot drive, and then press ENTER

Restart your computer

There Is a "maxfile cache = 4096" Line in the System.ini File

Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to open the System.ini file in the Windows folder Type a semicolon (;) at the beginning of the "maxfile cache = 4096" line, save the file, close the file, and then restart your computer

Additional query words: 98 failure vfat initialization error startup

About the author

Posted by Michael of Chandler-Gilbert Community College on June 12, 2001

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