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PC WONT START - PLEASE HELP

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Daire

Technical User
Joined
Jun 25, 2001
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156
Location
EU
Help

I'm running Win 98 SE with 128MB and PIII 800Mhz on a HP Vectra VL 400 DT

The PC will not boot up anymore
I keep getting BSOD telling me "VFAT DEVICE INITIALISING FAILED, A DEVICE OR RESOURCE IS NOT PRESENT OR UNAVAILABLE. VFAT CANNOT CONTINUE LOADING SYSTEM HALTED"

I ran scandisk - no errors
I ran HP's diagnostics - no errors
I used Win98 bootup disk - will not load windows
Tried safe mode - FATAL EXCEPTION 0D 0167:00001B01

I don't want to re-install because I'll lose all the apps.

CAN ANYONE HELP WITH THIS ONE? "The more I learn the more I realise how little I know" -- thats what makes it so damn good! ;-)
 
Leptonite,

Go to Microsoft's homepage and check out the article (Q139063) at-->


(You may have to copy and paste that URL versus clicking on it)

It basically says:

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 "maxfilecache = 4096" line is present in the System.ini file.

RESOLUTION
To resolve the problem, use one of the following methods.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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 deltree 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.

6. There Is a "maxfilecache = 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 "maxfilecache = 4096" line, save the file, close the file, and then restart your computer.

Good Luck,
jade>(::O>
 
Jade, thanks loads for all the tips, I'm in work at the moment but I'll try all that when I get home.
"The more I learn the more I realise how little I know" -- thats what makes it so damn good! ;-)
 
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