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Blue screen VFAT error

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by guy west 1 view

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I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro 430CDT that the two times I could get it to boot gave me a blue screen and an error that went something like this - VFAT Initializtion failed. Now it won't boot at all even with a boot disk. I can hear it do a memory check and the hard drive light flashes briefly and then it just sits there like a paperweight. I can hear the hard drive spinning. I can't get to a DOS prompt.
Any suggestions?

22 replies

by maxwell edison

Greetings,

Possible answers:

From: VFAT Initialization Error Message Installing Windows 98 [Q190110]

SYMPTOMS
========

When you are installing Windows 98, you may receive the following error
message:

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 behavior can occur if the SystemSoft CardWorks software is installed on
your computer during Windows 98 Setup. CardWorks may also prevent Ifshlp.sys
from being loaded from the Config.sys file.

The following computers have exhibited this behavior:

- IBM ThinkPad model 380 and 385

- Toshiba model 465CDX

- Toshiba460CDT Pentium 166

- Toshiba Sattelite Pro 460DX

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, uninstall the CardWorks software. For information about
how to do so, please contact your computer's manufacturer.

Regards,

Maxwell

by maxwell edison

.
.
Another possibility (more likely)

From: Error Message: VFAT Device Initialization Failed [Q139063]

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.

by maxwell edison

.
(continued..)
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 ofthe Ifshlp.sys File
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

1. 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 Startupmenu.

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

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

4. Save and then close the Config.sys file.

5. 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:

1. 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.

by maxwell edison

.
(cont..)
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.

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

3. Type the following line in the Config.sys file:

DEVICE=C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys

4. Save and then close the Config.sys file.

5. Restart your computer.

Incorrect [Paths] Sectionin the Msdos.sys File
-----------------------------------------------

1. 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.

2. Type the following command at a command prompt:

" attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys " (without the quotation marks)

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

4. Verify that the following lines in the Msdos.sys file are correct [Paths]
WinDir= WinBootDir= HostWinBootDrv=C where
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.

5. Save and then close the Msdos.sys file.

6. Type the following line at a command prompt:

" attrib +s +h +r msdos.sys " (without the quotation marks)

7. Restart your computer.

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

by maxwell edison

.
.
(cont.)1. 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.

2. Type "deltree winboot.ini" (without the quotation marks) at a command prompt
to delete the Winboot.ini file in the root folder of the boot drive, and then
press ENTER.

3. 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 (";" (without the quotation marks)) at the beginning of
the "maxfile cache = 4096" line, save the file, close the file, and then restart
your computer.

by maxwell edison

.
.

In addition to the posted Q190110 and Q139063, also see: Q178947 if you also receive the following: Registry File was not found. Registry services may be inoperative for this
session. XMS cache problem. Registry services may be inoperative this
session.

Good luck,

(I should have just posted the MS KB article numbers. Sorry 'bout that.)

Maxwell

by estebandelatorre

The machine should boot from floppy. Go to bios setup menu and check the boot order.
If you can't change it, you have a virus!
Once you change the boot order, you should boot into dos (A:/>) no matter what happens with THe HD.

by guy west

Nope, it won't boot with a floppy. . I can hear it do a memory check and the hard drive light flashes briefly. That's it, nothing else.

by jesselou

boot into your cdrom drive or drive a: if you can boot go to your drive c: and type attrib -s -r -h system 1st enter. then type attrib -s -r -h c:\windows\system.dat enter.then type ren c:\windows\system.dat system.bad enter. type also ren system.1st system dat. copy the new system.dat to your windows directory be ready with your Win9x cd rom. follow the instructions that will be ask.

by mp

guywest-

You haven't answered if you tried going into BIOS to check the boot order. If your boot order is set to c: a:, then the symtoms will continue. You MUST change the boot order to a: c:

by guy west

Please tell me how to get into the BIOS if I can get get NOTHING to appear on the screen. That would be very helpful.

by terkey

I maybe wrong but it might be a case of some hardware malfunction. You might have to bring back to the service centre for repairs.
Something to do with the ide controller or something.
It would be best if you can bring it to a service centre to confirm.
Hope this helps.

by guy west

I found part of the answer on a Toshiba messageboard on Compuserve. To get to an A prompt (with my boot disk) hold the reset button in while pressing the power button. But then when I tried to get to windows I'd get the VFAT error again and I'd end up in the previous state. So I went through Maxwell's suggestions and one of them worked for me. Maxwell, if you want to post another answer I'll award you the points. I want to close out the question soon. Thanks very much to everyone who tried to help!

by bryan_hartman

Last time i had a vfat error it was a iomega zip drive going south. unplugged the zip drive and the error went away

could be another device causing the problem to like a hard drive.

by maxwell edison

Greetings (again),

By the way, I guess I should have actually read the whole question before I gave you that long winded answer. (Can't boot up on a floppy.) Sorry 'bout that.

If ALL of those answers above don't help with solving your problem - and you can't even get as far as entering your BIOS - then all things point to hardware failure. Did you replace your RAM just prior to this? If so, it may be incompatible or not seated correctly. If not, it may have just gone bad. Try replacing the RAM with new sticks. Check to make sure all your other cards are seated properly. Remove all of them except the video card. If it still won't boot, try a different video card. If that doesn't work, I'd say you have a bad motherboard.

Best of luck to you.

Maxwell

by maxwell edison

.
.
.
DANG! I DID IT AGAIN!

I didn't read your additional comment before I posted my last answer. But I'm glad my first answer helped you out. I'm also glad you found that "back-door" way to get it to boot up on A-Drive.

Aren't computers fun??

Regards,

Maxwell

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