I have been receiving an intermittent error at start-up for Windows XP. The error is as follows. "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys" If I just push reset it will reboot and go into windows fine. I have tried to repair the file but have had not luck. I just re-formatted my Hard drive last night, this time I used the NTFS format and on my first boot up I got the exact same error, only it referred to the NTFS.sys file. I haven't even put any other software on it yet. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated Thanks, Nathan

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hey Nathan, being that you just re-formatted, don't think that this is an OS issue - have you upgraded your Ram recently?? If so, you might want to take some of your Ram out and see how setup runs...Good Luck..Bob


On Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 9:00 am, Nathan wrote:
>I have been receiving an intermittent error at start-up for Windows XP. The error
>is as follows. "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing
>or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys"
>
>If I just push reset it will reboot and go into windows fine. I have tried to repair
>the file but have had not luck.
>
>I just re-formatted my Hard drive last night, this time I used the NTFS format and
>on my first boot up I got the exact same error, only it referred to the NTFS.sys
>file. I haven't even put any other software on it yet.
>
>Any help or suggestions would be appreciated
>
>Thanks,
>Nathan
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I haven't really upgraded anything in the computer, In fact it's a brand new compter (I built). The very first time I loaded XP, it went on fine and started up fine, it was all good. after only a few days I started getting this problem. I currently have an AMD Athlon 1700+, with 512 DDR RAM, a 64mb DDR XFX Video card nathan


On Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 10:02 am, Bob Hohmann wrote:
>Hey Nathan,
>
>being that you just re-formatted, don't think that this is an OS issue - have you
>upgraded your Ram recently?? If so, you might want to take some of your Ram out
>and see how setup runs...Good Luck..Bob
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Could be any marginal component, the fact that it is a newly assembled PC further re-inforces that theory. XP seems to be more demanding about the quality of the components in the computer. I haven't personally seen these problems, but many have been reported here. Memory is the easiest place to start if you have two DIMMs. If you only have one, then...


On Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 10:09 am, Nathan wrote:
> I haven't really upgraded anything in the computer, In fact it's a brand new compter
>(I built). The very first time I loaded XP, it went on fine and started up fine,
>it was all good. after only a few days I started getting this problem. I currently
>have an AMD Athlon 1700+, with 512 DDR RAM, a 64mb DDR XFX Video card
>
>nathan
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Here are the easiest way to combat the problem; 1-Insert your winrowsXP CD-ROM 2-Reset your PC, and choose to boot from cd. -If you don't get that option, go into your BIOS, using F1 or Delete on most computers [if not hold INSERT while your PC is off, then turn the PC on (while still holding insert key) and keep holding insert untill you get a keboard error message. Then goto the BIOS configuration and look for the boot order and ensure your CD drive is first. 3-Allow the computer to go through the process which appears to be installing windowsXP. 4-When (3) is complete choose the option to use the recovery console. 5-Tap in the WindowsXP system, you would press 1 for most computers, and press enter. 6-type the following- COPY D:\I386\FASTFAT.SY_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\FASTFAT.SYS (where d:\ is your cd drive which you have WinXP cdrom & where c: is your hard drive where WinXP is installed) 7-Hit Y to overwrite, if you get the option. 8-Once the file has copied, and automaticly decompressed, take your WindowsXP CD-ROM from you cd drive. 9-Type EXIT Your computer should boot and run with no problems. Assuming FASTFAT.SYS was your only problem. -Wrangler

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I work for the Information Systems Department at Montcalm Community College. This solution really works. I had an older compaq deskpro en with a PIII 500 MHz processor, 192 MB of Ram and 6.4 Gig HD. We had just upgraded to the 192 MB ram from 128 and ghosted the image to the computer. When this errror occured. I had also ghosted 3 other identical computers with no problem. After taking out the newest memory stick XP booted fine. I then replaced the memory with another stick and walla it boots with no problems and we are up to 192 MB ram. Thank you for the idea.


On Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 10:02 am, Bob Hohmann wrote:
>Hey Nathan,
>
>being that you just re-formatted, don't think that this is an OS issue - have you
>upgraded your Ram recently?? If so, you might want to take some of your Ram out
>and see how setup runs...Good Luck..Bob
>
> .

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

hi - i was getting the ntfs.sys is corrupt or missing message so i copied the file to cd from another xp machine, booted up the problematic PC in safe mode and copied the file over the old one. it worked alright after that.


On Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 9:00 am, Nathan wrote:
>I have been receiving an intermittent error at start-up for Windows XP. The error
>is as follows. "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing
>or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys"
>
>If I just push reset it will reboot and go into windows fine. I have tried to repair
>the file but have had not luck.
>
>I just re-formatted my Hard drive last night, this time I used the NTFS format and
>on my first boot up I got the exact same error, only it referred to the NTFS.sys
>file. I haven't even put any other software on it yet.
>
>Any help or suggestions would be appreciated
>
>Thanks,
>Nathan
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I just tried to add two 128 MB ram sticks to a friends '99 Dell Dimension XPS T500. There was already one 256MB stick in it. All the Dell manuals say that the board can run up to 768MB ram in any configuration with no problems. As soon as I put the sticks in and reboot, I get the "FASFAT.SYS is missing or corrupt" message. I take the sticks out and reboot using last working configuration and it works fine. I put them back in and... no good. I just told my friend she should spend $100 on ram and I'd have no problem putting it in... I'd like to get it working for her. Any ideas?

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hey, Have had this issue a few times both times it was a problem with either the ram quality (only when its new ram) or in the other case it was a machine that had been running fine and we took it to XP from ME clean install it was also ram apparently the ram was not up to par for XP or had some type of problem anyway I would suggest trying to just put 1 stick at a time in and see if it is just one stick bad or if it just does not like the quailty of them both assumeing they are the same make and model or return the ram for a little better known brand\quality hope this is helpful. I know how frustrating it can be when something as simple as this is supposed to be goes wrong. Thanks Jimmy


On Tuesday, January 21, 2003 at 8:25 am, Json Carlin wrote:
>I just tried to add two 128 MB ram sticks to a friends '99 Dell Dimension XPS T500.
> There was already one 256MB stick in it. All the Dell manuals say that the board
>can run up to 768MB ram in any configuration with no problems.
>
>As soon as I put the sticks in and reboot, I get the "FASFAT.SYS is missing or corrupt"
>message. I take the sticks out and reboot using last working configuration and it
>works fine. I put them back in and... no good.
>
>I just told my friend she should spend $100 on ram and I'd have no problem putting
>it in... I'd like to get it working for her. Any ideas?

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Have you thinked to run a scandisk to make sure your hard disk is stilll kicking and alive ?


On Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 9:00 am, Nathan wrote:
>I have been receiving an intermittent error at start-up for Windows XP. The error
>is as follows. "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing
>or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys"
>
>If I just push reset it will reboot and go into windows fine. I have tried to repair
>the file but have had not luck.
>
>I just re-formatted my Hard drive last night, this time I used the NTFS format and
>on my first boot up I got the exact same error, only it referred to the NTFS.sys
>file. I haven't even put any other software on it yet.
>
>Any help or suggestions would be appreciated
>
>Thanks,
>Nathan
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I have had ntfs.sys missing or corrupt at boot up in win xp + hal.dll missing or corrupt + blue screen system stopped at boot up . + when you reset it boots up ok but crashes now n again oops " sorry ! ". If I ran a game or 3d mark 2001 se benchmark , with new detonator 40.07 video drivers it would reboot the system ! , with old detonator 30.00 drivers it just quit back to windows . I changed the memory , the graphics card , updated the bios , reset the Bios , set pci Latency to 248 , same as graphics card , zero filled the hard drive , reinstalled everything , still no joy . So it had to be mobo or cpu , nothing else left ! . So I borrowed another cpu ! Problem solved ! Thankfully the cpu , a 2 gig northwood , was replaced u.g.t. P.S. my system is Intel D850MV + 512 meg PC800 Kingstone Value RDRAM , Geforce 3 ti 200 by MSI . + Aver media Video Capture card + Seagate 40 gig ata 100 hd . Hope This helps .


On Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 9:00 am, Nathan wrote:
>I have been receiving an intermittent error at start-up for Windows XP. The error
>is as follows. "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing
>or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys"
>
>If I just push reset it will reboot and go into windows fine. I have tried to repair
>the file but have had not luck.
>
>I just re-formatted my Hard drive last night, this time I used the NTFS format and
>on my first boot up I got the exact same error, only it referred to the NTFS.sys
>file. I haven't even put any other software on it yet.
>
>Any help or suggestions would be appreciated
>
>Thanks,
>Nathan
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hey, I got an "Access is denied." error message when I key in the COPY command. Any idea what to do next?


On Monday, December 2, 2002 at 2:43 pm, Wrangler wrote:
>
>Here are the easiest way to combat the problem;
>1-Insert your winrowsXP CD-ROM
>2-Reset your PC, and choose to boot from cd.
>-If you don't get that option, go into your BIOS, using F1 or Delete on most computers
>[if not hold INSERT while your PC is off, then turn the PC on (while still holding
>insert key) and keep holding insert untill you get a keboard error message. Then
>goto the BIOS configuration and look for the boot order and ensure your CD drive
>is first.
>3-Allow the computer to go through the process which appears to be installing windowsXP.
>4-When (3) is complete choose the option to use the recovery console.
>5-Tap in the WindowsXP system, you would press 1 for most computers, and press enter.
>6-type the following-
>
> COPY D:\I386\FASTFAT.SY_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\FASTFAT.SYS
>(where d:\ is your cd drive which you have WinXP cdrom & where c: is your hard drive
>where WinXP is installed)
>
>7-Hit Y to overwrite, if you get the option.
>8-Once the file has copied, and automaticly decompressed, take your WindowsXP CD-ROM
>from you cd drive.
>9-Type EXIT
>
>Your computer should boot and run with no problems. Assuming FASTFAT.SYS was your
>only problem.
>
>-Wrangler
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I've had 256 and 128 SDR running in my XP PC for about a year. I swapped the 128 which was 16 x 64, with a newer 128 that was 133 X 64, and got the NTFS.sys message. I replaced the new stick with the old one, still getting the same message. Finally I pulled the old stick, leaving the 256 in, and PC works fine. Question is: Is the old stick of 128 dead now? it's worked fine all this time, so I believe its still good. Is there anything I can do to get XP to accept it? I'm running a P3 450Mhz, (was)384 MB SDR, 16 bit Voodoo 3 VGA, with XP Pro.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Mixing memory speeds is a big no no i.m.h.o. BX boards were designed for use with pc100 ram , cas 2 PC100 is the best you can get . however If your BX board is happy with pc133 ! then use All Pc133 . ( cheap cas 3 pc133 is usually good cas 2 @ pc100 ) As a follow up to my original posting , the boot up missing or corrupt ntfs.sys , hal.dll and blue screen system stopped problems , were not down to a faulty P4 cpu , as I first thought . 2 days after my posting it was back ! the cpu WAS causing my " game play reboots system " problem ! I changed the 512 meg pc800 for 256 meg of pc800 ecc memory , and the startup problems were still there . The eventual cure was provided by Microsoft . I installed service pack 1 , and all of the Critical updates , several of which refer to missing or corrupt file at boot up problems . No problems since . hope this helps . Regards Chris .


On Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at 9:10 pm, Kris wrote:
>
>I've had 256 and 128 SDR running in my XP PC for about a year. I swapped the 128
>which was 16 x 64, with a newer 128 that was 133 X 64, and got the NTFS.sys message.
>I replaced the new stick with the old one, still getting the same message. Finally
>I pulled the old stick, leaving the 256 in, and PC works fine.
>
>Question is: Is the old stick of 128 dead now? it's worked fine all this time, so
>I believe its still good. Is there anything I can do to get XP to accept it?
>
>
>I'm running a P3 450Mhz, (was)384 MB SDR,
>16 bit Voodoo 3 VGA, with XP Pro.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Unfortunately, I'm searching this page well after the problem is probably gone, but I too have this problem and am looking for an answer. Did you logon to the windows installation as an Admin? If you didn't get a password at the beginning of the recovery console, type LOGON, and it should prompt you. Try the Copy command after that. Good luck.


On Thursday, August 14, 2003 at 1:00 am, bengseng wrote:
>Hey, I got an "Access is denied." error message when I key in the COPY command. Any
>idea what to do next?
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

hi This is Vinod from India,I hope that u found solutions for FASTFAT.SYS,can u mail me the solution at vinoddb2002@yahoo.com becoss i am struggling a lot to find solutions.Plz help me Best Regards V.Vinod India


On Monday, December 2, 2002 at 2:43 pm, Wrangler wrote:
>
>Here are the easiest way to combat the problem;
>1-Insert your winrowsXP CD-ROM
>2-Reset your PC, and choose to boot from cd.
>-If you don't get that option, go into your BIOS, using F1 or Delete on most computers
>[if not hold INSERT while your PC is off, then turn the PC on (while still holding
>insert key) and keep holding insert untill you get a keboard error message. Then
>goto the BIOS configuration and look for the boot order and ensure your CD drive
>is first.
>3-Allow the computer to go through the process which appears to be installing windowsXP.
>4-When (3) is complete choose the option to use the recovery console.
>5-Tap in the WindowsXP system, you would press 1 for most computers, and press enter.
>6-type the following-
>
> COPY D:\I386\FASTFAT.SY_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\FASTFAT.SYS
>(where d:\ is your cd drive which you have WinXP cdrom & where c: is your hard drive
>where WinXP is installed)
>
>7-Hit Y to overwrite, if you get the option.
>8-Once the file has copied, and automaticly decompressed, take your WindowsXP CD-ROM
>from you cd drive.
>9-Type EXIT
>
>Your computer should boot and run with no problems. Assuming FASTFAT.SYS was your
>only problem.
>
>-Wrangler
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Thank you Wrangler, the error message did not come up but when we tried restarting the system it went to the safe mode screen.Tried booting the system in safe mode ..no go.Tried last known good configuration..no go.And would stay there only"We apologise foir the inconvenience but windows did not start normally........" Why was this? Please help.


On Thursday, August 14, 2003 at 1:00 am, bengseng wrote:
>Hey, I got an "Access is denied." error message when I key in the COPY command. Any
>idea what to do next?
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I've just had this problem - except with a new twist... I can't get past the "corrupt/deleted fastfat error message" inviting me to repair it by running setup and pressing 'r' at some point; i eventually found my XP Pro cd, and pressed start with cd support, but it simply ended up going to DOS prompt "A:/>". I'm guessing that I just have to type "SETUP" on this DOSprompt and it will then launch the setup process and allow me to fix it... any input would be gratefully received (as I'm at work on the PCs now for the next 9 hours, and may have a job getting access to the internet for a while.) cheers, JACK


On Monday, December 2, 2002 at 2:43 pm, Wrangler wrote:
>
>Here are the easiest way to combat the problem;
>1-Insert your winrowsXP CD-ROM
>2-Reset your PC, and choose to boot from cd.
>-If you don't get that option, go into your BIOS, using F1 or Delete on most computers
>[if not hold INSERT while your PC is off, then turn the PC on (while still holding
>insert key) and keep holding insert untill you get a keboard error message. Then
>goto the BIOS configuration and look for the boot order and ensure your CD drive
>is first.
>3-Allow the computer to go through the process which appears to be installing windowsXP.
>4-When (3) is complete choose the option to use the recovery console.
>5-Tap in the WindowsXP system, you would press 1 for most computers, and press enter.
>6-type the following-
>
> COPY D:\I386\FASTFAT.SY_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\FASTFAT.SYS
>(where d:\ is your cd drive which you have WinXP cdrom & where c: is your hard drive
>where WinXP is installed)
>
>7-Hit Y to overwrite, if you get the option.
>8-Once the file has copied, and automaticly decompressed, take your WindowsXP CD-ROM
>from you cd drive.
>9-Type EXIT
>
>Your computer should boot and run with no problems. Assuming FASTFAT.SYS was your
>only problem.
>
>-Wrangler
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

i try to type the sentence but its display cant find file...I 'm sure i type correctly. But guys i gt 2 512ram, so i try taking out and puting both in different slot.But after a few try,problem solve .So izzit my ram problem or wat??


On Monday, December 2, 2002 at 2:43 pm, Wrangler wrote:
>
>Here are the easiest way to combat the problem;
>1-Insert your winrowsXP CD-ROM
>2-Reset your PC, and choose to boot from cd.
>-If you don't get that option, go into your BIOS, using F1 or Delete on most computers
>[if not hold INSERT while your PC is off, then turn the PC on (while still holding
>insert key) and keep holding insert untill you get a keboard error message. Then
>goto the BIOS configuration and look for the boot order and ensure your CD drive
>is first.
>3-Allow the computer to go through the process which appears to be installing windowsXP.
>4-When (3) is complete choose the option to use the recovery console.
>5-Tap in the WindowsXP system, you would press 1 for most computers, and press enter.
>6-type the following-
>
> COPY D:\I386\FASTFAT.SY_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\FASTFAT.SYS
>(where d:\ is your cd drive which you have WinXP cdrom & where c: is your hard drive
>where WinXP is installed)
>
>7-Hit Y to overwrite, if you get the option.
>8-Once the file has copied, and automaticly decompressed, take your WindowsXP CD-ROM
>from you cd drive.
>9-Type EXIT
>
>Your computer should boot and run with no problems. Assuming FASTFAT.SYS was your
>only problem.
>
>-Wrangler
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

THANK YOU!! Your suggestion was ingenious and my computer is FINALLY running again. God, it took a few hundred "restarts" and a whole lotta frustration for me to look up a possible solution. Thank you again... and to anyone else out there with that god awful fastfat problem... take the advice to... check your ram or memory or dimm!

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I'm about to give these instructions via a long distance telephone call. 2 questions. 1. Does it have to be via the recovery console? 2. I have a \i386 folder on C: with fastfat.sy_ do i still need the cd?


On Monday, December 2, 2002 at 2:43 pm, Wrangler wrote:
>
>Here are the easiest way to combat the problem;
>1-Insert your winrowsXP CD-ROM
>2-Reset your PC, and choose to boot from cd.
>-If you don't get that option, go into your BIOS, using F1 or Delete on most computers
>[if not hold INSERT while your PC is off, then turn the PC on (while still holding
>insert key) and keep holding insert untill you get a keboard error message. Then
>goto the BIOS configuration and look for the boot order and ensure your CD drive
>is first.
>3-Allow the computer to go through the process which appears to be installing windowsXP.
>4-When (3) is complete choose the option to use the recovery console.
>5-Tap in the WindowsXP system, you would press 1 for most computers, and press enter.
>6-type the following-
>
> COPY D:\I386\FASTFAT.SY_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\FASTFAT.SYS
>(where d:\ is your cd drive which you have WinXP cdrom & where c: is your hard drive
>where WinXP is installed)

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

As well, try setting any and all bios settings relating to memory or overclocking / system perfomance to the lowest or normal position. ie. Normal vrs Optimal or Turbo


On Monday, October 11, 2004 at 8:53 pm, Danielle wrote: ... take the advice to... check your ram or memory or dimm!

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I have been receiving an intermittent error at start-up for Windows XP. The error is as follows. "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys" If I just push reset it will reboot and go into windows fine. I have tried to repair the file but have had not luck. I just re-formatted my Hard drive last night, this time I used the NTFS format and on my first boot up I got the exact same error, only it referred to the NTFS.sys file. I haven't even put any other software on it yet. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated Thanks, Nathan

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hi, I'm struggeling with the same problem for one year and cannot find the solution. When the system is running it is running fine but about 50% of all boots gives a black screen with"Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\"ntfs.sys" I'm sure that the file NTFS.SYS is not missing nor corrupt... Also a next reboot is succesful... Memorytests and or disktests do not give any clue. The problem started after I ghosted my disk image to a bigger harddisk (maxtor 6L300R0 300GB). I also tried to put the image on an other 6L300R0 but NO LUCK. Why are these boots so unpredictable? Looks like a timing issue in combiunation with the disk... Has someone seen this before and a found a solution???


On Monday, September 17, 2007 at 2:13 am, hardik wrote:
>I have been receiving an intermittent error at start-up for Windows XP. The error
>is as follows. "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing
>or corrupt: \windows\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys" If I just push reset it will reboot
>and go into windows fine. I have tried to repair the file but have had not luck.
>I just re-formatted my Hard drive last night, this time I used the NTFS format and
>on my first boot up I got the exact same error, only it referred to the NTFS.sys
>file. I haven't even put any other software on it yet. Any help or suggestions would
>be appreciated Thanks, Nathan
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

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