cant boot system

did you upgrade or is it a clean install??

This error can come from a missing ifshelps.sys file missing in windows directory or if you upgraded from a previous version your config file could point to the wrong file if you were using one.

Edited text of question.

this was a clean install on the hard drive. i just dont understand what the problem could be. after installing the windows 98, it reboots, but then right after it updates sytem config files.. it shows the vfat error. i checked vfat, it doesnt appear to be missing. i dont know what else to do.

Have you tried to boot to safe mode by pressing F8 at bootup??

Also from the F8 menu you can try to use the selective start and DON'T process your autoexec.bat or config.sys file.

Again, if you have not chacked for viruses, this is the time, because I have seen VFAT errors caused by boot sector viruses. Please see my previous posting. The only other thing I caould suggest is getting the HD util from the OEM or manufacturing site, and see if it is OK, or have it do a full erase and diagnostics. Maybe the HD is on it's last legs.

It wont even start in safe mode.
I am currently going to check it for a boot virus. Will let you know.

When you say "clean install" do you mean you started with a completely empty and reformatted hard drive?  Was the hard drive working before?  Why were you installing the OS (that is, were you trying to correct another problem)?

If you go back to square one:  fdisk, partition, then format your hard drive.  Then, from a bare hard drive, install win98 starting from a win98 boot floppy with CDROM support (or if your BIOS supports booting from CDROM).  If you have the same problem again, it would sound like hardware failure, but give it a try first.

OK, found a problem, but dont know if it is fixed just yet. There was a boot virus, I used my emergency boot disk, its apparently gone now. Am going to try to install windows again and see if I cant get it to boot properly.

micro66- yes! it was a completely empty formatted hd. i have 2 computers, the hard drive was obviously for one system that wasnt running. i ran a boot scan for a virus, there was one found. used an emergency boot disk from my mcafee virus scan program. after the scan was completed, it said NO virus was cleaned. I am currently going back again to try to format, etc again.

Good Call SysExpert! First time i've seen a virus cause a Vfat error

ok, to all that offered assistance here, wish to thank you. This one hd is a no go.. cant get the virus out of there. Am going to use another I have hanging around to see if I cant get it to work. Once again, thanks to all that offered advice, etc. And yes SysExpert.. I never thought it could be a virus that caused a vfat error either-- good job!

:-) good job!

im gonna try another h/d to see if i cant get this other system up and running.

If you want to try and fix the hard drive, try downloading the manufacturers DIagnosis and repair utils. Every  manufacturer has one on their site for their own drives. This may be able to fix the drive. If not, you may be able to get it replaced if under warrantee ( normally about 3 years ).
Good luck !