DMA setting for hard disk

[JonathanB]

Whew! I'm just a novice PC user. I checked the DMA checkbox for the "GENERIC IDE DISK TYPE 47" in the My Computer>Properties>Device Manager>Generic IDE Disk Type 47; When I reboot the PC, Windows will not start. It says "VFAT DEVICE INITIALIZATION, A DEVICE OR RESOURCE REQUIRED BY VFAT IS NOT PRESENT OR IS UNAVAILABLE. VFAT cannot continue loading. How do I proceed and how do I go back to original settings. When I start at safe mode, the checkbox is not there. My PC is PIII with ASUS P3V4X motherboard and VIA chipset; my harddisk is a 10G quantum; Win 98SE. Please help.

[rangeral]

This link should give you some info and a resolution http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q139063 http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000366.htm

If these don't work try booting up with a bootdisk and at the prompt type fdisk /mbr if that doesn't work try going into bios hit save and exit a few times restarting after each save see if that does anything or go to your hard drives site and d/l there diagnostic utility and do a low level format of the drive to wipe it completely.

[JonathanB]

Woow!!! At least I was able to go back to the original settings. From Safe mode, I went to RUN>MSCONFIG>ENTER> and clicked Restore Backup. Bingo! The DMA is still checked when I go back in the Device Manager>Generic IDE but it hang when I played games, so I uncheck it for the meantime. Perhaps I need more readings. The VFAT topic also adds a lot because I tried it for the first time, though my settings are okay. Would somebody share a little pointers on what would I check first before attempting again? Again, thanks to all of you there. From a filipino.