Can you try "modprobe vfat" as root and try again ?

modprobe vfat
modprobe: Can't open dependencies file 
/lib/modules/2.2.16-22/modules.dep (No su
ch file or directory)
[root@show /etc]# mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /dosc
mount: fs type vfat not supported by kernel

do you have this problem with the 2.2.16-22 kernel only? (ie does the stock 
7.1 kernel 2.2.4-3 also fail to insert the vfat module)

mea culpa! ... the kernel shipped with 7.1 is the 2.4.2-2 kernel ... (not 
2.4.2-3!)

should I apply a patch to upgrade the kernal to:
2.2.4-3?

If you have the 2.2.16-22 kernel, you do not have Red Hat Linux 7.1.

Run "depmod -ae" and "rpm -v kernel"

I am booting off of a floppy.
I think that this has something to do with my troubles.
Here is what happens when I try the following:
depmod -ae
depmod: Can't open /lib/modules/2.2.16-22/modules.dep for writing
[root@show /mnt]# rpm -v kernel
RPM version 4.0.2
Copyright (C) 1998-2000 - Red Hat, Inc.
This program may be freely redistributed under the terms of the GNU GPL

Usage: rpm {--help}
       rpm {--version}
       rpm {--initdb}   [--dbpath <dir>]
       rpm {--install -i} [-v] [--hash -h] [--percent] [--force] [--test]
                        [--replacepkgs] [--replacefiles] [--root <dir>]
                        [--excludedocs] [--includedocs] [--noscripts]
                        [--rcfile <file>] [--ignorearch] [--dbpath <dir>]
                        [--prefix <dir>] [--ignoreos] [--nodeps] [--allfiles]
                        [--ftpproxy <host>] [--ftpport <port>]
                        [--httpproxy <host>] [--httpport <port>]
                        [--justdb] [--noorder] [--relocate oldpath=newpath]
                        [--badreloc] [--notriggers] [--excludepath <path>]
                        [--ignoresize] file1.rpm ... fileN.rpm
       rpm {--upgrade -U} [-v] [--hash -h] [--percent] [--force] [--test]
                        [--oldpackage] [--root <dir>] [--noscripts]
                        [--excludedocs] [--includedocs] [--rcfile <file>]
                        [--ignorearch]  [--dbpath <dir>] [--prefix <dir>]
                        [--ftpproxy <host>] [--ftpport <port>]
                        [--httpproxy <host>] [--httpport <port>]
                        [--ignoreos] [--nodeps] [--allfiles] [--justdb]
                        [--noorder] [--relocate oldpath=newpath]
                        [--badreloc] [--excludepath <path>] [--ignoresize]
                        file1.rpm ... fileN.rpm
       rpm {--query -q} [-afpg] [-i] [-l] [-s] [-d] [-c] [-v] [-R]
                        [--scripts] [--root <dir>] [--rcfile <file>]
                        [--whatprovides] [--whatrequires] [--requires]
                        [--triggeredby]
                        [--ftpproxy <host>] [--ftpport <port>]
                        [--httpproxy <host>] [--httpport <port>]
                        [--provides] [--triggers] [--dump]
                        [--changelog] [--dbpath <dir>] [targets]
       rpm {--verify -V -y} [-afpg] [--root <dir>] [--rcfile <file>]
                        [--dbpath <dir>] [--nodeps] [--nofiles] [--noscripts]
                        [--nomd5] [targets]
       rpm {--setperms} [-afpg] [target]
       rpm {--setugids} [-afpg] [target]
       rpm {--freshen -F} file1.rpm ... fileN.rpm
       rpm {--erase -e} [--root <dir>] [--noscripts] [--rcfile <file>]
                        [--dbpath <dir>] [--nodeps] [--allmatches]
                        [--justdb] [--notriggers] package1 ... packageN
       rpm {--resign} [--rcfile <file>] package1 package2 ... packageN
     rpm {--addsign} [--rcfile <file>] package1 package2 ... packageN
       rpm {--checksig -K} [--nopgp] [--nogpg] [--nomd5] [--rcfile <file>]
                           package1 ... packageN
       rpm {--rebuilddb} [--rcfile <file>] [--dbpath <dir>]
       rpm {--querytags}

sorry, I mistyped.  I meant "rpm -V kernel"

You need to use the new boot floppy you created while upgrading
to Red Hat Linux 7.1.  The old one you used to boot Red Hat Linux 7.0
is the wrong version.  You can create a new one with the "mkbootdisk"
command.

Hi All,
Thanks so much for your help, I am re-running the installer
now to give you more complete information about the
error that I get during installation, the dialog is complex
and I will paraphrase the errors:

An error occured while installing the boot loader.
...Error devices ... exceeds 1024 cylinders.
Fatal error....too large for linear mode, try lba 32

The system then hangs during the post install configuration
progress dialog box. Ouch!

As a result, no new boot disk can be made (yes,
this install was not smooth!).

Last time, things went a little more smoothly.
Alt-ctrl-del did not work (kbd freeze!).

After a restart (via reset) I tried to do the installation again,
this time making a boot disk...but it says that the system
was not unmounted cleanly and would not let me do another installation.

Sorry for my long story!

There has got to be a better way....

The better way is to just boot your system and make a new bootfloppy with

mkbootdisk 2.4.2-2

as root.

Great idea, but:
Insert a disk in /dev/fd0. Any information on the disk will be lost.
Press <Enter> to continue or ^C to abort:
mount: fs type msdos not supported by kernel
mount: fs type vfat not supported by kernel
[root@show lyon]#
Is this a chicken vs. egg problem?
Thankfully, I have a second Linux machine...but when I 
make a boot disk from that machine and try to boot
on the problem machine I get a 
kernal panic, no init found. Try passing init= option to kernal.

Golly! 

The other machine probably has a different partition layout.
If you know what your root-partition is, you can add 
"root=/dev/hda6" (replace 6 with whatever it is) to the commandline
of syslinux / lilo.

Thanks so much for everyone's help on this.

The system is booting and mounting the dos volume
fine now!

Regards,
 - Doug