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Boot Camp: Windows Install disk error message "Press any key to restart"

After I installed Windows before the set up I got a message that said disk error press any key to restart, well, without the drivers I couldn't press a key and I had to restart it from the button. Has anyone else had this problem? How do i fix it?

macbook, Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on Oct 29, 2007 1:09 PM

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14 replies

Nov 4, 2007 5:45 PM in response to jazzdude9792@mac.com

I got this error too after finishing the first stage (blue screen) of Windows XP setup.

After reading the Boot Camp Installation & Setup Guide (you can print this when you first start Boot Camp Assistant in OS X) I discovered that I made a big boo-boo.

When Windows XP asked me which file system format I would like for my Windows C: partition I made the mistake in choosing "Leave the current file system intact (no changes)." The Setup guide says that you must not select that option.

Instead you must select one of the other options, I personally selected "Format the partition using the FAT file system" since my Windows drive is under 32GBs. After that I had no problems.

I don't know if you made the same mistake I made, but since I received the same error message I figured this might help.

Good luck!

Nov 6, 2007 5:43 PM in response to misterskye

Insert your Leopard DVD and reboot while holding down "C" until you see the Spoke.

After selecting english...got to disk utlity and select your Macintosh HD to boot.

Then delete your partition and try again...

I am getting the same error with Windows XP SP2 with an OEM disk (one from Microsoft for new computers...not an upgrade). After I follow the BC instructions and insert my Windows CD/DVD it ejects it and locks up the MacBook Pro.

I am able to recover with the procedure above.

Jim

Nov 27, 2007 4:15 AM in response to Yeti man

I got the same problem and I am laughing as I write this...
I think we have 2 problems, namely (1) we don't read the manuals/guides and (2) it's funny how we never trust Windows to do anything with our partitions 😉

Well... after learning the hard way, here's the correct procedure:

1. Use Bootcamp to create the Windows partition
2. Follow the instructions until it asks you to insert an authentic Windows XP installer (Vista? Are you insane? lol! Well, you're on your own...)
3. Windows installer takes a while to warm up... install drivers... blah blah blah...
4. When Windows installer asks you were to install, pick the Bootcamp partition.
5. When installer asks to format... (here is where we freeze for a while and ask ourselves, "Do I trust Microsoft with my partition?"... but...) YES, let the installer format the BOOTCAMP partition for Pete's sake!... as the Apple docs says,

"...*be sure that you format the Windows partition before continuing with the rest of the Windows XP setup process*"

and

*Do not use the option named "Leave the current file system intact (no changes)"*.

I picked FAT... but I think NTFS will work too... and yes, I went for the full format not Quick format.

6. When setup preliminaries are done, you will for the first time probably, breath a sigh of relief when you see the Windows XP logo and your machine booting up to it. The installer will continue the setup. Everything will be fine from here 🙂

Cheers. Mac rules! (phew)

Dec 5, 2007 8:17 PM in response to Headblade

Headblade wrote:
OK, I just tried this 3 times, and my xp installer NEVER asks me if I want to format the partition. As soon as I hit enter on the screen where it asks which volume I want to install on, it goes straight into the install!
Any ideas?


Yes, I noticed the same thing on a XP Pro w/ SP2 disk that had an WINNT.sif file in the i386 directory. Confirm by putting the CD into your machine in OSX and confirm if that file exists on the CD in the i386 directory. If it does you will need to recreate the XP Pro w/ SP2 disk without this file. ie. slip stream again.

I noticed this too, when I used a disk that had that file, when I select the BOOTCAMP partition I get no option to do anything, it does it without asking a thing. Remove the file from the disk and try with media not containing that file and when I select on BOOTCAMP partition it now gives several different options to choose from (before doing anything on that partitation).

Dec 16, 2007 9:32 PM in response to susanjane

I had the same problem but what I did was restart the machine, hold down the left mouse button (forces the CD to be removed) and then placed my Leopard CD in, restarted, held down C (force boot from CD) and then when the Leopard installer came up, quit and choose the option to select start up disk. At least that gets you back into your Mac.

Boot Camp: Windows Install disk error message "Press any key to restart"

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