Install Windows XP in Leopard WITHOUT Boot Camp - No More Disk Error

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Install Windows XP in Leopard WITHOUT Boot Camp - No More Disk Error

For those of you having problems installing Windows XP in Boot Camp because of the formatting screen never showing up and then the system restarting with the dreaded:

Press any key to boot from CD .....
Disk Error
Press any key to restart

I too spent many frustrating hours trying to find a solution that worked. I searched these threads, tried many of the solutions suggested here and elsewhere, including recreating the Windows CD without a specific file, using the FreeDOS boot CD (couldn't ever get it to work, though I understand some people have had success), Reinstalling Leopard and trying again, dancing around the laptop with incense three times counter clockwise while chanting the name of my childhood pet... etc.

I FOUND A NEW SOLUTION!!!! A much easier solution!!!!
For anyone who is having this problem and is planning to run virtualization software.
(Something that let's you run Windows from inside Leopard)
SKIP BOOT CAMP ALTOGETHER!!!
USE VMware Fusion to install Windows.

I decided to try a different approach entirely and did a completely fresh install of Leopard (not sure if that was necessary or not but with everything else I had been trying I wanted to clean it up anyhow) and then installed the 30 day trial version of Fusion w/ the unlock key VMware emailed me.
I entered my information and Windows product key into Fusion's "Easy Install" Interface, clicked install, and about 30 minutes later I was browsing around in XP.

I HIGHLY recommend this option for anyone having difficulty with the formatting screen not showing up. I have a Bachelors Degree in Information Systems and still spent the better part of 2 days working on this boot camp problem, including numerous hours with the higher tier of apple's tech support. I suspect that those of us having this problem may have an OEM or systembuilder copy of XP... but that is for Apple to deal with - not me, I have better things to do with my time.
If you are planning to run Windows from within Leopard anyhow, just buy Fusion and to **** with the hassle.

You can go to VMware's website and get a 30 day evaluation copy to see if this will work for you before you decide if you want to purchase it, they will email you the unlock key.

Best of luck, hope this saves someone some time!

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Nov 28, 2007 7:54 PM

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Answer 1

alteran

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Nov 29, 2007 12:42 AM in response to RedCourt

This isn't really a new solution. You are just bypassing the problem by not using boot camp at all. While virtualization is certainly useful it is slower than a native windows installation through boot camp. This means that for those of us who want to play games this solution won't work. Also, boot camp is free 🙂.

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Answer 2

RedCourt Author

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Nov 29, 2007 9:55 AM in response to alteran

Probably true, I am an experienced PC user who is completely new to Mac so for me I just needed Windows for specific productivity app's not covered by my new mac - having been dead in the water for over a week this certainly felt revolutionary when I realized that (contrary to what I had been led to believe on discussion boards and by an ill informed Apple tech) virtuaization software did not need to use a native boot camp install to create it's VM's.
It took me a long time to figure it out so I thought it could be useful info for other PC Save but Mac-newbie's.

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Answer 3

Nov 29, 2007 7:06 PM in response to RedCourt

You are describing my nightmare....just got from TigerDirect the OEM Version of windows xp professional....had the exact problems including unable to get disk out but figured that out...i was told install bootcamp first, the vmware fusion...will try your method...just need Quicken on windows....any other tips welcome.

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Answer 4

Nov 30, 2007 11:05 AM in response to RedCourt

I bought the System Builder version from Tiger Direct and had no problems. I used Bootcamp to make a 32 gig Fat32 Drive and it installed just fine. No problems. Just remember the serial number isn't on the CD but on the packaging. It works great actually!

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Answer 5

Jan 17, 2008 1:03 PM in response to RedCourt

Yeah, it's happening here too. I wish someone would come out with a definitive explanation for why it's happening in some cases but not others. Is it a problem with OEM disks, but not Direct-from-MS disks? Is it an issue with Windows XP Pro but not with Windows XP Home?

For my part, I'm running into the issue using an authentic OEM Windows XP Pro with SP2 disk. At no point am I given the option to format. Even more frustrating, I find post after post from people saying they face the same issue, are not told to format, and then later, maddeningly, return to say that they've formatted and it all works now, kthnxbai, but they never say how they did it!

So I guess the question is: do I just need to go shopping for an XP Home Edition disk or what?

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Answer 6

MicroDev

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Feb 4, 2008 12:35 PM in response to RedCourt

For what it's worth, I've used the OEM version (copper disk), Select version (bulk license), and an NFR (partner program) version of XP Pro with SP2 and they all worked. On my MacBook Pro's I use boot camp to split the disk in two, reboot using the Windows CD, and pick the partition to format it.

Apple states that you need a full version of Windows, and the OEM versions are slightly different from the commercial versions, but both should work. On my Mac Pro, I created a 3-disk OS X RAID-0, and left the 4th disk alone. I rebooted with the Windows CD and installed Windows to the 4th disk without Bootcamp at all. Once Windows was installed, I used the Leopard disk to install the Bootcamp drivers. The Mac side has no Bootcamp installation but I can still choose between the volumes by holding down the option key at boot time or by setting the startup volume in the OS X Startup disk preference pane.

The solution to use virtualization, unfortunately, will not work for many situations where graphics are involved. Most current major products, such as AutoCAD, 3dsMax, and so forth, will not run properly or at all without specific DirectX 9 or OpenGL support. To date both Parallels and VMWare do not completely support DirectX or OpenGL.

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Answer 7

checkxp

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Feb 4, 2008 1:58 PM in response to RedCourt

I wish someone can come up with a solution for this... I'm going to try and just delete the partition so that windows asks me to create one and format it, but this might just **** up the whole Mac OSX system as well!

I will be back on this page to tell of my success or not. I've been here already for 3 hours, as everytime you try again, it takes 30 mins for windows to copy the files!!!!!! (that don't work in the end)

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Answer 8

The hatter

Level 9

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Feb 4, 2008 2:10 PM in response to MicroDev

I thought this was going to be about what I regularly do, don't use BootCamp Assistant, but format the disk drive with Disk Utility. (After backup). Then install Windows. Might even use Windows to reformat the partition.

If you want or need NTFS partition, Disk Utility can do that, too, now, but BootCamp doesn't. Just need to use the MacFUSE and 3G driver posted 1/28 and for once, I could select and finish successfully formatting as NTFS.

VM is just side stepping and for some, a VM like Fusion isn't the answer. It is nice, and has a real place. Sharing the same Windows in VM and "BootCamp" (native) sounds great, but it has its share of problems too (maybe Fusion 1.2 or something will be more seamless and less stressful).

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Answer 9

Feb 5, 2008 6:23 AM in response to RedCourt

I might have a solution and it's redicouslously simple

Sit in front of your computer.

After Boot Camp has partitioned drive (and you are all at this step if you are reading this). With OSX 10.5.0 (what I have right now). I ran Boot Camp Assistant followed prompts to insert Win disk (mine was xp pro 2 which I downloaded off of a torrent when my original was scratched to pieces)

Computer will restart …….then?!?!

When that screen comes up and says “ Press enter to boot from CD”

Press enter

Before error occurs

It’s that easy. I to have been working on this my self for about 12 hours and can tell you in my attempts I’ve have made multiple attempts with multiple OSs attempting to “fix”, get around this very same problem. What has our “mistake” been: I leave the room or stare blankly at my screen as my opportunity passes me bye. All I had to do was hit enter, at the right time. I know it’s stupid but it worked, and required nothing in the end except for timing.

Also every time I got the error I had to manually restart which made me want to leave the room more for some reason.

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Answer 10

MicroDev

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Feb 5, 2008 11:02 AM in response to handthatbites

It might be that the startup is not being set to the CD after you reboot from Bootcamp setup. One way to make sure it uses the CD at boot is to hold down the option key after rebooting and select the CD manually. After the initial setup (when windows reboots), make sure to hold down the option key to select the Windows partition - OR - go back into OS X after the initial Windows CD install is complete (done copying files after 1st reboot). Select the Windows NT volume, make that the startup disk, and reboot. Now the gazillion Windows reboots can occur without baby sitting the process. If you want to go back to OS X, just hold down the option key at boot and select the Mac volume again.

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Answer 11

RAV717

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Mar 4, 2008 11:27 PM in response to handthatbites

handthatbites, You were absolutely right. It was just that simple,HIT THE ENTER KEY BEFORE GETTING THE ERROR! From then on it ran like a champ and allowed me to follow the bootcamp instructions. 🙂 I have spent the past three or so hours trying to figure out why I was having problems installing XP on my macbook. Luckily, I came across this message board. I kept getting the error message and was going crazy...and unable to get technical support from apple care because it was after hours...btw, what is up with that Apple???

Thanks for the advise!!!!

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Answer 12

RAH2008

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Mar 6, 2008 8:43 PM in response to RedCourt

OKOK, here's my version of this same problem. I install perfectly. Boot WIndows (XP Pro), all is cool for 10-25 seconds; and then the program freezes (I'm at the desktop). I have spent hours with the WIndows folks — and we thought we had the problem solved by repairing the "disk" using the repair console. It did work once — and then, since re-booting, not. I have re-installed; decided to add NO bells and whistles. All looks good . . . — same prob'. I'm about to try the repair console again, but I don't think that's going to work. Maybe I should go back to my Parallels config', which worked last time around? This evening, when I called Microsoft, they surreptitiously slipped me the AppleCare line — the creeps. Thoughts, anyone? Thanks — do realize everyone is working like crazy to find a solution — outside of tech support, natch' . . . Cheers!

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Answer 13

Mar 7, 2008 3:57 AM in response to The hatter

Since it is so easy to swap drives or boot externally in the MacBook, I want to have a dedicated internal XP drive for just Adobe stuff. I'll boot OSX externally or swap drives for longer projects.

Do/can you format with GUID, APM or MBR and NTFS to run a straight XP setup? Does the Leopard disk still provide the drivers?

I have a 250GB drive in my MacBook now. 160GB goes to XP and the rest has OSX. I would prefer to swap in a 7200rpm 200GB drive for just XP and Adobe. I would use the slower 250 for OSX either externally with an enclosure or swap in to the MB.

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Answer 14

RAH2008

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Mar 7, 2008 12:21 PM in response to RedCourt

Here's the actual, real answer to this problem, no matter when the __ machine freezes!

Use Parallels. I had forgotten that I had it, and then installed it. You go through a complete/key activated install of Windows Whatever. Then, the "virtual machine" is available to you with the click of the mouse.

Erase your boot camp partition, and free up needed disk space. The freeze problem appears to be associated with Boot Camp itself.

Surely, surely, someone at Apple or at Microsoft knew this all along. . .

Anyway, I am now set to go. Hope this helps somebody else.

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