Q: Bootcamp: hal.dll and disk error SOLVED. Simple workaround
Many people had the "hal.dll missing" and "No disk" error while trying to install Windows with bootcamp on OSX leopard. I read a lot of workarounds and solutions, which some are complicated and some just don't work.
Here is my simple workaround to get rid of errors:
(Principle: force the shell of windows to appear before installation, so that we can quick format the bootcamp partition with" format" command)
1. Create a windows partition with bootcamp as usual (if you have already one then restore the OSX partition)
2. Restart and boot on windows cd. (press the option key ("alt") during restart)
3. When bluescreen appears and drivers are loading, press repeatedly F6 and F10. You should get a message that no SCSI disk was found and that you should press "S" or "enter" to continue. Press "enter". Now you should get a black screen in console mode.
4. Now we format the bootcamp partition. Type this: "FORMAT C: /Q /FS:NTFS". Put FAT32 instead of NTFS if you want the file system to be FAT32.
5. Press 'Y' to confirm.
6. Restart the computer, boot on cd, and install windows as usual. When arrived on partitionning during install, DO NOT REFORMAT!!!! Install on the partition that we just created before!
PS: I think that bootcamp just messes up the windows partition. That's why you get "disk error". When formatting during the windows installation, the partition is correct for windows but it overwrites entirely the bootcamp partition instead of just formatting it. I think that the quick format from the shell does just change the file system without modifying the partition itself. However, it works, so why bother why it does?....
Let me know if you have difficulties.
Message was edited by: febex
Posted on May 16, 2011 8:20 AM