Guide to installing XP on your Mac without using Bootcamp (kinda)

Question

Guide to installing XP on your Mac without using Bootcamp (kinda)

Installation instructions for bootcamping your mac with XP

This method does not use the bootcamp utility in OSX

What you need:

A working bootable version of Windows XP SP2 ( see note below ) + product key
Bootcamp 2.1 drivers for Windows ( can be installed / copied from the original leopard installation disk under windows )
Windows XP SP3 installer
Apple HFS+ drivers for XP

note: Using a clean version of the XP installation disk is preferable.. specifically the version that came with Service Pack 2 ( saves time installing services packs later ). Trying to use a unattended slipstream install of XP can result in a disk that cannot be read by OSX bios at boot. So save yourself some time and use a vanilla version.

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warning: Follow these instructions at your own risk. Any loss of data, bricking your computer or any other form of meyhem originating from using these instructions are at entirely your own risk. Have fun!

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OK! lets get started!

Burn your windowsXP.iso to a CD/DVD using diskutil application under OSX
1. choose open ISO image in diskutil
2. right click loaded image and select burn ISO
3. ( optional step ) reboot while holding down the 'option' key and confirm that OSX can read your newly created boot
Using diskutil partition your OSX hard drive
1. select the main partition and click the "+" to add a new partition
2. adjust the size of the partition as needed
3. set to format the partition to 'fat'
4. name parition 'Windows HD'
5. apply changes
Insert XP install disk and reboot
1. hold down the 'option' key as your mac chimes on restart
2. wait until your boot options are display ( you will see the Macintosh HD disk, Windows HD disk, and the XP installation disk )
3. using the arrow keys on the keyboard select the XP installation disk and hit enter
4. hit any key when the XP installation prompts you to begin installation
Proceed through the installation process
1. when prompted for installation location browse for the newly created partition from step 2 ( usually identified by partition type.. eg: fat, and size of the partition )
2. do not reformat the partition.. use it as is.
3. during the installation XP will reboot several times.. make sure you hold down the option upon each reboot of you mac.. however from now on select the Windows drive
4. enter in your product key when prompted.
5. complete installation and boot into XP for the first time.
Install XP Service Pack 3 ( proceed to step 6 if this installs correctly )

note: if you are prompted 'not enough space to install' do as below:

Click Start, click Run, type “regedit” (without quotes) and then click OK.
Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
On the Edit menu, point to New, and click String Value.
In the text box under the Name column, type "BootDir" (without quotes) and press ENTER.
Right-click the name BootDir, and then, click Modify.
In the Edit String Value dialog box, type the drive letter for your system drive, and then click OK. For example, if your system drive is C: then, type "C:\" (without quotes).
Close Registry Editor and restart the computer.
Install Windows XP Service Pack 3 that you downloaded.

note: x86 folder is for 32-bit Windows

x86_64 folder is for 64-bit Windows

6. Install bootcamp 2.1 drivers

note: you can also find the drivers on any original leopard OSX installation disk.. just insert into you CD/DVD drive under windows and the installation will start automatically

7. Update bootcamp twice ( reboot after each update )

8. Install the Apple HFS+ drivers for XP to gain 'read-only' access to your OSX HFS partition

a. Copy AppleHFS.sys & AppleMNT.sys to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\

b. Merge Add_AppleHFS.reg

c. Restart

At this point you are done.. final things you can do is to set bootcamp to always boot into Windows first ( no need to hold down the option key ) and install any newer drivers.. i.e. graphics drivers.. other than that.. you can go ahead and enjoy XP!

Message was edited by: Jamie Telford

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5), Installing windows on mac

Posted on Sep 12, 2013 10:59 PM

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Answer 1

VoyageRC

Level 1

4 points

Nov 13, 2013 4:52 PM in response to Jamie Telford

I am having trouble installing Windows XP on my iMac (Late 2012). I add a partition and name it Windows HD. When I reboot the computer the second drive says Recovery 10.9. I am able to run the windows disc but when it is done loading and starts to run windows it pops up with an error screen. Please help.

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Answer 2

Oct 9, 2013 4:36 PM in response to Jamie Telford

Having just put a 1TB hard drive in my MacBook Pro(late 2008) running Mountain Lion. I, being greedy, wanted partition the drive and have Mountain Lion and Snow Leopard (to run legacy apps) and Windows XP(currently running under Fusion) available on boot.

My main partition is ML. I repartitioned the 1TB drive and installed SL. SL Boot Camp won't let you install XP unless the SL partition is the one and only. So I followed your excellent instructions to set up XP having created a 100GB FAT partition. I didn't reformat the partition as per your step 4b (unlike the Boot Camp instructions page 8 step 2). However on rebooting into the XP drive it halts with a "hal.dll" error. ["i'm sorry I can't do that Dave" - 2001 A Space Odyssey] 🙂

Other options I've tried have been:

1 to format as NTFS at step 4b

2 to use a 32GB FAT partition as recommended in the Boot Camp guide.

Nothing has worked 😟

Thought of trying to wipe all partitions and install SL as main OS. Then use Boot Camp to install XP. Finally to add partition for ML and install.

Maybe no!

cheers

Dave 🙂

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Answer 3

Oct 11, 2013 2:26 AM in response to Shaminder.Pal

Should work fine with ML

The only issue is getting your hands on bootcamp drivers of an earlier enough version to be comparable with XP.. Boot camp 3.0 for example.

And finally that the early drivers may not support the hardware of a recent apple computer..

None of these however will prevent you from installing XP as the guide does not use boot camp from within the OSX operating environment.. At worst you may not have all hardware working after installing the drivers under XP.

Have a go I say

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Answer 4

Oct 11, 2013 2:36 AM in response to DocRawson

Hey Dave.. yeah I've had this problem..

I fixed it by using diskutil under OSX to verify and then repair.. this should fix up the boot entries and allow XP to run correctly.. hope this works as it did for me

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Answer 5

Nov 14, 2013 12:11 AM in response to VoyageRC

Hard to tell mate.. XP can be a bit twitchy.. The only think I can think of is that it's related to additional memory possibly installed into ur Mac.. That is have you upgraded and had a stick of memory plugged into your machine?

If so.. Unplug your mac and remove the stick in question (not sure on those details.. Suggest you Google for instructions) and then attempt to install XP.

After this is done and dusted.. ( xp installs that is ) unplug ur beast again and whack the stick back in.. After that everything should work as normal..

Other than that I don't know.. Report back on ur progress bro!

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Answer 6

VoyageRC

Level 1

4 points

Nov 14, 2013 12:29 PM in response to Jamie Telford

No additional memory has been installed on my iMac. I am running an out of the box iMac model from Late 2012. (the new slim one) Might have to fork the money out for Windows 7. Would it have anything to do with my windows disc? I have the install disc for a DELL.

Here is a link to the ebay listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390700693921

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Answer 7

asadler6

Level 1

0 points

Nov 14, 2013 4:56 PM in response to Jamie Telford

I was able to install XP, however, currently I am in Australia and my leopard install disc is back in Canada. I'm trying to get someone back home to find the Bootcamp drivers on the install disc back home but they cannot seem to locate the files. Would you be able to explain where they are located on the disc so I can relay the info back to them so they can find it?

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Answer 8

Nov 14, 2013 6:33 PM in response to VoyageRC

Sorry I can't give you a solution to this as the administrators of this forum will delete the post.. So the answer falls outside the terms and conditions of the purpose of this forum..

Suggest you dig around else where for a solution

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Answer 9

Oct 5, 2015 5:03 PM in response to James Frew

Nothing.. it's an old operating system.. and it was never intended to be installed on Apple. Buy a standard keyboard for installation.. It's probably possible to then setup the apple keyboards after XP has been installed.

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Answer 10

JVIRANT

Level 1

17 points

Jul 22, 2016 3:33 PM in response to James Frew

I just upgraded to a 1 TB HD on my early 2009 Mac Mini. On my previous HD, I had Bootcamped Windows XP which is the only OS that runs an ancient program that I use to back up my equally ancient Sharp Zaurus PDA. I'd like to maintain this ability but my newly upgraded Mac Mini will not even accept the original Windows XP Professional installation disc, instead ejecting it after a minute or so without recognizing it in the Finder. I'd be very grateful for anyone's helpful ideas. Thank you.

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