Bootcamp with Snow Leopard and Windows XP

Question

Level 1

12 points

Bootcamp with Snow Leopard and Windows XP

Hello

Previously I had used Bootcamp in a 27" iMac to install Windows XP Home for the purpose of installing Empire Total War and playing it. This all went ahead smoothly with no problems. I sold the iMac a while ago, having first removed Windows and reformatted the hard drive.

I have a Mac Pro bought in 2008 (Model identifier: MacPro3,1 ; 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon) which shipped with Leopard. I have just ungraded to Snow Leopard 10.6.8 (with software update online) and partitioned the main drive with Bootcamp. I then attempted to install the same Windows XP, which all seemed to be going well (I put it on the Bootcamp partition) until it came to restart the Mac Pro after installation. This then came up as a Disc Error and I could only shut down by holding the start button in. I have now removed the Windows partition with Bootcamp Assistant.

As this all worked perfectly with the iMac, Windows XP and same OSX Snow Leopard I don't understand why it wouldn't work on the older Mac Pro. Although, having said this, the instructiond did only mention newer versions of Windows - 7 and possibly 8.

Can anyone tell me please, is there a way of making this work with WIndows XP (as it worked before with the iMac) or do I have to buy Windows 7 to make it work?

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Dec 2, 2013 10:18 AM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,855 points

Dec 2, 2013 10:23 AM in response to Otterysteve

You need to install the Boot Camp software on the Snow Leopard DVD. Is that what you did? I believe you must be using Boot Camp version 3.x, and the Windows drivers should be on the DVD, as well, not downloaded.

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Answer 2

Otterysteve Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 2, 2013 10:30 AM in response to Kappy

Hello Kappy

I used Applications/ Utilities/ Boot Camp Assistant.app as instructed on the video on the Apple support website, which appears to be 3.0.4. Is that not the same as on the Snow Leopard DVD? The partitioning all seemed to go smoothly.

The Windows XP I have is on CD and included Sevice Pack 2 (and worked well on the iMac).

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Answer 3

Dec 2, 2013 10:50 AM in response to Otterysteve

This then came up as a Disc Error

A disk error is not an Installation problem, it is a Hardware or Bad Blocks problem.

Exactly what Disk Error you got would help determine what to do next.

At a minimum, you should run Disk Utility and (Repair Disk), or Restart in Safe mode to repair your Disk Directory.

Worst case is that your Hard drive is about to die, so you should make sure you have a current Backup.

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Answer 4

Kappy

Level 10

361,855 points

Dec 2, 2013 10:52 AM in response to Otterysteve

OK, well here are some updates that may or may not help:

Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 for Windows 32 bit

Boot Camp Software Update 3.2 for Windows 32 bit

Boot Camp Software Update 3.3 for Windows

Boot Camp - Windows XP Drivers Update 2.1

Boot Camp Drivers Update 2.2 for Windows

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Dec 2, 2013 12:09 PM in response to Otterysteve

XP would have to be retail copy to reuse on another computer; support ends in 2014; Apple does want Windows 7 or above and only supports that with Lion and later.

If you really have not upgraded the hard drive from when you installed Leopard, not cloned to another drive or fresh install, that would be an older (smaller likely, and slower) drive that currently in use.

And even w/o this current error, also should take heed and backup your system twice. Clone it, and Snow Leopard TimeMachine at a minimum.

WD Lifeguard - Windows app - is one of the best ways to recertify every sector on the drive. And only reformatting can map out fixed hidden partition table sectors. OS X has also continued to improve support for disk drives.

How to clone your system:

http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone-backup.html

http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone.html

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner

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Answer 6

Otterysteve Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 2, 2013 1:06 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks Grant - although you've just put the wind right up me!

Ran Disk Utility from the Snow Leopard DVD. It reported "The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK." so hopefully that IS OK.

I now need to work out how to make a bootable clone/ backup or whatever..

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Answer 7

Otterysteve Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 2, 2013 1:20 PM in response to The hatter

Thanks The Hatter. Please forgive my ignorance but how do I chose which and what to clone as a Boot volume and what for the Master - I have read the links you helpfully provided. "Master" appears to be user data - I use this Mac Pro mostly for making and recording music with Logic Pro and I have a separate internal hard drive for the music files (which is most of my used data on this Mac), so advice on what to put onto a Boot backup/clone would be much appreciated please. I've downloaded the free Carbon Copy Cloner from your link (or is it better to buy a version of this I wonder?).

Also, is it necessary to partition an external hard drive? I already have a couple and don't particularly want to buy another or lose the data on them.

The system hard drive is described in System Profiler as "Intel ESB2 AHCI" under Serial-ATA. I've never had any problems with them seemimg to be slow or anything. Not keen on doing a fresh install because of all the various music software - which is why I should clone or backup I suppose...

Sorry to sound so thick! I use the Mac as a tool and I'm not well informed on all this computer tech stuff. This is pretty much all new to me.

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Answer 8

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Dec 2, 2013 1:54 PM in response to Otterysteve

I think you are over-thinking!!

Plug and play. Source volume => Target Volume. Presto. Not much different than DU except it does smart updates, and you can exclude folders. Making it easy to exclude large user folders for instance. (Putting the user home account elsewhere is a nice idea been doing so since 10.2.2).

The target partition just needs to be large enough to hold the system seeing we are for now only interested in the system. And t he user account data folders can be manually copied to a backup drive or to their new home location.

My advice, esp. right now today, pick up a nice $150 250GB SSD.

Your system should always be backed up to a clone and/or system restore image regardless. No down time.

Who said you need to install the whole system? I was t alking a small simple emergency maintenance system volume only which need only be about 24GB.

The 'edrive' (name taken from MicroMat TechTool Pro 4.x) is even smaller. Can slice out one of your internal drives.

Reformatting with SL can be a good idea. SL does allow you to remove, add or resize partitions on the fly in Disk Utility.

Ideal:

System drive #1 w/ OS and apps and tiny 3-5GB of home user account "library" only - all the rest goes to...

Data User Media Drive #1

TimeMachine #4 w/ a small partition for maintenance, 150GB partiton "clone" could be there too. TimeMachine should have a partition volume of 350% the size of your system and backed up media, data, libraries.

SSDs on PCIe are fabulous for audio and music tracks. Right now 500GB SSD is less than $300. 1TB are $425 which is a steal - Samsung 840 EVO (Amazon, Newegg, etc).

I reformat drives when t he OS changes, or when the structure of the partition tables is updated. And I definitely retire t he system and data drives every so often (2 yrs for system) and use them after zeroing as backups.

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Answer 9

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Dec 2, 2013 1:54 PM in response to The hatter

Using Disk Utility

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1782

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417

To Resolve Startup Issues:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1417

Format and Partition:

http://macs.about.com/od/applications/ss/diskutilformat.htm

http://macs.about.com/od/applications/ss/diskutilitypart_3.htm

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/partitioning_tiger.html

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-partition-your-hard-drive-on-mac-os -x-snow-.html

http://pondini.org/OSX/DU.html

http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html

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Answer 10

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Dec 2, 2013 1:55 PM in response to The hatter

To successfully relocate your operating system, user accounts and data from one storage device to another, meet the following conditions:

The destination storage device (SSD drive or hard drive) you are migrating to should be physically located in the same computer.

Always back up your storage device with Time Machine or Disk Utility before you start.

How to relocate system and user data to another drive:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57603361-263/how-to-move-a-home-folder-in-o s-x/

http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-move-the-home-folder-in-os-x-and-why/

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4337

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Answer 11

Otterysteve Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 2, 2013 4:08 PM in response to The hatter

Thanks a lot Hatter, much appreciated. I suspect you underestimate the lack of expertise I have in this field - most of what you've said, terminology, abbreviations etc. goes straight over my head. But I'm working my way through the links you've provided and am learning (if a bit slowly!).

Really I want a reasonably simple way of backing up. Perhaps Time Machine would be the solution?

Many thanks for your help! :-)

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Answer 12

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Dec 3, 2013 6:42 AM in response to Otterysteve

CCC is super simple. Seriously.

Disk Utility can do a one time 'clone' (Restore tab) but lacks the features to do checksum and ignore folders or do smart updates in future.

XP is on the out .

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Answer 13

Otterysteve Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 4, 2013 10:32 AM in response to The hatter

I'll have a good look at CCC. Not had time since I downloaded it. Do you reckon CCC is a better option than Time Machine?

I've also ordered a Western Digital Passport Studio 2TB HD to back up both my Mac Pro and Macbook Pro. I can also put my iTunes music there too, to free up some space on the MacBook Pro. Neither of my Macs have USB 3 so this is a good option as it is one of the few I can find with Firewire.

I want to say how much I appreciate your time and help with this The Hatter - thanks! :-) I've learned a lot about backing up etc.

To get back to my initial question I wonder if I can still get Empire Total War up and running on a partition with XP? From one of the links you provived - or perhaps from a link from one of them - I found that I should have got XP to format the volume with NFTS (or some similar name...) rather than chosing the default FAT - apparently this was a mistake and I wonder if it might work if I chose the correct formating?

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Answer 14

Dec 4, 2013 10:38 AM in response to Otterysteve

Windows is a Guest OS on your Mac.

Use ONLY Boot Camp tools to initialize, resize, or modify Disk partitions. Do NOT use Windows Disk Tools, or your Mac OS X partition map may be clobbered, resulting in catastrophic data loss.

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Answer 15

Otterysteve Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 4, 2013 11:14 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for that Grant but to be honest I already knew what you said and was using Boot Camp in my previous attempt. I appreciate your attempt to help anyway. :-)

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