[g8minhquan]

Hi,
I've just bought a new MacBook C2D 2.16GHz. It's really great.
But I need to install XP to run some applications, so I downloaded BootCamp.
But I have a "HAL.DLL missing..." error while installing Windows XP Pro SP2.
(It occured in the first reboot to complete installation)
I tried 4 times, but they're the same
Btw, there is NO problem with Vista Business. But I really hate this Vista. I need XP!
How can I install XP on my MacBook now?
Please help me as soon as possible.
Thanks in advance

[ghporter]

Welcome to the MacNN Forums! Yes, you can install XP, but you need to drop back and start over. I mean ALL the way over. The "hal.dll missing" problem is not with Boot Camp, but with Windows' installer (and it doesn't even necessarily mean that the file is actually missing). Unfortunately, it's best to just wipe out the Windows partition you have now and start over.

Open the Boot Camp Utility (in the Applications-->Utilities folder) and select "restore disk to a single partition. Once that's done, restart the Boot Camp Utility and go through the whole thing over again. Before inserting it, make sure your Windows disc is exceptionally clean; the installer doesn't give you any indication of problems with copying files, so if it goofs up because of a smudge or fingerprint, you don't know until it won't start properly (sound familiar?). A REALLY clean disc should avoid that problem.

[g8minhquan]

Thank you, ghporter
But erasing all the partitions, that seems a little difficult to me since I've been using Vista, and maybe it'll cost a lot of DVDs for backing up my files (and the MacBook's SuperDrive is not so fast)

I'm sure that the XP installation CD is good, actually it's brand new, and I installed it successfully on Virtual PC.
Still dont know why it failed.

[ghporter]

Use an external drive-it'll be much faster for a backup, and the prices are extremely reasonable. Once you've backed up this time, maybe it'll help you keep up the backup habit-one most of us have problems keeping to.

I don't doubt your XP disc is good-but is it scrupulously clean? The drives Apple uses are often very sensitive to any kind of spec on a CD, and cleaning the disc takes very little time or effort.

[g8minhquan]

Thank you, ghporter

[rehoot]

If the above suggestions do not work, look for my extended directions on how to install bootcamp and XP by reinstalling OS X and then installing bootcamp. Follow this link and look for my long instructions list:
http://forums.macnn.com/104/alternat...d/#post3480011