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Hello Everyone,

I am having some problems with my mac and I really a need a help.

I just upgraded my MAC to Mac OS X Leopard. I have Windows running on the machine, which was created using Boot Camp (I partitioned it giving MAC 370GB and windows 130GB). After doing the upgrade, my window program had a problem and I decided to re-install windows. I inserted the Windows installation CD and followed the instructions. I noticed that there was only one partition (NTFS) and I was asked if I wanted to format it before re-installing windows, to which I said yes (that was the only partition).

After installing Windows, I cannot access my MAC installation. I tried to re-install MAC (I have Mac OS X Leopard CD) but the partition containing my MAC installation (370GB) simply disappeared.

I would appreciate if anyone can help. What I want to do is either have access to my MAC OS or have to access to the partition area and install a new copy of MAC.

Thanks a lot for any help

Hint: You upgraded your "Mac" (Apple Macintosh computer), not your "MAC" (media access control).

Boot up with the Leopard install disk and start Disk Utility from the menu at the top of the screen. See if your OS X partition is still there and try repairing it, if necessary. Boot from the OS X partition. You can try holding the option key at boot and select the OS X partition to force it to boot from there.

Steve

Welcome to the MacNN Forums!

The easiest thing for you to do is to boot from your OS X disc and then use Disk Utility (which is hiding under the "Tools" menu) to repair the disk. Windows messed up the partition table somehow, and hopefully DU will be able to fix it for you.

Let us know how it goes!

Hello,

Thank you ibook_steve and ghporter for the hint and explanation. I did that and regained access to my Mac partition. I launched the repair option and they are all fine. So, I deleted the partition from the partition menu and re-installed Mac. I then used the Boot Camp to install windows. After installing Windows, I experienced the same problem again. This time, I went into the Disk Utility and tried to re-partitioned the entire hard drive. I observed that I have read only access right (and thus I cannot partition the hard drive). Is there any way I can change this?

Thanks for the help

First, did you print and follow the BootCamp instructions to the letter of the law?

Are you modifying the partition that the BootCamp assistant creates? Notice that Bootcamp creates the C: drive as a FAT32 partition. Only change the partition labeled as C: to NTFS -- if you modify, change, delete, etc anything else you'll likely have trashed your Mac partition.

In order to fully wipe and start over on your Macintosh HD, you'll need to boot from the Leopard install DVD, access the Disk Utility under the Tools menu -- then Erase the drive using Mac OS Extended, Journaled. After that you'll need to let the Mac OS clean install. Once the installation is complete, run software update, ensure you have the latest firmware for your Intel Mac, then you can re-run the BootCamp Assistant and install Windows XP or Vista.