[vjcantos1818]

Hi, badly need help. I tried installing Windows XP Home Edition SP2 via bootcamp. I partitioned it this way:

LEOPARD: 75 GB
WINDOWS XP: 125 GB

I'm not sure if I was able to successfully install Windows because it said I have to reboot to complete installation. After rebooting, I got the error message: DISK ERROR PRESS ANY KEY TO RESTART. Afterwards, it did continue to install up until the command PRESS ANY KEY TO RESTART again (or something to that effect). But no matter what key I press, it won't restart so I manually restarted it (i.e.: I pushed the shut down button twice). It then ejected the Installer. Now no matter what I do I get the message DISK ERROR PRESS ANY KEY TO RESTART. The service center told me I needed to reinstall Leopard OS. So I pushed the Leopard installer into the CD slot but still got the same error message! Now I can't even get the cd out.

I rebooted it again. Pressed the OPTION key. And it doesn't do anything. Please help. My Macbook Pro isn't even one-month old and I've already ruined it. (

[analogika]

The "disk error" message is a WINDOWS message. It has nothing to do with the Mac.

For some reason, I see this every time I try to install XP UNLESS:

1. When you first start installing XP, it asks you which partition to install onto. You select "BOOTCAMP" (if you didn't select the right partition, the Windows installer is stupid enough to try to install onto the Mac partition, which hoses the Mac OS).

2. Then, you must tell XP to FORMAT the partition (even though it supposedly already is). Quick format is enough. If I don't do that, I invariably get the "Media error. Press any key" message.


To get out of this:

a) did you tell Windows to Install onto the BOOTCAMP disk? If not - you need to completely re-install. Insert the Mac OS X Install Disk 1, restart the computer and IMMEDIATELY hold down the "C" key until the Apple logo comes up. If you need help on how to proceed from there, just ask.


b) if you DID tell Windows to install onto the BOOTCAMP partition, then your Mac OS X install should be unharmed. To shut down the computer when it's completely stuck, you press AND HOLD the power button. When you press it again to turn on the computer, IMMEDIATELY press AND HOLD DOWN the "alt" (Option) key.

If it takes you to the boot disk manager, you should see the Macintosh HD and the BOOTCAMP partitions. (You could now choose the Macintosh HD to boot normally into your Mac.) If you now insert the Windows install disk, it should show up within a few seconds, and you can then boot from it and do over the Windows installation, THIS TIME taking care to FORMAT the disk.

[seanc]

Moved to the correct forum - Alternative OS.

We'll use this thread now.

I think analogkias post covers the issue & fix quite nicely. If you can hold the option key after powering on & get the OS switcher to show your OS X partition then you're safe and just need to have another bash at re-installing Windows again.

[vjcantos1818]

Hi, thanks so much for the advice. I managed to get the Leopard installer out while restarting. As soon as my laptop ejected the cd, it accessed Leopard without me doing anything. So now it seems I have recovered everything. Except that my system is running slower than usual and I've begun to have problems opening some websites (such as https://www.mybdo.com.ph). Would it have anything to do with the botched attempt at installing Windows (and afterwards, reinstalling Leopard)? Thanks

[seanc]

How much free space do you now have when you're in OS X?
Click on your hard drive icon on the desktop and press command + i or right click and go to 'Get Into'.

It could be that when you set up the partitioner for Windows, you've made your OS X partition a bit small and so you're running out of space.

[vjcantos1818]

The thing is, I deleted the partitioned as soon as I accessed Leopard. Then I set..err..[startup disk?] to Leopard as well..after checking i have 155.31 GB free..do u mean it actually affects the websites i can open?..

[Eskoe]

im posting here after not finding info elsewhere. I'm attempting to install a copy of WinXP home edition SP2 on a new Mac Pro using boot camp. after partitioning 32gb as FAT i get to the initial part of the installation where the progress bar shows up. this step finishes, it asks me to take out the disk from the drive and the computer restarts. if i dont do anything, the computer keeps the disk and at startup the computer atempts to boot from the disk but i get:
"disk error
press any key to restart

press any key to boot from CO. . . . .
Disk error
press any key to restart"
my usb connected keyboard is inactive at this screen so i have to hold down the power button to restart the mac pro. i then hold down F12 and the cd tray opens and i withdraw the install cd as the system boots as OSX leopard. i can see the drive "bootcamp" mno y desktop. I restart the computer holding alt and now see my mac hd and bootcamp partitions. if i load the bootcamp one again it gives me disk error and again i am stuck with holding down the power button.

how come im having such difficulties with installing XP???