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drmuppy · May 30, 2009, 02:58 PM

I have an iMac with OS X (Leopard 10.5.7). I am trying to install Windows XP with Bootcamp. I have partitioned my hard drive to 32 GB for Bootcamp. When I insert my Windows XP disk, my computer freezes with a gray screen.

I have tried the Apple website and have downloaded the iMac patch which is supposed to correct this problem. When I try to install the patch, my computer tells me that the patch is not needed.

drmuppy

Cold Warrior · May 30, 2009, 03:07 PM

Did you partition your iMac using Boot Camp Assistant? Is the XP disc Service Pack 2 or higher? What happens when you insert the disc, shutdown your iMac, then hold option at startup? (You should get the option of choosing between OS X and the XP disc.)

drmuppy · May 30, 2009, 03:32 PM

Yes, I did create the partition with Bootcamp Assistant, and yes I am using a retail version of Windows XP w/ SP2. The computer will not go to the windows disk to install the OS, it just freezes at the gray screen. Holding the option key on boot-up will not do anything if the Windows OS is not being read by the computer. Right?

Spheric Harlot · May 30, 2009, 03:36 PM

Wrong.

If holding the option key does not present you with the boot manager (it will do this even if only a single bootable volume is present), then something is broken, or you have a firmware password set.

drmuppy · May 31, 2009, 09:55 AM

I appreciate the attempts to help, but perhaps I am not fully explaining my challenge. While it is correct that holding down the option key while starting my iMac does give me a boot option screen (a very pretty image of my OS X hard drive and the inserted Windows CD), it DOES NOT install windows XP onto my Bootcamp established partition. THAT is what I am trying to do.

Spheric Harlot · May 31, 2009, 10:33 AM

So:

You're getting the boot manager, and clicking on the Windows CD, and then clicking the little "Continue" arrow at the bottom right, and THEN it hangs at a gray screen?

angelmb · May 31, 2009, 10:35 AM

Is that one a 32 bit version of XP?.

Is that iMac patch some sort of firmware update?. Wasn't it, is there any available for it?.

Cold Warrior · May 31, 2009, 11:17 AM

Double-check this thread to ensure you have the right firmware.
http://forums.macnn.com/109/alternat...ight-firmware/

Also unplug any peripherals at startup (printers, firewire/usb drives, even the mouse).

drmuppy · May 31, 2009, 07:18 PM

To Cold Warrior, I followed the link you kindly provided, which then linked me to a page that the Apple site "cannot find". Spheric Harlot asks what happens when I click the arrow below the Windows drive icon of a option key influenced startup. The answer is that the computer hangs and the screen in gray. While not wanting to sound flip here, am I the only one who has ever experienced this problem with an iMac? I suspected that this was at least an occasional glitch from time to time for others. Is it that I am so late to the Bootcamp party that others have already moved so far beyond this initial challenge? I have used bootcamp to install Windows XP on my new aluminum Mac Book without any difficulty at all.

While I am interested in your input, is there any respondent who owns an iMac as described (2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) who actually experienced a comparable version as mine.

ibook_steve · Jun 1, 2009, 03:46 AM

Check the Windows CD. The Windows installer is very picky about optical media. Make sure there are no scratches. You could also try making a clean copy of the install CD and try booting with that.

I'm not sure why you are getting a gray screen hang.

Steve