Bootcamp & Windows XP :(

Hey there,

I heave read and searched the forums and i dont believe i can find any answer for my problem, if i am asking a question that has already been answered then i apologize in advanced.

First my specs:

2009 Macbook Pro Unibody w/ Removable Battery

Version 10.6.2
Processing: 2.4 GHZ Intel core 2 duo
Memory: 4 gb 1067 mhz ddr3

Basically i have made a partition using boot camp but my macbook pro does not recognize my windows cd so to even eject i have to reboot and hold down the pad. My CD is a burnt copy (I own the rights to this license of XP i just keep burnt copies because i am always losing discs so i keep a burnt copy of everything)

So i got a friend with a regular macbook to load the cd on his and he copied the files on a disc and gave it to me. The file is a .cdr file on a regular cd.

When trying to boot it i got a "No bootable device" error so i burnt it on a DVD disc. At this point it does not give an error but just sits with the cursor flashing (all black screen)

So thats pretty much where i am. I have tried burning the .cdr file and the individual windows files (the .exe and install files un compressed) onto dvd's but i just get a flashing cursor with a black screen. i press keys and nothing happens. It will sit like this until i hard reboot.

I am at a total loss. I have heard people using burnt copies before but i am not sure what to do.

OSX is running fine and everything else is up to date.

Thanks for looking

It's obvious that a "burned" copy does not work. The Boot Camp instructions are very clear about what kind of version of Windows that must be used. I suggest you follow the directions as given by Apple and then it will work.

If you own the license to your copy of XP, where is the original disk? And also, what kind of license? Is it a genuine MS boxed copy full install of XP Home or Pro SP2 or 3? It can also be an OEM system builders copy full install of XP Home or Pro SP2 or 3.

Nothing else is going to work correctly.

Regards.

chscag said:

It's obvious that a "burned" copy does not work. The Boot Camp instructions are very clear about what kind of version of Windows that must be used. I suggest you follow the directions as given by Apple and then it will work.

If you own the license to your copy of XP, where is the original disk? And also, what kind of license? Is it a genuine MS boxed copy full install of XP Home or Pro SP2 or 3? It can also be an OEM system builders copy full install of XP Home or Pro SP2 or 3.

Nothing else is going to work correctly.

Regards.

Click to expand...

I didnt read the instructions but rather just tool around and boards and see if anyone else had trouble... its easier i think then trying to find specifics in an instruction manual

As for my disc its Full install of Pro with SP2. I dont know where the disc is so instead of looking through a bunch of stuff (i moved recently) i just tried the burnt copy. I really am not sure what to do if i cant find my original so this is the only option right now unless i buy another copy.

Again can anyone just give a straight answer to wether or not there is a way to make my burnt copy work? It says "Authentic" but i just that meant not a copy that is pirated VS someones back up.

As for my disc its Full install of Pro with SP2. I dont know where the disc is so instead of looking through a bunch of stuff (i moved recently) i just tried the burnt copy. I really am not sure what to do if i cant find my original so this is the only option right now unless i buy another copy.

Again can anyone just give a straight answer to wether or not there is a way to make my burnt copy work? It says "Authentic" but i just that meant not a copy that is pirated VS someones back up.

Click to expand...

I understand your predicament and no one is saying it's a pirated copy but burned copies of an OS don't always work right. I don't know what you used to make the burn but unless it was successful, it's not going to work. And if it doesn't work, there's no way to correct it. You're either going to have to find your original CD or buy another copy of XP.

Let me ask you this: Do you have your Product ID Code written down for your copy of XP Pro SP2? If you have that, you can borrow another copy of XP Pro SP2 full install, install it and use your Product ID code instead. Microsoft themselves have said that this is legal since the code is yours and you own the license to it.

Regards.

chscag said:

I understand your predicament and no one is saying it's a pirated copy but burned copies of an OS don't always work right. I don't know what you used to make the burn but unless it was successful, it's not going to work. And if it doesn't work, there's no way to correct it. You're either going to have to find your original CD or buy another copy of XP.

Let me ask you this: Do you have your Product ID Code written down for your copy of XP Pro SP2? If you have that, you can borrow another copy of XP Pro SP2 full install, install it and use your Product ID code instead. Microsoft themselves have said that this is legal since the code is yours and you own the license to it.

Regards.

Click to expand...

I understand I burnt it some time ago, it was a gift from my parents before i got my macbook. I do have it written down on the sleeve of the disk holder of my back up copy. I will try tracking someone down with the original. It just sucks because i want to load windows so bad haha. I miss my pc based games.

Your Mac apparently doesn't like the discs you're burning. Are they the same brand? Are they relatively new? Have you tried these discs in other machines?

Also, you can try booting up OS X and put the Windows CD in and see if OS X can read it. If you can see the disc and view directories on it, you can say the burn is "good" even if it's not booting.

Regarding your image, is it a known good bootable ISO?

For the record, XP discs have no copy protection, and a "burned Windows disc" is not that unusual of a thing, even for legitimate owners. Windows has long since supported taking a base image of a disc and integrating later service packs and drivers and other odds and ends. For an OS as old as XP, being able to keep an up-to-date install media is a handy thing, and Microsoft (to a degree) supports it with triggers in updates and service packs to integrate into the install files.

S.SubZero said:

Your Mac apparently doesn't like the discs you're burning. Are they the same brand? Are they relatively new? Have you tried these discs in other machines?

Also, you can try booting up OS X and put the Windows CD in and see if OS X can read it. If you can see the disc and view directories on it, you can say the burn is "good" even if it's not booting.

Regarding your image, is it a known good bootable ISO?

For the record, XP discs have no copy protection, and a "burned Windows disc" is not that unusual of a thing, even for legitimate owners. Windows has long since supported taking a base image of a disc and integrating later service packs and drivers and other odds and ends. For an OS as old as XP, being able to keep an up-to-date install media is a handy thing, and Microsoft (to a degree) supports it with triggers in updates and service packs to integrate into the install files.

Click to expand...

The thing is my buddy has a black macbook (plastic one) and his laptop recognizes it right off. When i put it in my macbook it does not read it at all and it will not show up when i boot up and i can select a boot device.

Maybe i can take my backup and copy it to another computer and try to burn it on a different blank cd or something?