02-07-2009, 08:47 AM

Hi,

Some of you may remember my previous thread about my inability to get XP (SP2 Pro) working via bootcamp. I go through the bootcamp installation bit, then it installs windows, when it restarts to "continue the installation process" (or something like that) it just starts to install windows over the previous installation. I recently had a new internal hard drive fitted (500GB) and did a completely fresh install of OSX.

I tried to install XP again and the same thing occurrs. But, I downloaded virtualbox, the VM, and can install XP perfectly with no hitches. This is great, but can anyone either explain why this may be happening, or give me some insight as to how I can run XP via Bootcamp.

Cheers,
Stef

02-07-2009, 03:44 PM

Possibly because the copy of XP Pro SP2 you have is not an eligible version that will work with Boot Camp. (I remember your last posts about the same subject.)

I suspect that even more since you can successfully install it via a Virtual Box VM. Virtual Box like Fusion and Parallels does not have the same version restrictions as does Boot Camp.

Regards.

02-07-2009, 04:00 PM

Thanks chscag, I have been suspecting this more now - I remember I was quite defensive in my earlier posts. I also asked (nearly) the same question on the VB forums, and in bootcamp, installing XP I have been selecting "convert to NTFS", instead of "format using NTFS". So I will try this, if not, will just stick with a VM!

02-07-2009, 08:12 PM

Hi again,

I am having more troubles, but think it may be hardware at fault. About 5 minutes into the XP Setup (I was not correctly formatting the bootcamp partition before) I get this message:

An error has been encountered that prevents setup from continuing.

Setup failed to install the product catalog. This is a fatal error. The setup log file should contain more information.

*Set up log file reads

Error: the signature for Windows XP Professional setup is invalid. The Error code is 800b0100.

No signature was present in the set up.

Now, a little bit of research behind the error code shows that this may be a hardware fault (RAM has been mentioned on a few of the sites I have seen). But this Macbook is less than 5 months old, so should be fine, right?

Many thanks, this is a steep learning curve, as I've never installed XP before, and was hoping it'd be rather like installing OSX where you click start and it does it! But then again, this is micro$oft!

02-07-2009, 09:43 PM

I just did a search on that particular error code. Appears it can be caused by a number of things. Improper upgrade, files that weren't deleted, and so on. I haven't run across anything that referred to a memory or hardware error and as you say - the machine is new.

Try starting over. Boot back to OS X and run the Boot Camp assistant once more. Select create partition, then select restore. That will return the entire hard drive back to OS X. Afterward, run the BC assistant and create another partition. Try to install XP Pro again. If you run into the same error, post back and we'll try to figure something out.

Regards.

02-08-2009, 07:25 AM

chscag, thanks for your help (and patients!) I will do that and then report back.

02-08-2009, 09:21 AM

Hi, chscag, I did as you said, and am now writing this from a windows laptop that happens to say macbook on it! I'm unsure what I did, but thanks for your input, as I'm sure it prompted me to do something different.

Stef

02-08-2009, 07:42 PM

Thanks for posting back with the great results! Have fun with your new aluminum MacBook that now dual boots to OS X and Windows.

Regards.

02-09-2009, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by chscag

Have fun with your new aluminum MacBook that now dual boots to OS X and Windows.

Regards.

Thanks, but if only it was Aluminium! Just a plain white one! Actually... It's a good job it's not aluminium (unless someone wants to let me have their aluMBP on permanent loan), I need the firewire! But that's a whole other thread! So we won't discuss that!