macbook pro running bootcamp boots only black screen

lauraolds · lauraolds #1 (**permalink**)

01-07-2012, 05:21 PM

I tried to turn on my computer today and it only started up a black screen with a white cursor in the top left corner.

I restarted it and choose the mac side to run and it is just totally fine and normal.

I tried to restart it again to the bootcamp=XP side and black screen again.

Please help. I'm not at all educated in how to do things on computers, so please baby talk me through steps. Thank you so much!

Laura

lauraolds · lauraolds #2 (**permalink**)

01-07-2012, 05:56 PM

UPDATE: So I started up the mac side, opened up Bootcamp Assistant, started to install Windows, put the disk in, it made the windows intro bell noises, flashed a blue screen, then went back to the black screen with flashing white cursor in top left screen. =(
Laura

chscag · chscag #3 (**permalink**)

01-07-2012, 07:14 PM

Let's try this:

Reboot Windows again but this time hold down your F8 key. That should get you into Windows XP safe mode. Let us know if that works and we can go from there.

lauraolds · lauraolds #4 (**permalink**)

01-07-2012, 11:54 PM

Tried that, it rang the bells and showed a light blue screen for a few moments then went black with the flashing cursor.
What next?? Thank you so much!!
Laura

lauraolds · lauraolds #5 (**permalink**)

01-08-2012, 01:37 AM

UPDATE: I looked through boot camp from the Mac side, and can see all my files! YAY! Can I get to my netbios from the Mac side and make it boot from an external disk drive with the XP disk in it?? (my internal disk drive doesn't read anymore...different issue)
Thanks in advance!
Laura

chscag · chscag #6 (**permalink**)

01-08-2012, 02:10 AM

Even if your Windows partition is formatted as FAT-32 you won't be able to boot it from an external drive. If your Mac's optical drive is not working, you're dead in the water. There is no way to repair the Windows partition without a working optical drive and using your Windows XP CD.

lauraolds · lauraolds #7 (**permalink**)

01-08-2012, 11:00 AM

AWE $#@$@#$ @#$!@#@$@#

Ok, so now, how do I get my files from boot camp. I really only REQUIRE my emails and my taxes. I do have an external harddrive that runs from the Mac side that I can put them on but don't know where the emails are...I suppose I might need to take it to someone so they can actually seeeee all the files.

Thanks so much for the info about this prob. I hate PCs.
Laura

chscag #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 23, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 31,986 Mac Specs: 21.5" iMac 2.5 GHz i5, iPad 3rd Gen., 3 iPods	01-08-2012, 02:10 AM Even if your Windows partition is formatted as FAT-32 you won't be able to boot it from an external drive. If your Mac's optical drive is not working, you're dead in the water. There is no way to repair the Windows partition without a working optical drive and using your Windows XP CD. Community Guidelines
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macbook pro running bootcamp boots only black screen

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lauraolds #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2012 Posts: 7	01-07-2012, 05:21 PM I tried to turn on my computer today and it only started up a black screen with a white cursor in the top left corner. I restarted it and choose the mac side to run and it is just totally fine and normal. I tried to restart it again to the bootcamp=XP side and black screen again. Please help. I'm not at all educated in how to do things on computers, so please baby talk me through steps. Thank you so much! Laura
	QUOTE Thanks

lauraolds #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2012 Posts: 7	01-07-2012, 05:56 PM UPDATE: So I started up the mac side, opened up Bootcamp Assistant, started to install Windows, put the disk in, it made the windows intro bell noises, flashed a blue screen, then went back to the black screen with flashing white cursor in top left screen. =( Laura
	QUOTE Thanks

lauraolds #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2012 Posts: 7	01-07-2012, 11:54 PM Tried that, it rang the bells and showed a light blue screen for a few moments then went black with the flashing cursor. What next?? Thank you so much!! Laura
	QUOTE Thanks

lauraolds #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2012 Posts: 7	01-08-2012, 01:37 AM UPDATE: I looked through boot camp from the Mac side, and can see all my files! YAY! Can I get to my netbios from the Mac side and make it boot from an external disk drive with the XP disk in it?? (my internal disk drive doesn't read anymore...different issue) Thanks in advance! Laura
	QUOTE Thanks

lauraolds #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2012 Posts: 7	01-08-2012, 11:00 AM AWE $#@$@#$ @#$!@#@$@# Ok, so now, how do I get my files from boot camp. I really only REQUIRE my emails and my taxes. I do have an external harddrive that runs from the Mac side that I can put them on but don't know where the emails are...I suppose I might need to take it to someone so they can actually seeeee all the files. Thanks so much for the info about this prob. I hate PCs. Laura
	QUOTE Thanks

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