Problems partitioning for Windows install with Boot Camp

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My name - NGWC - stands for "Not good with Computers". This post is about yet another problem I've had w/ my MacBook.

I tried to install Windows Vista using boot camp. I got up to the part where it asked you where you wanted to partition it. None of the four options it gave me were both NTFS (or something like that, which allows you to use it) and had a min. amount of space. The one that I had set aside, w/ 32 GB, wasn't working.
So, I exited out of the installation.
It brought me back to the beginning.
So, I decided to take a risk (bad idea) and shut down the computer using the little white circle button. It, too, brought me back to the beginnning.
Once it hit the black screen with the small white line at the top, I pressed the eject button. This also turned out to be a very, very bad idea. For the last 10 minutes, it's been stuck on that screen.



Does anyone know what I should do? I really need help. If you can help me, Thank you.
 

chscag

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Does anyone know what I should do? I really need help. If you can help me, Thank you.

Power down the machine: Hold the power button until it turns all the way off. Turn it back on and hold down the option key when you hear the chime. Select OS X to boot to. Eject the Windows CD.

Open the Boot Camp Assistant, select create partition, select remove. That will get everything back on the hard drive to OS X. The Boot Camp partition will be gone.

Start over but before you do, read the Boot Camp installation instructions carefully. If you're not sure how to install Windows, ask someone who knows how to help you.

Regards.
 
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Thanks a lot - it really helped!

However, I'm not out of the woods yet. I restarted the boot camp, and got back up to the part where I have to select where to install the Windows OS. I still have the problem that the area I set aside won't take the Windows Vista because it isn't in NFTS format. Any idea how to fix that?
 

chscag

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Have you read the Boot Camp installation instructions? When you first create a partition for Boot Camp, it will be formatted as FAT-32 because that's the only format the BC installer knows how to do.

Once the Windows Vista installation starts, (blue DOS like screen) it will offer an option to format the Boot Camp partition. Make sure you select the correct partition! It will be marked as drive C and will be labeled as "Boot Camp"

Next step is to format it as NTFS. You can not install Vista to FAT-32, you must use NTFS. Select NTFS. When the format is finished, you can proceed with the installation.

Again, please read the Boot Camp installation instructions carefully. It's best to print them out and have them in front of you when doing the installation.

Regards.
 

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