Screwed after installing bootcamp

[hi5enigma]

Hi all,

long time lurker, first time poster ... altho i wish under more desirable circumstances .... :-/

so i just created a bootcamp partition for windows xp sp2. as i was installing, i did not change the file system on my new partition (dumb, dumb, dumb i knoe....) so i got the "disk error, blah, blah, restart" message.

after realizing my mistake, i was going to go back to my mac partition, remove the windows partition, and start from scratch, this time following directions like a big boy. however i cannot return to my mac partition. i was able to eject the windows disc by holding down the mouse on restart, but i cannot boot back to mac!!!! aahhhh!

i tried :
- booting from leopard cd by holding down 'c' (didnt work), and back to 'disk error'
- resetting the PRAM, but not three chimes, and back to 'disk error'
- holding down 'shift' ... no effect
- holding down alt/option .... no effect
- holding command+option+shift+delete ... no effect

i made sure that the mouse was not plugged into the keyboard. the keyboard definitely works (it is the one i am currently using).

does anyone have any other suggestions? i am desparate!!!

 

[cwa107]

When you held down the option key, were any choices presented on the screen at all? Keep in mind this needs to be done immediately after powering the machine on, but before the Apple logo appears.

 

[hi5enigma]

hi cwa, thanks for your reply

no choices are presented, and in fact no apple logo appears. this was mid-installation, and i think it wants to boot to the windows partition to finish the installation.

so basically, i power on, immediately press option, hold option, then it goes from the apple-grey-color straight to a black dos-looking screen that says "disk error, press any key to restart". no apple, no options to choose my boot targt.

 

[cwa107]

It sounds a lot like you may have inadvertantly nuked your OS X partition during Windows setup. Did you happen to make a backup prior to installation?

 

[hi5enigma]

it was a new install ... not much TO backup, i otherwise have all of the install discs for all of the programs i added. it would suck to spend another weekend setting it up, but i would gladly give up a weekend to have a working computer!

so then i guess, is there a way to completely reformat and install leopard again? i cannot boot from my leopard disc either (holding down 'c' while powering up). i am witholding my deepest levels of despair because i can still eject media on reboot. so something must still be viable. any thoughts?

 

[cwa107]

You should be able to boot from the OS X disc regardless. This makes me wonder if something is wrong with the keyboard or your technique. You need to wait for the screen to turn gray before pressing and holding the C key. Is that what you're doing? What about the option key with the OS X disc in?

 

[hi5enigma]

lol - my technique..... i mean, ya, i've tried pressing alt right after power button, right after grey screen ... same result, both with and without the leopard cd (or windows cd for that matter) in the disc drive

i know the keyboard works, because it is the same keyboard that i am typing this post with. but just for ***** and giggles i am going to run up to my univ and get a keyboard from my lab and try that out to see if it works.

but beyond that remote chance, can you think of any other causes for this? and if i cannot boot to my disc drive, will i even be able to reinstall leopard ?!?!?? 8-o

 

[cwa107]

lol - my technique..... i mean, ya, i've tried pressing alt right after power button, right after grey screen ... same result, both with and without the leopard cd (or windows cd for that matter) in the disc drive

Something is definitely amiss - it's certainly not working the way it's supposed to.

i know the keyboard works, because it is the same keyboard that i am typing this post with. but just for ***** and giggles i am going to run up to my univ and get a keyboard from my lab and try that out to see if it works.

I guess it doesn't hurt to try.

but beyond that remote chance, can you think of any other causes for this? and if i cannot boot to my disc drive, will i even be able to reinstall leopard ?!?!?? 8-o

No and no. If it won't boot from the install discs by holding C or selecting the disc when holding 'option', I know of no other way to do a reinstall or force an alternate boot.

 

[hi5enigma]

I guess it doesn't hurt to try.

HOLY CRAP I GUESS NOT!!!!!! lolololz, i switch from using my brand effing new apple aluminum keyboard to using a dell keyboard from school and now i can use the typical option/c keys to boot to mac partition/leopard dvd. wow .... just wow.

now time to repair this WinXP install

::holds breath .... waits, not realizes that holding breath may not be best idea at this juncture::

 

[cwa107]

HOLY CRAP I GUESS NOT!!!!!! lolololz, i switch from using my brand effing new apple aluminum keyboard to using a dell keyboard from school and now i can use the typical option/c keys to boot to mac partition/leopard dvd. wow .... just wow.

now time to repair this WinXP install

::holds breath .... waits, not realizes that holding breath may not be best idea at this juncture::

LOL... glad I could help. Odd that your Apple keyboard wouldn't work. Is it wireless?

 

[dtravis7]

What Mac is this? It's been proven that the new Aluminum keyboard will not work at startup with some Macs like the Intel Mini for one. That is why you are having your issues. What Mac is this?

Keep us posted.

Here is one thread on the issue with the new keyboard and intel Mini for one.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1573933&tstart=135

 

[hi5enigma]

right, obviously a bluetooth one shouldnt work, but no this is a usb one.

and to trav, this is a mac mini intel using aluminum keyboard that was not working at startup. should i file a bug report with apple?

 

[dtravis7]

right, obviously a bluetooth one shouldnt work, but no this is a usb one.

and to trav, this is a mac mini intel using aluminum keyboard that was not working at startup. should i file a bug report with apple?

They know. Read that one URL I gave. It's a known issue with that keyboard and any Intel Mini I have seen. I tried it here and same thing. Glad you got that Dell keyboard. File a report anyway! Who knows. Maybe it will get them going on a FIX!!


How is the install going?

 

[hi5enigma]

OK - Apple has a few outstanding problems I wish they would resolve with Leopard (fix iSync to work with Palm already!!!!!); I'll just tack this on to my list and realize that at least it has a way better chance of being addressed than would a similar Windows bug (>D lolz @ ppl with M$ .... wait, that's me CAUSE MY INSTALL WORKED). wurd.

 

[hi5enigma]

btw, big ups to the mods!