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Ben1l

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 30, 2006
248
0
I installed windows xp on my iMac, by partitioning my hard drive using boot camp.

It worked, but now I can't seem to switch back to logging in to osx, I'm stuck in Xp. Holding down the option (alt) key at startup doesn't bring up the startup volum option. Xp just launches no matter what I do.

Really appreciate any advice ASAP
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,632
3,987
New Zealand
Have you set a firmware password? As far as I know, that's the only thing that stops the Startup Manager (Option key) from running.
 

Ben1l

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 30, 2006
248
0
Have you set a firmware password? As far as I know, that's the only thing that stops the Startup Manager (Option key) from running.

No, I wouldn't know how to set a firmware password.
 

johnhurley

macrumors 6502a
Aug 29, 2011
777
56
I installed windows xp on my iMac, by partitioning my hard drive using boot camp.

It worked, but now I can't seem to switch back to logging in to osx, I'm stuck in Xp. Holding down the option (alt) key at startup doesn't bring up the startup volum option. Xp just launches no matter what I do.

Really appreciate any advice ASAP

Did you complete installing the bootcamp drivers in xp?

There should be something in the right hand tray in windows that allows you to control which system you boot into by default. On my win 7 system I can right click on the bootcamp icon in the tray and get a "restart in mac os x" that I can click on ...
 

Ben1l

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 30, 2006
248
0
Did you complete installing the bootcamp drivers in xp?

There should be something in the right hand tray in windows that allows you to control which system you boot into by default. On my win 7 system I can right click on the bootcamp icon in the tray and get a "restart in mac os x" that I can click on ...

When I clicked on the bootcamp set up assistant it in OSX it wouldn't download the the drivers, so i clicked the second which was something about having the original install disks that came with my imac, (which i do have)...
 

andymodem

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2008
583
108
Baltimore, MD
Put your OSX install disk in and see if you can boot to that. If you can, select the language you want and wait for the menu bar to appear up top. Then choose Utilies (I think it's that), and then startup disk. Choose your OSX partition and reboot. Hopefully that works.
 

MJL

macrumors 6502a
Jun 25, 2011
845
1
1) what version of OS X? : Lion does not work nicely with XP. (actually Lion 10.7.2 has introduced some sneaky stuff for Time Machine and DiskUtil - stuff that worked before is now suddenly no longer a go)

2) depending on how you installed XP; the XP installation might have wiped the whole HDD

3) did you try booting from DVD / external backup? If using Lion did you try command-R and use diskutil from there to see what the disk layout is?
 

Kickk2Krookk

macrumors newbie
Jan 23, 2012
9
0
I have the same problem! Except I installed Windows 7 & I don't have the install disks. But I have a 2010 Macbook White. Any help?
 

kpgh554

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2011
201
1
iver england
When I clicked on the bootcamp set up assistant it in OSX it wouldn't download the the drivers, so i clicked the second which was something about having the original install disks that came with my imac, (which i do have)...

if it's snow leopard insert osx disc go to show contents open bootcamp folder run setup will add drivers. whilst running in xp
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
I have the same problem! Except I installed Windows 7 & I don't have the install disks. But I have a 2010 Macbook White. Any help?

When booted into Windows, do you see your Mac OS X HDD (Macintosh HD)?
Does it show up in Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management?
How big is your internal HDD and how big is your Windows partition?

You can call Apple and ask for Replacement Disks.
 

Kickk2Krookk

macrumors newbie
Jan 23, 2012
9
0
When booted into Windows, do you see your Mac OS X HDD (Macintosh HD)?
Does it show up in Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management?
How big is your internal HDD and how big is your Windows partition?

You can call Apple and ask for Replacement Disks.

Yes it does. But im not sure if OSX Lion is still on that partition. Windows 7 21 GB OSX Lion 180 GB or something.
 
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