Boot Camp installation error?

[technohobbit17]

Trying to install Windows XP via Boot Camp, I get this error:

I have an external hard drive with enough space to back up my computer, but I don't know what to do after that. Can someone tell me what to back it up with so I can restore it after I format my computer, and how to restore it?
I assume to format the drive I use Disk Utility from my install CD?

Thanks.

 

[macfanboy]

theres a file thats big on your machine. usually a couple gigs

at least thats what it was in my case

 

[ChrisN]

That happened to me I tried to make an eleven Gb partition and that error popped up so I made mine 5 gb instead. Also, I needed 11 gb to restore my winclone backup so I tried getting rid of big files to make more room but nothing helped.

ChrisN

 

[geoffshep]

You can use disc utility to format your external drive. You can then use Time Machine to back up your current system (but it doesn't copy everything). Or use something like SuperDuper to clone evrything from your current disc to the external. Make sure it all works before doing anything to your main disk. You should be able to boot from a superduper cloned disk.

Have you tried making a smaller bootcamp partition?