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gman777

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 5, 2006
2
0
:confused: I just bought a Macbook and installed boot camp and bought Windows XP pro with service pack 2. When I get to the point that Boot Camp assistant asks me to insert the windows disk and hit Start Installation the drive spins up and a message comes up that says "no installer CD was found" then spits the disk out. Can anyone help?
 

Timepass

macrumors 65816
Jan 4, 2005
1,051
1
what xp cd did you buy. if it is an upgrade disk then it is going to be rather worthless since the upgrade disk require a previous verson of windows on them before you can install.
 

plinden

macrumors 601
Apr 8, 2004
4,029
142
gman777 said:
:confused: I just bought a Macbook and installed boot camp and bought Windows XP pro with service pack 2. When I get to the point that Boot Camp assistant asks me to insert the windows disk and hit Start Installation the drive spins up and a message comes up that says "no installer CD was found" then spits the disk out. Can anyone help?
There have been several reports that I've come across of Windows install disks not working.

You could:
1. Download the Parallels RC and try it with that.
2. Or make a copy of the install disk using Mac OS and burn to a new CD. If it's a problem with the CD media, this might fix it.
3. Or use a friend's PC and http://www.nliteos.com to create a slipstreamed copy. If there's something on the CD preventing it being recognized, this should fix that.
 

Xander562

macrumors 68000
Apr 2, 2006
1,625
0
does the nLite program ISO feature (as in after i burn it to a CD) make a CD/DVD that i can use to install Windows on an intel Mac?
 

plinden

macrumors 601
Apr 8, 2004
4,029
142
Yes. Well, I did it in Parallels, but it should also work with Boot Camp.
 

gman777

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 5, 2006
2
0
I purchased the full version of Windows XP Pro, not the upgrade. If others don't have this problem should I return this version and load a different one? It seems to be a major task to go through and create a slipstream to do this when others I read just loaded windows with no problems. Can anyone tell me the best version or place to purchase Windows XP Pro that will work better, this is a brand new Macbook so it didn't seem to need the firmware upgrades. Any thoughts?
 

mdaura

macrumors newbie
Jun 13, 2006
3
0
I have the same problem...

I am having the exact same problem outlined in the original post. Yesterday I had an appointment to see a genius. They told me they do not support BootCamp, but they did try helping a bit. They took my XP CD (new cd I purchased, not an upgrade) and put it into several mac they have in the store. Everyone of those macs had no problem "seeing" the XP disc.

They then put a movie in mine and it played fine. They then gave me a brand new MacBook since (clearly?) there was something wrong with mine. My harddrive was swapped and put in the new one.
We then tested it..put the XP cd in and my MacBook SAW the XP cd. GREAT!!
I leave and go home. Get ready to install XP using bootcamp...
what do ya know..doen't work. Same exact problem again!! My, now new, Macbook can't "see" the XP cd again.

How can this make any sense???

I then download Parallel to load XP that way... Same issue. It can't "see" my XP disc. Just spits it out.

The whole entire reason I bought this MacBook was so that I could run XP for some things I must use for work. I was actually very happy with my PowerBook and now this MacBook is making me regret switching. The only reason I bought it was to run Windows! And apparently since I ordered a larger HD I can't return it either.

Would love to know if you have found a solution.
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
Try copying the CD with nLite or something similar, could just be something about the way MS stamps the discs that makes it hard to see (you know they do that whole hologram thing on the front) and a copy might be easier to handle.

B
 

ironic23

macrumors 6502
Feb 8, 2006
263
0
i have the same problem with my mbp 15". whenever i pop in a blank DVD-R it thinks its a blank CD-R half the time and the other time, a DVD-R. After i burn something into the DVD-R and close the session etc. , my MBP will see it as a blank CD-R half the time and the other, a burnt DVD. Weird.
 

ilkevinli

macrumors 6502
Apr 8, 2006
302
28
NYC
The 1st thing I would do in your case is see if you can boot from the CD from a PC. All XP full install CDs are bootable. IF you can't boot from the CD, its either an upgrade or bad media.

Also make sure you have downloaded the LATEST bootcamp. There have been updates to bootcamp even though it doesn't say anything on the site.

mdaura said:
I am having the exact same problem outlined in the original post. Yesterday I had an appointment to see a genius. They told me they do not support BootCamp, but they did try helping a bit. They took my XP CD (new cd I purchased, not an upgrade) and put it into several mac they have in the store. Everyone of those macs had no problem "seeing" the XP disc.

They then put a movie in mine and it played fine. They then gave me a brand new MacBook since (clearly?) there was something wrong with mine. My harddrive was swapped and put in the new one.
We then tested it..put the XP cd in and my MacBook SAW the XP cd. GREAT!!
I leave and go home. Get ready to install XP using bootcamp...
what do ya know..doen't work. Same exact problem again!! My, now new, Macbook can't "see" the XP cd again.

How can this make any sense???

I then download Parallel to load XP that way... Same issue. It can't "see" my XP disc. Just spits it out.

The whole entire reason I bought this MacBook was so that I could run XP for some things I must use for work. I was actually very happy with my PowerBook and now this MacBook is making me regret switching. The only reason I bought it was to run Windows! And apparently since I ordered a larger HD I can't return it either.

Would love to know if you have found a solution.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
gman777 said:
:confused: I just bought a Macbook and installed boot camp and bought Windows XP pro with service pack 2. When I get to the point that Boot Camp assistant asks me to insert the windows disk and hit Start Installation the drive spins up and a message comes up that says "no installer CD was found" then spits the disk out. Can anyone help?

Not to butt into your thread, but my macbook has just had to be returned as it struggled to read any optical media what so ever. Does your macbook struggle to read any other discs, also you could try putting in your mac os install disc and holding down alt. If your install disc appears in the list your hardware is grand, if it struggles to see it or ejects the disc, basically your drive is screwed.

A number of people over on the apple discussion group are having trouble with both the superdrive / combo drive.
 

mdaura

macrumors newbie
Jun 13, 2006
3
0
2nd trip to the Apple Store

Last night they gave me a new computer and it could "see" my XP disc. By the time I got home it didn't "see" it anymore.

Went back to the store today. The first time the genius put my XP disc in it worked. (to my amazment). I then tried to install Windows with BootCamp and the same problem started all over again.

The guy said he didn't know what the problem was, but they don't support Boot Camp so he could not help me any further.

What am I supposed to do now? I have a computer that I bought for the sole purpose of being able to use Windows on it for those few things I can't do on my PowerBook and it won't run Windows as it is advertised to do.

I will probably end up returning it, but I am very upset that it will come to this. Plus I purchased a copy of the "correct" Windows XP just to run on this Machine. What a waste of another $200.00.

I'm very disappointed in Apple right now.
 

zap2

macrumors 604
Mar 8, 2005
7,252
8
Washington D.C
You think you would get it by now but here it is


Jobs does not want XP on your Mac!;)

I'm not sure how you can be mad at Apple for not having a 3rd party OS working correctly on their beta Software
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
Just a thought for those who are having this problem and visit an Apple store. See if they will let you try installing XP from an external optical drive. It is beginning to sound like there may be an issue with the internal optical drive and some disks...

Rev A baby.

B
 

mdaura

macrumors newbie
Jun 13, 2006
3
0
how can I be mad at Apple?

They typically put out solid products. That's what I'm used to with Apple. If dual booting is this problematic they should NOT be running funny commercials and advertising to death that this is an option with the new chips.

I'm used to spending $$ to be a Microsoft guinea pig. I expect more from Apple.
 

treblah

macrumors 65816
Oct 28, 2003
1,285
0
29680
Have you tried inserting the XP disc in OS X, shutting down and then powering on while holding the Option key?

I've had to do that a few times in order the boot loader to see the disc.
 

MisterEd

macrumors 6502
Jan 2, 2006
306
8
mdaura said:
What am I supposed to do now? I have a computer that I bought for the sole purpose of being able to use Windows on it for those few things I can't do on my PowerBook and it won't run Windows as it is advertised to do.

You should ask yourself whether that was a very wise decision, bearing in mind that Boot Camp is BETA software and still in early stages of development... Plus, Apple very clearly state that they will not give support for it.

Ed
 

faveluka

macrumors newbie
Jun 16, 2006
1
0
Portland, OR
CD incompatibility with drive..

I had the same problem.. Macbook didn't recognize my (just bought) XP install CD, and kept spitting it out. Good thing a search turned this thread up, I'd still be panicking.

My linux machine's CD drive could read it fine.. I copied it to a blank CD, which the Mac reads just fine. From there, everything just worked fine.

I don't know if it's the Microsoft holograms, the mac's drive or both. Either way, it really irritates me that a CD would be unreliable. I'd much rather have totally reliable peripherals than an extra 200MHz on the processor.

See if you can get a friend to rip it to a standard CDRW, and good luck.

Alex:rolleyes:
 
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