help with boot camp: windows installation

[ashjamben]

thanks for checking this out

i decided to give it a go and install windows xp on my mac, i don't really NEED it, but have just finished college and have too much time on my hands.

i've read all the instructions of the boot camp procedure from an apple document i found on their website. i backed up all my data as recommended by the instructions. it then said about the requirement of the a windows installation disc with SP2 on it.

now, i have a copy of windows xp professional, but have no idea if it has SP2 on it. does anyone know a way to find out just from the installation disc?

thought i'd quickly ask on here first. i could just try it but don't fancy the hassle of partioning the hard drive if it aint gonna work.

thanks for reading

 

[Siron]

I just checked my XP Pro disk and it said "Includes Service Pack 2".
Alan

 

[ashjamben]

well i only have the disk and don't have any documentation, so did you find this from your disk? hope so

aswell, xp professional came out at the very start in 2001, along with home edition. SP2 came out in 2004, so i presume the copies of each edition was then sold with SP2. and i'm not sure when i got my copy.

thanks anyway please let me know know if you found this out from your disk, and if so where?

 

[VideoFreek]

If it is a pre-SP2 disk, you can still create a SP2 install disk via a process called "slipstreaming." This has been covered many times in these forums...a quick search will find it for you.

 

[Siron]

please let me know know if you found this out from your disk, and if so where?

It's printed on the disk itself on the RH side. If yours doesn't say "Including Service Pack 2" then it doesn't have it. BTW I think you only need SP1.
Alan

 

[ashjamben]

i'll check out the slipstreaming thing, thanks

and you do need SP2 to install it, it says it everywhere on the apple document and even specifically says do not install it if it isn't SP2. also, the copy of windows i have is a copy (i didn't mention this because some people may have a problem with this, and if you do i apologise. i buy all my other software but i'm only doing this for fun so don't want to fork out a lot of cash for windows)

 

[StuBeck]

Just because Apple says you need it doesn't mean its required. If you're using an illegal copy, why not just download an illegal copy with SP2 with it anyways?

 

[JNB]

Just because Apple says you need it doesn't mean its required.

Maybe because Apple only provides drivers for SP2? They're pretty specific about it, and it's for reasons that don't include money or licensing.

If you really can't deal with buying or slipstreaming SP2, there's always Parallels/VMWare.

 

[pranavss11]

Slipstream XP cd to include SP2. Partition your HDD using BootCamp. Boot from slipstreamed XP cd. Put ur Apple cd in after installation. Install drivers. enjoy wincrap.

 

[ashjamben]

thanks for the help, i think i will have to slipstream a installation cd. but i just think i may not even need it! lol

 

[ashjamben]

i used that tutorial to slipstream a new xp installation disc, that now when used on my PC includes within the readme file a whole chunk of text explaining this installation disc includes SP2. so i guess i didn't have it to start with.

i havn't had chance to try it out yet tho. i've been at my girlfriends place for a few days and when i came home i realised i left my macbook charger! so no mac for me.

thanks for the help guys