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Installing XP in bootcamp

Winter Charm

Winter Charm

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 31, 2008
804
270
Okay, so on my old mac mini, i want to install windows xp through bootcamp. Problem is, I've upgraded to Lion.

I still have my Snow Leopard install disk that came with the Mac Mini, and it has all the windows xp drivers that I need to make sure xp will run on my mac.

Is it still okay to install XP? because in Lion, the bootcamp dialogue states that I need a windows 7 install disk, and I'm not going to go pay for one when I have a perfectly usable windows xp disk.
 
Unless XP was there previously, no, you'll need a Windows 7 disk i'm afraid. I also tried this on my MacBook Pro about 2 weeks ago. It will install okay, but then after rebooting it simply wont run.
 
I had the same problem last week! Got it all sorted now :) This is what I did...

1. Run Boot Camp Assistant, and partition your hard drive as you normally would. Don't download those drivers etc, just partition it.

2. Insert your Windows XP disk, and restart your Mac holding the option key.

3. Boot your Mac from the Windows XP disk.

4. Intall Windows on the partition you made in Boot Camp Assistant!

5. Once XP has installed, insert your Snow Leopard disk and install all the drivers.

Enjoy!

As far as I know, it's impossible if you don't have a Snow Leopard disk. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong :)

Good luck!
 
I came here looking for almost the same question.
I need to install XP on Lion's boot camp assistant 4.0.
I understand how to install it, but the drivers on the Snow Leopard install disk support all macs?
I have MacBook Pro Late 2006 (If I'am not mistaken it is the first MBP with C2D).
Thanks.
 
Indeed that is a very annoying bug in Apple's software. Windows XP is the fastest Windows out there with all the updates and it doesn't need 25 BLOODY GIGABYTES on the hard drive like Windows 7.

I faced the very same problem while installing XP, fortunately I still had my SL disk that came with my Mac.

vitols: yes, you can use the SL installation disk on every Mac to install the drivers.
 
MasterHowl said:
I had the same problem last week! Got it all sorted now :) This is what I did...

1. Run Boot Camp Assistant, and partition your hard drive as you normally would. Don't download those drivers etc, just partition it.

2. Insert your Windows XP disk, and restart your Mac holding the option key.

3. Boot your Mac from the Windows XP disk.

4. Intall Windows on the partition you made in Boot Camp Assistant!

5. Once XP has installed, insert your Snow Leopard disk and install all the drivers.

Enjoy!

As far as I know, it's impossible if you don't have a Snow Leopard disk. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong :)

Good luck!
Click to expand...

My wife and I just bought a 2011 13" MBP for her to replace a dying 2007 iMac. She used her system to also log into the computer system she uses at work by using a specialized program written for her job that ONLY works on Windows XP, which she used in bootcamp on the iMac.

So, I have a couple of questions about getting XP to work on her new system:

1. I already partitioned the drive using the Lion Bootcamp and made the drivers CD as prompted by the bootcamp assistant. Did I go too far per your instruction #1? Do I need to re partition or did I just waste a CD?

2. In regards to instruction number 2, I have both a standard copy of XP Pro and an x64 copy of XP Pro, will both work? I am not sure my wife's work software will run on the x64 copy, so if the standard (32 bit?) copy will work, that would be our preference.

3. In your instruction #5, is once XP is installed mean after you finish with the CD or after you finish with the CD and the updates to SP3? Do you use the Snow Leopard disk on the XP partition or go back to the Lion partition? Can I use a Snow Leopard disk I purchased retail, or does it have to be one that came with her computer?

Thanks for any help anyone can give on this.....I would hate to think we just wasted $1500 on a computer she can't use.
 
Ceebler said:
My wife and I just bought a 2011 13" MBP for her to replace a dying 2007 iMac. She used her system to also log into the computer system she uses at work by using a specialized program written for her job that ONLY works on Windows XP, which she used in bootcamp on the iMac.

So, I have a couple of questions about getting XP to work on her new system:

1. I already partitioned the drive using the Lion Bootcamp and made the drivers CD as prompted by the bootcamp assistant. Did I go too far per your instruction #1? Do I need to re partition or did I just waste a CD?

2. In regards to instruction number 2, I have both a standard copy of XP Pro and an x64 copy of XP Pro, will both work? I am not sure my wife's work software will run on the x64 copy, so if the standard (32 bit?) copy will work, that would be our preference.

3. In your instruction #5, is once XP is installed mean after you finish with the CD or after you finish with the CD and the updates to SP3? Do you use the Snow Leopard disk on the XP partition or go back to the Lion partition? Can I use a Snow Leopard disk I purchased retail, or does it have to be one that came with her computer?

Thanks for any help anyone can give on this.....I would hate to think we just wasted $1500 on a computer she can't use.
Click to expand...


Went thru this questions weeks ago, it seems all the new 2011 model Macs only support Windows 7, nothing else, although some folks have spent some time hacking around to get Windows XP and Vista to work, but I think there is a lot more involved to get it working. One reason why I am sticking with 2010 Mini, I already own Windows Vista Ultimate 32-Bit and I was not going to spend more money on Windows 7, also 2011 Macs support both 32 and 64-Bit and for the little bit I use my Vista, really not worth getting Windows 7, and with Windows 8 around the corner, I think a lot of ppl have been reserved in what to do.
 
Wicked1 said:
Went thru this questions weeks ago, it seems all the new 2011 model Macs only support Windows 7, nothing else
Click to expand...

That is correct, as far as Boot Camp goes. You can certainly run XP in the VM solution of your choosing, including Windows 7's XP Mode.

B
 
I just installed Windows XP (Black) on a brand new Macbook Pro with Lion, it works fine except for the driver issue everyone asks about-- the speakers, ethernet, bluetooth and a couple of other things are not recognized & the proper drivers aren't on the support disk.

I only plan on using the XP offline to play old PC games so it's the lack of speaker that's annoying at this point, otherwise I don't know why people keep posting that XP won't work at all on the new Macs.
 
use your snow leopard cd!!!!

use your snow leopard cd after windows xp is done installing. should work smoothly. if its a 2010 mac mini, it should load Boot Camp 3.1.

Important: When first using boot camp on the os x lion side and asked to to create new "Windows Support CD." Do it. It wont work but youlll need the drivers later on to manually install.

Windows 7 warnings can just be ignored.
 
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