Computer: 2006, intel, Mac Mini core 2 single (the cheap one)
ATTN: I have an XP home reg. code (from old emachine) but no disc, and an XP pro disc but no reg. code
After upgrading from tiger to snow leopard (clean install) yesterday, I decided to install windows xp with boot camp so I could play some old games. I was able to create a 10gb partition (it wouldn't let me make a partition any bigger???) and when it told me to insert a windows disc, I inserted a system restore disc (1 of 2) from an old (now broken) emachine. Then I clicked the button to install, at which time it restarted, then it brought up something that read like "EMachine Restore Setup: press 1 to start restore, press 2 to open command line". The keyboard (usb) wouldn't allow me to select 1 or 2, but after a minute it would select 2 and bring up a command line.
After a few restarts I finally got the disc to eject by holding down the left mouse button (magic mouse - bluetooth).
Then, all I got when I booted was a minute of your typical grey boot screen (no apple icon) then the screen would go black.
A few restarts later, I decided: It is probably booting off of the windows partition I made and won't exit until windows is installed.
The plan: Install with XP pro disc, then shut down. Maybe OS X will realize xp is installed and allow me to boot in Snow Leopard, at which point I can use disc utility to delete the windows partition hence restoring the drive to full OS X capacity, then I will never ever attempt to install windows on a mac.
So, I get xp to format the partition, but when it goes to install, it says that repeatedly says that a file can't be installed (usually something like iexplorer.dll). Figuring these to be just for the internet explorer application, I tell it to keep installing. but after that happens 20 times, I decide to ditch that plan.
The plan (part deux): I will boot from the snow leopard disc (hold down "c") and under the utilities menu I will delete the windows partition, hence saving the day. And if necessary, wipe the hard drive and reinstall Snow leopard again (I did it yesterday, so I still have the backup on my external hard drive (firewire)).
but no dice: all that it will do when I boot is say "ntldr missing: press ctrl-alt-del to restart"
I've tried holding down option to select boot disc: nothing
I've tried that ctrl-optn-o-f thing: zippo
I've tried rebooting the thing so many times, that I can't count how many: 0
Help! I can't use my computer until this is fixed.
At this point I don't care if there is windows on my computer or not.
Thanks for your help (or at least reading this very long post).
ATTN: I have an XP home reg. code (from old emachine) but no disc, and an XP pro disc but no reg. code
After upgrading from tiger to snow leopard (clean install) yesterday, I decided to install windows xp with boot camp so I could play some old games. I was able to create a 10gb partition (it wouldn't let me make a partition any bigger???) and when it told me to insert a windows disc, I inserted a system restore disc (1 of 2) from an old (now broken) emachine. Then I clicked the button to install, at which time it restarted, then it brought up something that read like "EMachine Restore Setup: press 1 to start restore, press 2 to open command line". The keyboard (usb) wouldn't allow me to select 1 or 2, but after a minute it would select 2 and bring up a command line.
After a few restarts I finally got the disc to eject by holding down the left mouse button (magic mouse - bluetooth).
Then, all I got when I booted was a minute of your typical grey boot screen (no apple icon) then the screen would go black.
A few restarts later, I decided: It is probably booting off of the windows partition I made and won't exit until windows is installed.
The plan: Install with XP pro disc, then shut down. Maybe OS X will realize xp is installed and allow me to boot in Snow Leopard, at which point I can use disc utility to delete the windows partition hence restoring the drive to full OS X capacity, then I will never ever attempt to install windows on a mac.
So, I get xp to format the partition, but when it goes to install, it says that repeatedly says that a file can't be installed (usually something like iexplorer.dll). Figuring these to be just for the internet explorer application, I tell it to keep installing. but after that happens 20 times, I decide to ditch that plan.
The plan (part deux): I will boot from the snow leopard disc (hold down "c") and under the utilities menu I will delete the windows partition, hence saving the day. And if necessary, wipe the hard drive and reinstall Snow leopard again (I did it yesterday, so I still have the backup on my external hard drive (firewire)).
but no dice: all that it will do when I boot is say "ntldr missing: press ctrl-alt-del to restart"
I've tried holding down option to select boot disc: nothing
I've tried that ctrl-optn-o-f thing: zippo
I've tried rebooting the thing so many times, that I can't count how many: 0
Help! I can't use my computer until this is fixed.
At this point I don't care if there is windows on my computer or not.
Thanks for your help (or at least reading this very long post).