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Installed Boot Camp Windows XP on wrong partition

J

jp81

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2011
11
0
I tried to install Boot Camp to my iMac and I accidently installed windows to the wrong drive. Instead of Boot Camp partition, I installed it to OS X (drive C:) So now I cannot repair the drive using disk utility because i grayed out. The drive is now called "disk0". I tried to reinstall OS X using the Mac OS X install disk but it cannot see the drive. the drive is not even on the list. How can I get it back, PLEASE HELP!!!
 
Hold down "c" and install OS 10 disk. Use disk utility to format (reformat) drive. This gives you a new disk - as far as the installer disks care.
 
WildGuess said:
Hold down "c" and install OS 10 disk. Use disk utility to format (reformat) drive. This gives you a new disk - as far as the installer disks care.
Click to expand...

All the buttons are grayed out so I cannot reformat/erase or create new disk drive
 
Put Apple install disk in computer. Turn off. Restart holding down "c". This starts your machine from the disk in the drive. You will have full access to disk utility.
Format.
I don't write instructions very well, maybe somebody else can describe process.
 
WildGuess said:
Put Apple install disk in computer. Turn off. Restart holding down "c". This starts your machine from the disk in the drive. You will have full access to disk utility.
Format.
I don't write instructions very well, maybe somebody else can describe process.
Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying. I did it a few times and still the buttons are grayed out (not active). Is there other way to reformat it?

Steps I did:

1. insert install CD
2. start iMac
3. hold down "c"
4. Utilities menu > Disk utility
5. select the Mac HD drive (which is now disk0)'
6. click Partition tab
7. All buttons ("+", "-", "Apply", "Options") are inactive
 
If you're in the right place step 6 would be to click "erase" tab. That brings up format choices.
 
WildGuess said:
If you're in the right place step 6 would be to click "erase" tab. That brings up format choices.
Click to expand...

Same goes to Erase tab, everything is grayed out and inactive so i'm not able to click on any of the buttons
 
Have you tried selecting the actual HDD, which has red rectangle in the below screenshot?
i3yxb5.jpg


It seems you still select the actual invalid volume, now called "disk0".
 
Sorry. I don't know where to go from herehttp://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/smilies/frown.gif
 
simsaladimbamba said:
Have you tried selecting the actual HDD, which has red rectangle in the below screenshot?
i3yxb5.jpg


It seems you still select the actual invalid volume, now called "disk0".
Click to expand...

Yes I selected that and the one below where it says "Macintosh HD" on your screenshot, it says "disk0" on mine.
 
It says

298.1 GB hitachi HDT725032vla360
Disk description: Hitachi HDT7250...
Connection bus: serial ATA 2
Connection type: internal
Total capacity: 298.1 GB
Write status: read only
S.M.A.R.T status: verified
Partition map scheme: unformatted


Disk0 (where yours is Macintosh HD)
Mount point: /volumes/untitled
Format: windows NT file system (NTFS)
Owners enabled: No
Number of folders: 0
Capacity: 298.1 GB
Available: 127 GB
Used: 489.4 MB
Bumber of files: 3232
 
So, what happened? My guess is that you were not booting from your install disk correctly, or you fixed the problem after overlooking a simple error in reformatting.
 
Hi jp81,
I don't know IF you realize this (and everybody is afraid to say), you VIPED OUT your macOS...
So you have to format your HD to Mac specs + re-install your macOS ( or restore from a Time Machine or .sparseimage, if you have one).
If the description that simsala... gave you is not working (meaning you're running from the DVD & can't reformat the HD, then you can try to start your Mac from external HD (where there is an OPERATING macOS installed,or from other Mac in TARGET MODE and vipe the HD from there...
 
Stan Mikulenka said:
Hi jp81,
I don't know IF you realize this (and everybody is afraid to say), you VIPED OUT your macOS...
So you have to format your HD to Mac specs + re-install your macOS ( or restore from a Time Machine or .sparseimage, if you have one).
If the description that simsala... gave you is not working (meaning you're running from the DVD & can't reformat the HD, then you can try to start your Mac from external HD (where there is an OPERATING macOS installed,or from other Mac in TARGET MODE and vipe the HD from there...
Click to expand...

"vipe" - its wipe (*spelling nazi time*), although the OP has managed to get to disk utility, so needs to select the partition, select erase, and then proceed to install OS X from the OS X CD - I hope he has a backup or all his files are likely to have gone, or at least be very costly to recover.
 
Yes I do have time machine backups but when i try to restore it, it only shows my external hard drive which is the time machine, so the internal hard drive is missing or not listed there. That's why i've been saying that I could not erase/create nor do any thing to the internal hard drive.
 
Stan Mikulenka said:
Hi jp81,
I don't know IF you realize this (and everybody is afraid to say), you VIPED OUT your macOS...
So you have to format your HD to Mac specs + re-install your macOS ( or restore from a Time Machine or .sparseimage, if you have one).
If the description that simsala... gave you is not working (meaning you're running from the DVD & can't reformat the HD, then you can try to start your Mac from external HD (where there is an OPERATING macOS installed,or from other Mac in TARGET MODE and vipe the HD from there...
Click to expand...

What is a .sparseimage and where can i get it? I'd like to try these options.
 
You should be able to get at the Partition and Erase options if you have the disk itself (the red rectangle) selected. You don't want the actual volume (blue rectangle) selected when you do that.

I've also seen cases where Disk Utility will refuse to touch the drive. In that case I booted from the XP CD, pressed R to get into the recovery console, then used DISKPART to manually delete the partition (and maybe FIXMBR too). After I did that, OS X was able to work with it again.

Be sure to physically disconnect your backup drive! You don't want to repartition the wrong one by mistake.
 
from wiki

A sparse image is a type of disk image file that can be created under Mac OS X using Disk Utility. Encrypted sparse image files are used to secure a user's home directory by Mac OS X's FileVault feature.

here the complete explanation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparse_image


but a tip for the future (doesn't help you now )
get same size and type harddrive as the internal , a usb /firewire hdd dock or enclosure and always do a clone of the internal drive with either carbon copy cloner or super duper , then in case of emergency you just need to swap the drives , osx will boot from a hdd dock as well as from external enclosures (older Macs want a firewire ),so no need to swap the drive inside immediately , and avoids the frustration of a blank screen in case of any hdd problem
time machine is good , for up to date backups, but having a real clone in the shelf is a advantage as you just need to boot the clone and then recover your latest time machine backup ..a faster way then reinstalling, you just cannot have to many backups

ok i overdo it as i even have additional backups on dvd of all files and projects on top of a clone hdd done with carbon copy cloner , a time machine backup done daily , and a super duper backup done weekly ..sorry seen to many failing hdd's so better safe then sorry
 
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dunno if anybody noticed, but if you read what the OP posted (drive info) it says that Write status: Read only.
You cant change anything because you only have the ability to read data from the drive not modify anything. Sorry i dont know how to change this.
maybe someone else picks up on this now
 
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ah didn't spot read only , its a habbit from xp and vista and windows 7 to do this to harddrives with files already on them to protect these old files or to protect its bootloader or whatever windows thinks by doing it (only seen it on externals , but quiet frequently ) sorry my windows knowledge is a bit rusty and from pre vista times
get a Mac with windows installed ,or a windows pc take out your harddrive put it in a enclosure and let windows delete the partition(entire disc ) ,no need to format and if only fat ! and with luck it works again
windows has caused it windows has to sort it out

once you got a working hdd again thats read and write enabled , put it back install osx and if you still want windows ....take it slowly very slowly do not rush things , read every step and before you click anything better triple check before touching the mouse , its easy to make a small mistake with consequences
here how its done and i would never make the partition for windows greater then 32gb never ever
http://lifehacker.com/384256/have-your-mac-and-windows-too-with-boot-camp

because you missed that bit ..or apple in their manual
# When it comes time to select the partition to format, be absolutely sure to choose the partition labeled C:partition3 . Vista will list it as Disk 0 Partition 3 BOOTCAMP. One false move here and you could wipe out your entire Mac, so choose carefully.

on the other hand i would not even try , i would just buy a new hdd , 300gb are cheap to get ..on the other side a great moment to upgrade the hdd to 500gb or 1 tb , you still got time machine backup so no data lost,
so dont jump out of the window out of fustration , we all made /make mistakes its just a matter of learning from them which makes us human
 
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