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Xephrey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 27, 2008
15
0
Alright, so I've been trying to install Windows XP 32 bit using the NTFS format. Sadly, Boot Camp Assistant only formats in Fat 32... not sure why it has to be horribly outdated. I was hoping that would get updated with Snow Leopard, but I guess not. If I try and convert the Fat32 partition to NTFS, but then it gives me a disk error after the first reboot. Then if I delete the bootcamp fat32 partition and create an NTFS partition instead of converting the one the bootcamp assistant created, it gives me the infamous 'hal.dll' error.

I know this can be done - I've seen it, I've done it before. Why is it giving me so much trouble I wonder.

I'm kinda scared of doing anything else as far as the windows installer partitioning software, cause my last windows install converted my entire HD to MBR instead of GUID, so I had to backup all my crap and restore it after doing a clean install. Could have done something else with those 6 hours...

Anyone have any suggestions? I've searched and searched a lot of forums. People have just linked to vague apple support documents that never really addressed the issues that I'm facing or something from 2007.

Thanks!
 

Infrared

macrumors 68000
Mar 28, 2007
1,715
65
Alright, so I've been trying to install Windows XP 32 bit using the NTFS format. Sadly, Boot Camp Assistant only formats in Fat 32... not sure why it has to be horribly outdated. I was hoping that would get updated with Snow Leopard, but I guess not. If I try and convert the Fat32 partition to NTFS, but then it gives me a disk error after the first reboot.

How did you try to convert it?

What you need to do is format the partition as NTFS from the installer.
 

Xephrey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 27, 2008
15
0
Yeah, that's what I did. As soon as I restarted, I got either a 'disk error' or a 'hal.dll is missing or corrupted'. I've tried the quick format and the not as quick one from the windows installer, as well as the convert option.
 

Xephrey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 27, 2008
15
0
I'm beginning to wonder if this is actually possible on my system how it's currently configured.
 

psingh01

macrumors 68000
Apr 19, 2004
1,591
635
I haven't run into that problem. My partition is 25GB so the Bootcamp utility creates it as FAT32. When I'm in the XP installer I just do a quick NTFS format and let it run. Haven't had any troubles yet.

I actually have more trouble if I leave it as FAT32 because when the windows installer reboots after copying files it is never able to find the windows partition! So mine only works with NTFS.
 

Xephrey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 27, 2008
15
0
eh, I just went ahead and installed windows 7 x64. Thanks for the suggestions!
 
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