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Urgent iMac help please

R.Youden

R.Youden

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 1, 2005
2,093
40
OK,

Last weekend my girlfriend got a new iMac (20", 2.4GHz) and everything has been running great.

Today I went to install Bootcamp for her and everything was going well but there was an error with Windows and it would not properly install. Anyway I went back into OSX, removed Bootcamp and re-installed. I repeated this twice. On the third installation attempt I tried to boot back into OSX but the computer hangs on the grey screen. I can eject a CD by holding the mouse down but I am unable to boot off a CD (holding down the 'C' key).

If anyone has any further suggestions I would be very grateful as I am in the brown and smelly now!
 
So the "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD....." screen got to five ellipses and hung, eh?

And when booting, hold X to force-boot into OS X. If that doesn't work, we'll go from there.

Frigtarded Windows screwing up our Macs... :rolleyes:
 
did you format the partion you made during the windows installation?

this happened to me...you have to format it too during installation
 
OK,

I was trying to install XP.

It wanted me to reformat the partition into NFTS (is that correct, can't remember now) and the size was less than the 32GB I had set so I quit the installation thinking that the Bootcamp setup had failed.

I have tried booting with 'X' held down but no joy

Thanks
 
I thought that the installation of Bootcamp had failed as the destination Windows wanted to install the software onto was not 32Gb as I had asked for, and it wanted to reformat the partition rather than use FAT 32.

I have tried the 'alt' key. All I get is a mouse which is unresponsive.
 
Did you try installing Windows XP SP1 or SP2?

The EXACT same thing happened to me as you're describing.

There is a error with SP1. If you try to install SP1, it will actually format the wrong HD partition (i.e. the one with your OSX on it). The notes from Apple that say you must install Windows XP SP2 are not just for kicks....I should know. I learned the hard way and reformatted the wrong partition by accident. Luckily I was able to catch it in time for a hard drive recovery place to salvage some critical files that I needed.
 
I had issues installing Windows XP (SP2) without reading all the directions from Apple first! I tried doing it myself, and missed an important step.... Even though you format with bootcamp, when you get through the first part of the windows installation you need to have the windows CD format it all over again.

It states right in the directions on Apple's website not to miss that step or it will not work. Maybe that is your issue? I would suggest reading the directions from Apple very carefully, and make sure you are installing Windows XP SP2...

Here is a link in case you or anyone else needs it: (Helped me greatly)
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Boot_Camp_Install-Setup.pdf
 
CBAviator said:
Did you try installing Windows XP SP1 or SP2?

The EXACT same thing happened to me as you're describing.

There is a error with SP1. If you try to install SP1, it will actually format the wrong HD partition (i.e. the one with your OSX on it). The notes from Apple that say you must install Windows XP SP2 are not just for kicks....I should know. I learned the hard way and reformatted the wrong partition by accident. Luckily I was able to catch it in time for a hard drive recovery place to salvage some critical files that I needed.
Click to expand...

WOW! Ok this may be the problem. I stopped the installation when it tried to reformat another part of the machine, is there anything I can do to make the iMac boot at all?
 
OK

I have tried resetting the PRAM and instead of chiming 3 times the machine loops and only chimes once on a repetitive basis.

Also when I hold down the 'alt' key I get the mouse up, which I can move around, but no boot options.

I have tried almost every other boot sequence of short cuts but to no avail!

Help, please!
 
R.Youden said:
OK

I have tried resetting the PRAM and instead of chiming 3 times the machine loops and only chimes once on a repetitive basis.

Also when I hold down the 'alt' key I get the mouse up, which I can move around, but no boot options.

I have tried almost every other boot sequence of short cuts but to no avail!

Help, please!
Click to expand...

If you don't get any bootable drive options, then you may not have any bootable volumes.

I would assume that what happened to CBAviator, happened to you.

Go about reinstalling OSX. Then use an XP SP2 CD. If you don't have one, then make one via slipstreaming.
 
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