Windows XP won't allow me to format???

[jarheadatunm]

Hi all, ran the bootcamp utility on my Macbookpro with no problems. Selected the first option for partition of 32Gb, ran the XP Pro SP2 disc and it never gave me the option to format... Obviously got a "disc error, press any key to continue" message since the drive is not "bootable." So I found a thread online that sent me to the XP site to discuss FAT32 issues. The drive can't be larger than 32Gb (which it shows 32,600 after the partition), so I deleted the part. and rebuilt it at 30Gb. Still didn't give me the option to format the drive! It shows the partitions, so I select the C:yatta-yatta-/bootcampwhatever , press enter and it starts installing... Any idea on how to force the XP setup program to allow me to format the silly partition? Thanks!

p.s. I am quickly remembering why I despise all things Windows...

 

[JediMeister]

Is this an XP upgrade disc, an OEM disc possibly? They may not allow the process to run correctly that will show the actual format screen described in the install guide. Also, when you deleted the 32 GB partition, and recreated a 30 GB, that was with BootCamp Assistant and not Disk Utility, right?

 

[jarheadatunm]

Is this an XP upgrade disc, an OEM disc possibly? They may not allow the process to run correctly that will show the actual format screen described in the install guide. Also, when you deleted the 32 GB partition, and recreated a 30 GB, that was with BootCamp Assistant and not Disk Utility, right?

No it is a full version, XP pro OEM installation that is brandnew from Tigerdirect. The partition worked fine, but when I selected it in the XP installation process, it doesn't allow me to format the partition, it just jumps straight to installing the OS. So I am getting a disc error I suspect because the partition is not formatted as a bootable partition. Does that make sense or am I missing something? I deleted the partition from within OSX and the bootcamp utitlity. So I am back at the start of the process... Does the OEM version not include the formatting option?

 

[JediMeister]

I am thinking its the disc not working correctly. Of the posters on MacRumors, 50% of those who used the OEM disc have had no trouble, the other 50% have...so not sure what's different about it all...

 

[jarheadatunm]

I am thinking its the disc not working correctly. Of the posters on MacRumors, 50% of those who used the OEM disc have had no trouble, the other 50% have...so not sure what's different about it all...

Do you know of a way to force a FAT32/bootable format onto the partition? Is there some "hold down the F8 key while starting, blah, blah..." that will present more options for the install?