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The download page for Boot Camp 2.1 says to install it before applying SP3, but my XP installation CD is already SP3. This is a scratch install on a formatted NTFS partition. How am I supposed to install Boot Camp 2.1 first?

(I ask because the XP installation has been hanging at the 33 Minutes Left stage for two hours, and the Caps Lock light no longer toggles, the symptoms of It's Dead, Jim.)

Edit:

  • I am using Windows XP Professional, OEM Software, with hologram, purchased for cash money from B&H this very morning.
  • The computer has had all firmware updates applied.
  • Installation stopped hanging after I unplugged the ethernet cable and every device except the keyboard and mouse.
  • I created the (60 GB) partition with Boot Camp Assistant, which formatted it as FAT32, and then elected to convert it to NTFS during the installation.

The puzzle about how to install Boot Camp 2.1 before applying SP3 remains unsolved.

Kara Marfia
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Thomas L Holaday
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  • Did you create the NTFS partition with Boot Camp or Disk Utility? – Psycho Bob May 08 '09 at 21:49
  • I created the partition with Boot Camp Assistant, which formatted it as FAT32, and then converted it to NTFS during XP installation. – Thomas L Holaday May 09 '09 at 03:41
  • My guess is that Apple is concerned that alternate drivers will be installed instead of the ones they provide - some of the hardware if generic (eg: Atheros makes the wireless card). if you have already installed the drivers after-the-fact and now some hardware isn't running properly you can use the Windows Device Manager to manually select the appropriate Apple drivers. I have never tried this for Bootcamp because it seems wiser to follow the instructions as Apple suggests. – username May 10 '09 at 19:46

2 Answers2

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I doubt very much the Install is hanging because of SP3. The drivers Apple is worried about are most likely not even discovered+installed until after the machine has rebooted

I'm guessing the problem is that you are using a Win install CD that has been slipstreamed for a specific make of computer. See: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=440215

If the Windows installer didn't give you the chance to select+reformat your Windows install partition then the install will fail. Easiest solution is to install using a retail CD for the supported version of Windows.

You should also ensure you have applied all available Mac OS firmware updates (via Mac OS Software Update).

username
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  • I have amended the question to include that I am using Genuine Microsoft XP Professional - OEM. Unplugging everything but the keyboard and mouse made the hang go away, but I am still wondering about how to install Boot Camp 2.1 before SP3. What drivers is Apple worried about, I wonder? – Thomas L Holaday May 09 '09 at 03:37
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That is a little difficult. The only thing I can really suggest is to try and get hold of some SP2 or older media for XP and install from that. Your licence key should still work with the older ones, so long as they are the same version (home or pro), and the same licence type (retai, OEM, volume licence).

Sam Cogan
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