Bootcamp>can't choose NTFS

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
I have tried to install Bootcamp with Windows XP four times now and never has it asked me (during the Windows installation with the blue screen) if I want to reformat the disk to NTFS. I choose a partition between 91-99GB, so I must use NTFS.



The only screen in which I choose to do something is the one where it says "C:Partition3 <BOOTCAMP>[FAT 32]" then it goes right to the installer.



I am using an alum. iMac 2.4 GHz with Leopard.



If anyone can help, I would greatly appreciate it.



Thanks.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    anyone have any ideas? please?
  • Reply 2 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dontlookleft View Post


    anyone have any ideas? please?



    when I selected the [bootcamp] partition the next screen asked how i wanted to format it, which included NTFS... Am I to understand that your not seeing this screen and jumping straight to the copying of files?
  • Reply 3 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CNUco2007 View Post


    when I selected the [bootcamp] partition the next screen asked how i wanted to format it, which included NTFS... Am I to understand that your not seeing this screen and jumping straight to the copying of files?



    you are correct. the screen you're talking about never shows up for me.
  • Reply 4 of 19
    pt123pt123 Posts: 696member
    When you start the installation, it brings up the blue screen to select the partition for Windows which you are suppose to select C: which says FAT32. This is what Boot Camp pre-formats the Windows partition. Later in the installation, the Windows installer should ask you to format the Windows partition (to NTFS).
  • Reply 5 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pt123 View Post


    When you start the installation, it brings up the blue screen to select the partition for Windows which you are suppose to select C: which says FAT32. This is what Boot Camp pre-formats the Windows partition. Later in the installation, the Windows installer should ask you to format the Windows partition (to NTFS).



    That is the problem(in bold), this screen never comes up. It just goes from "choose C:" to installing to restarting to a black screen that cant boot anything. (have to hard restart and hold option and choose mac).
  • Reply 6 of 19
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,326moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dontlookleft View Post


    That is the problem(in bold), this screen never comes up. It just goes from "choose C:" to installing to restarting to a black screen that cant boot anything. (have to hard restart and hold option and choose mac).



    You could try formatting the partition as HFS+ in Disk Utility, reboot into the Windows installer and choose it as a destination and it will have to reformat it.
  • Reply 7 of 19
    Did you download a updated windows xp sp2 installation disk?
  • Reply 8 of 19
    im stuck here aswell.



    dontlookleft, have you installed parallels yet?
  • Reply 9 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jodders View Post


    im stuck here aswell.



    dontlookleft, have you installed parallels yet?



    I do not have parallels, I was just going to use Bootcamp.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by justin007 View Post


    Did you download a updated windows xp sp2 installation disk?



    I have an official CD with Windows XP sp2 on it. So the disk shouldn't be the issue...considering I've used two different ones.



    I've been busy studying for my classes this week so hopefully after these tests on monday (tomorrow) I can try out these suggestions and get back to you guys their success or failure.
  • Reply 10 of 19
    pt123pt123 Posts: 696member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dontlookleft View Post


    That is the problem(in bold), this screen never comes up. It just goes from "choose C:" to installing to restarting to a black screen that cant boot anything. (have to hard restart and hold option and choose mac).



    It's odd that you don't get the 2nd blue screen to format the Windows partition. I went through this with a friend as I laughed at him for being a leopard guinea pig because the computer hung on restart. We finally looked up the Boot Camp install guide and it said not to select the "no change" option so he selected the format NTFS option and it worked.
  • Reply 11 of 19
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Are you sure you aren't offered a chance to delete the partition? I have not done Boot Camp yet, but I think Boot Camp might be biasing your perceived options by formatting the partition for you, as FAT32. FAT32 can be used on huge partitions, it's just that the block size goes up a lot too.
  • Reply 12 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pt123 View Post


    We finally looked up the Boot Camp install guide and it said not to select the "no change" option so he selected the format NTFS option and it worked.



    Where did you find this option? Please let me know. It sounds like answer to my solution.
  • Reply 13 of 19
    pt123pt123 Posts: 696member
  • Reply 14 of 19
    nothing has worked yet. i'll probably try and call applecare tomorrow. anyone find them reliable and helpful or the opposite?
  • Reply 15 of 19
    Quote:

    That is the problem(in bold), this screen never comes up. It just goes from "choose C:" to installing to restarting to a black screen that cant boot anything. (have to hard restart and hold option and choose mac).



    I believe it may be either the boot CD.
  • Reply 16 of 19
    Quote:

    That is the problem(in bold), this screen never comes up. It just goes from "choose C:" to installing to restarting to a black screen that cant boot anything. (have to hard restart and hold option and choose mac).



    So I had a similar problem. The cause for me was that the partition that you are putting windows on is fat32 and the boot CD will just install windows regardless of the size.



    So, this is now a double-edged sword...



    If you ask the boot CD to delete the partition, it will then merge this partition in with the 128mb unused space, so that when you reformat to ntfs, the boot CD will then create a 8mb free space for the boot rom which is incompatible with boot camp (I think because boot camp expects the boot rom stuff i.e. the 128mb space, to go first then the windows partition).



    AND, if you try and format it differently on the Mac side using Disk Utility, it will also cause problems with boot camp stuff. The only thing that worked for me was to use Winclone. I create a dummy clone of a ntfs partition, the restore this clone to my bootcamp partition, so as to trick the boot CD into thinking that the partition is in an unknown format. Essentially, what you want is



    Unkown Partition (MacOS Disk)

    Free Space (128mb)

    Unkown Partition (BootCamp Disk)



    NOT



    Unkown Partition (MacOS Disk)

    Unkown Partition (BootCamp Disk)

    Free Space (8mb) (This gives you the hal.dll problem)



    NOR



    Unkown Partition (MacOS Disk)

    Free Space (128mb)

    Fat 32 Partition (BootCamp Disk) (This gives you the "disk error" problem)



    The order of the partitions are important.
  • Reply 17 of 19
    thank you returnofthemac ill have to try this some time this week (very busy with finals) ill let you know how it goes.
  • Reply 18 of 19
    I'm still extremely busy with finals. Very soon shall they be over then I'll have time to try this.



    I'll report back hopefully soon.
  • Reply 19 of 19
    Hi there



    I've read through this commentry and have the same problem as dontlookleft - I am also never given a chance to choose the NTFS option, and my disk is partitioned as follows:



    E: Partition1 [unkown]

    F: partition2 [unkown]

    Unpartitioned space 129MB

    C: Partion3 <BOOTCAMP> [FAT32]



    As listed in your commentry, this is not the required form, but I am given no option to change it.



    Can you help me to resolve this?



    Thanks.
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