"Disk Error" appears when attempting to install Windows XP via Boot Camp

Written by Joe Aimonetti

Occasionally users who are installing Windows XP on their Mac receive a message reading, "Press any key to boot from CD. Disk Error. Press any key to restart." This message may signal that the attempt to install Windows XP was started without first formatting a partition on your drive. Follow these steps to resolve the issue.

Note: Before attempting to install Windows XP on your machine, be sure to have a stable backup of all your important data. In the recently updated Apple knowledge base article, once you encounter this error message perform the following steps to continue your installation of Windows XP as planned:

1. Restart your Mac holding the Option key. This will launch the Startup Manager.
2. Select a Mac OS X volume once the Startup Manager appears.
3. Launch the Boot Camp Assistant and select "Create or Remove a Windows Partition". Click Restore.
4. Launch Boot Camp Assistant a second time and create a Windows partition.
5. Insert your Windows XP install disc and start the installation process.
6. Be sure to format the Windows partition named "BOOTCAMP" before continuing with the remainder of the Windows XP setup.

Note: Do not use the "Leave the current file system intact (no changes)" or "Convert the partition to NTFS" options.

If you continue to have issues with installing Windows XP on your Mac, remember that Apple does not provide specific Windows support--though they are able to help with Boot Camp Assistant or any Boot Camp software. You can read the entire Apple KB Article here.

Have you encountered this issue? Were you able to resolve it successfully? What is your experience running Windows on your Mac--good, bad, necessary?

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Apple KB Article

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