Starting FROM SCRATCH [accidentally]

[nekotali]

hey everyone, looks like we have some helpful people here so I thought I'd give macosx.com a shot.

I really hate duplicate posts but I've flicked through other thread and seen I have a different problem [excuse me if this isn't the case].

SO, long story short, here are the details:
1. I've accidentally formatted all of my harddrives except for bootcamp [which isn't useful without a mac os x]
2. I haven't completed a windows xp install
3. I have tried to format a partition to ntfs for a clean install
4. leopard didn't like that [told me install failed].

what is the first thing I should do apart from regret not using time machine?

thank you in advance

[earthsaver]

Use your Leopard Install DVD to erase the disk as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Then install Leopard.

[nekotali]

okay, it's all sorted now - I might as well post the full solution to my problem in case anyone happens to find this useful.

THINGS YOU NEED:
- mac os x INSTALL disc (not applications)
- windows install disc

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
- install mac os x FIRST! this is important because if you run the bootcamp assistant, it shrinks the mac os partition in order to -create- a new partition for windows.
if you already had windows installed before mac os, the partitioning gets messy.
i.e.: start with one entire partition with nothing but mac os on it.

- the startup harddrive has to be formatted with the mac os install disk, NOT the windows one. format it to become a GUID startup disk or something of the sort.

- install mac os and then run the bootcamp utility.

- decide how big or small you want the windows partition and type it into the input box.

- insert windows install disk and your mac will then restart, automatically booting from the windows install disk.

- make sure you format ONLY THE "BOOTCAMP" PARTITION - nothing else, or you might have to start from square one again. once that's done, you're free to install windows.

- after the main OSs have been installed, you can then use the mac install disk while running windows to install drivers and the bootcamp utility program for win (very useful).


hope this helped!