Serious Issue - Can't Go Back to WinXP

N

NetGuy1978

Registered
Dear everyone,

I installed WinXP on Leopard using BootCamp. After using Win for a while, installed all apps and had my data on the Win HDD, I decided to switch back to Mac to investigate on a wireless keyboard issue, and here the surprise came ..

I CANT GO BACK TO WINDOWS !!!

The Startup Utility only shows the DVD and Network Startup. It does not show the Win HDD to enable me to restart into it, as usual.

By the way, I have two HDDs partitions for Windows. Both of them show up and accessible on Mac desktop. However, neither one appears on Startup Disk.

I really hope someone can help me gin this issue..
 
You know . . . once you go Mac . . . you never go back.



:)

--J.D.

P.S. Not to encourage "double-threading" but you may want to raise the question or link to it in the Bootcamp forum.

P.P.S. Which . . . is where we actually are. So much for my reading comprehension.
 
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Right when you hear the startup chime upon turning on the Mac, hold down the Option key. Does it give you a selection between the Mac OS X partition and the Windows partition? If so, select the Windows partition and it should boot to Windows again.
 
Doctor X, thanks for replying anyway, I thought this is the only bootcamp forum.

nixgeek, Thank you so much!. Two options showed up Mac HD and Windows. I selected Windows and Windows started normally!. The question now is, do I have to do this everytime I reboot in Windows? because I just tried restarting Windows without holding option key and it took me back to Mac. Appreciating your help.
 
NetGuy1978 said:
Doctor X, thanks for replying anyway, I thought this is the only bootcamp forum.
Click to expand...

It is, I just forgot which section I was in: :eek:

However, I did enjoy reporting the Spammer to his ISP.

--J.D.

P.S. A now dead spammer! :)
 
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NetGuy1978 said:
Doctor X, thanks for replying anyway, I thought this is the only bootcamp forum.

nixgeek, Thank you so much!. Two options showed up Mac HD and Windows. I selected Windows and Windows started normally!. The question now is, do I have to do this everytime I reboot in Windows? because I just tried restarting Windows without holding option key and it took me back to Mac. Appreciating your help.
Click to expand...

I believe you can set the default drive within Startup Disk in System Preferences.
 
NetGuy1978 said:
...Two options showed up Mac HD and Windows. I selected Windows and Windows started normally!. The question now is, do I have to do this everytime I reboot in Windows? because I just tried restarting Windows without holding option key and it took me back to Mac...
Click to expand...

You have to restart to switch from Mac OS to Windows anyway. If you hold the Option key, and choose the boot drive, then you don't need to change the startup disk (so OS X should remain the default, right?)
 
DeltaMac said:
You have to restart to switch from Mac OS to Windows anyway. If you hold the Option key, and choose the boot drive, then you don't need to change the startup disk (so OS X should remain the default, right?)
Click to expand...


Right DeltaMac, but I don't want to use the option key everytime I restart Windows.I want Windows to be my default OS and use the option key when I want to go to Mac. Thanks for your reply.
 
When you reboot with the "Option" key, does it show the Windows HDD as a possible start-up disk?

--J.D.

P.S. Simultaneous post. Your Mac may just prefer to be . . . Mac. Perhaps you can try to set is in Windoz?
 
Are you saying that your OS X boot volume is not in Startup Disk either? Just the Network boot?
Does your Windows boot disk show in Startup Disk control panel when you are booted to Windows?
If your Mac is set as default for OS X boot, then why would you even want to change the default startup disk to Windows? You can choose either one with the Option-boot screen, and leaving it set for OS X default is a Good Thing™ You would restart, and (without any action on your part) it boots to OS X. The only time you would make a choice is for booting to Windows.
 
"Should?"

It be a Mac. It wants to go back to being a Mac Maybe if you gave it therapy? :)

However, I do not run Windowz so I do not know--maybe normally Mac will boot to the last Start-Up disk even if it is a Windowz partition/OS. This is not the case with some other partitioned OS--like TechTools--when you run TT and restart you go back to OS X, even if in OS X you specified the TT partition. I do not remember, but I think that was the case with my OS 9 partition I had on my previous Widdle Pismo.

I mean, it is only like a few more seconds. If you have a firmware password . . . just a few more.

--J.D.
 
DeltaMac said:
Are you saying that your OS X boot volume is not in Startup Disk either? Just the Network boot?.
Click to expand...

That's right.



DeltaMac said:
Does your Windows boot disk show in Startup Disk control panel when you are booted to Windows?.
Click to expand...

Not sure I fully understood, but when I boot into Windows then I go to Control Panel >> Bot Camp, I can see both "Macintosh HD" and "Windows" showing up.

DeltaMac said:
If your Mac is set as default for OS X boot, then why would you even want to change the default startup disk to Windows? You can choose either one with the Option-boot screen, and leaving it set for OS X default is a Good Thing™ You would restart, and (without any action on your part) it boots to OS X. The only time you would make a choice is for booting to Windows.
Click to expand...

I want it to be the other way around., i.e. Windows to be my default OS, instead of Mac.
 
Looks like the issue is resolved finally!! I will post the resolution to help people with similar problems.

I just did the following:

In Windows >> Control Panel >> Boot Camp, I selected Windows then clicked on Restart button. It restarted to Windows right a way! I restarted Windows again using normal restart button (not through Boot Camp) and again Windows came in and seemingly became the default OS :)

One final note as I understand this is a Mac Forum. The fact I am so eager to use Windows and have it as the default OS on my iMac has absolutely nothing to do (and should not be understood that Win is better or Mac is worse). After long invistigation and evaluation of my next Hardware set a year ago, I chose to have this model and enjoy what Apple finaly introduced to the World, i.e. Intel-based iMac with the ability to have dual OS's so I can work on Windows where I so badly need it for my work. At the same time, I have the option to use Mac OS whenever I need to.

Thank you so much everyone. Have a wonderful day..
 
NetGuy1978 said:
Looks like the issue is resolved finally!! I will post the resolution to help people with similar problems.

I just did the following:

In Windows >> Control Panel >> Boot Camp, I selected Windows then clicked on Restart button. It restarted to Windows right a way! I restarted Windows again using normal restart button (not through Boot Camp) and again Windows came in and seemingly became the default OS :)

One final note as I understand this is a Mac Forum. The fact I am so eager to use Windows and have it as the default OS on my iMac has absolutely nothing to do (and should not be understood that Win is better or Mac is worse). After long invistigation and evaluation of my next Hardware set a year ago, I chose to have this model and enjoy what Apple finaly introduced to the World, i.e. Intel-based iMac with the ability to have dual OS's so I can work on Windows where I so badly need it for my work. At the same time, I have the option to use Mac OS whenever I need to.

Thank you so much everyone. Have a wonderful day..
Click to expand...

Ah good. I wasn't aware that Boot Camp installed a control panel under Windows for the startup disk. Good catch! :)
 
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