Did I just destroy my new Macbook Pro?

[hyosafi]

I'm an idiot.

I just bought a new Macbook Pro and went through the initial setup. Then I started the Bootcamp setup to get Windows XP installed. It created the partition and rebooted into the blue windows install screen. The problem is that I think i might have made the disastrously wrong choice on the screen about Partitions.

It said:

Setup will install Windows XP on partition

C: Partition1 <Bootcamp> [FAT32]

If you want to select a different partition for Windows XP, press ESC.

Then it gave a bunch of formatting options (format partition NTFS or FAT) and the last one was Leave the current file system intact (no changes)

As a default it was set on that option and I accidentally hit enter. The Bootcamp manual specifically says not to select the option that I did. Now it is just stuck on some black screen with the cursor in the upper left. When I try reboot it makes the chime, then goes right back to this screen.

How badly am I screwed? I'm completely new to Macs so this is a little extra scarey. How does this affect my warranty? I attached the screen where I messed up. Please help!

[Doctor X]

Originally Posted by hyosafi

How badly am I screwed?

. . . "with a prize-winning leek."

How does this affect my warranty?

Steve Jobs is using it for toilet paper as we write.

You are doomed . . . Doomed . . . DOOMED!! [Stop that!--Ed.]

Right . . . sorry, seriously take a deep breath. I am not a Windoz/Bootcamp expert by any stretch, BUT assuming you did NOT load the ONLY copy of ALL of your personal data on the hard drive why do you not just:

• 1. Re-boot on the Install Disk
  2. Wipe the Hard Drive
  3. Reinstall Leopard, updates, et cetera, and then add BootCamp the correct way?

In other words, it does not read like you have "fubar'd" anything. There may be a way to "fix" what you have now, but I doubt it will be as fast as just starting from scratch.

--J.D.

[hyosafi]

LOL thankfully I wasn't as doomed as I thought. I guess I just freaked out because I saw a crazy error message and thought I was screwed. I held option on startup and it let me boot into OSX where I started the process over again. I feel sort of dumb now.

Thanks though!

[Doctor X]

Believe me, I have FUBAR'd my volume because I accidentally hit a function key and sent my computer into some insane multi-window thing. There is a thread on it somewhere with a few "why did you not just click?" answers!

--J.D.

[freereg]

I did this too =P