Guide to overcome hal.dll error - disk error & other errors.

Question

Okay to start off with - guide for installing bootcamp.
DISCLAIMER:
I take no responsibility at all - whatsoever for any damage the following steps cause to anything. If you follow this guide and then are annoyed at me in any way - don't be - you followed these steps knowing they could be dangerous to your hard drive / computer / sanity / etc. That said - good luck & these steps should work for everyone.
requirements: XP SP2 CD & a copy of parallels would be useful. Also a non-apple usb keyboard for step 1 if the apple one doesn't work during xp bootup.
1. First try the usual bootcamp assistant method. Insert the xp disk, in the setup make sure you format the drive to NTFS (not quick). If you don't get this option - skip to step 3.
2. Reboot and hopefully everything will go without a hitch. If it doesn't and you get a hal.dll error or any other kind of error go on to the next step.
3. Boot up mac os x. Install parallels desktop.
4. Insert your windows xp sp2 cd.
5. Create a new virtual machine using a virtual hard drive saved in your documents folder somewhere.
6. Configure it so that the bootcamp drive is added as an extra secondary drive in the virtual machine. (Little plus button down at the bottom).
7. Install XP onto the virtual machine - don't activate or anything, just get to the desktop stage as fast as possible.
8. Parallels will have already asked for your password to dismount the boot camp drive.
9. Double click my computer in the virtual machine, then hold down ctrl+shift and click on the BOOTCAMP partition in the my computer window.
10. Click format.
11. Select NTFS as file format, check enable compression - do not check quick format.
12. Wait till its finished and then power down the virtual machine.
------- The following steps are taken from http://communities.vmware.com/thread/114529 and were written by MandarMS from the vmware forums. I have edited the guide a little - (you'll see where). Thanks and all credit to MandarMS.----
13. (James: Close parallels)
14. Quit all applications in Host Mac OS X
15. Open Terminal utility from Macintosh HD : Applications : Utilities folder.
16. Key-in the following command
$ sudo fdisk /dev/rdisk0
17. Preferably take the screenshot of the output or Note down the output (for restoring MBR).
18. Key-in the following command
$ sudo fdisk -e /dev/rdisk0
setpid 3
Choose 07 (as the partition type)
write
Y
Restart your Mac System
(James: EDIT - BELOW IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE OUTPUT OF THE PROGRAM IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF WHAT TO TYPE IN WHERE - This confused me at first but really helped in the end - James)
For more details please check the example shown below:
$ sudo fdisk -e /dev/rdisk0 (this will help to change the MBR)
$ fdisk: could not open MBR file /usr/standalone/i386/boot0: No such file or directory
Enter 'help' for information
fdisk: 1> setpid 3 (Enter “setpid 3” press enter key)
Starting Ending
#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec start - size
*3: 0B 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 1127792680 - 337356448 Win95 FAT32L
Partition id ('0' to disable) 0 - FF: [C] (? for help) 07 (Enter 07 Partition table)
fdisk:*1> write (enter “write” press enter key, This will change the MBR)
Device could not be accessed exclusively.
A reboot will be needed for changes to take effect. OK? [n] Y (Press Y to modify changes)
Writing MBR at offset 0.
$ fdisk: 1> exit (enter “exit”, press enter key)
19. Restart your Mac System
------ Back to me again.
20. Welcome back - your drives have just been fixed. Reboot again and insert the windows xp sp2 cd. Hold down option at startup and boot from the cd.
21. Go through the setup again - this time don't do anything to the drives when it asks you to format.
22. wait...
23. It'll reboot......
24. It'll install..... if it doesn't - skip to step 26
25. Welcome to windows, install your drivers and reboot a couple more times. You're good.
26. (it didn't work... you got the hal.dll error or something similar) Boot up mac os x again and launch parallels.
27. Start up the virtual machine - open up BOOTCAMP in my computer.
28. Click view - folder options
29. View types > make sure you can see hidden files and folders, view system files and etc.
30. Right click boot.ini and click properties
31. Uncheck read-only.
32. Click okay - open boot.ini in notepad.
33. If you're on a mac with 2 partitions: 1 mac hd, 1 bootcamp, delete everything in the boot.ini file and copy and paste the following into it:
\[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
\[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
Obviously change the name to suit. Save it and reboot - you should be good to go now.

Answer 1

Hi. Your bootcamp drive should be drive C. It shouldn't matter what drive letter it is really, you make the virtual machine disk as a virtual disk saved in your documents folder and hook it in to use your physical bootcamp drive.
Ensure you've typed in the correct command and correct password. Press enter after you type in the password. You won't see it as you type it in, and you may need to wait some time afterwards before you'll see the next prompt. Leave it 2 minutes.
Sorry I've been abroad.. hope you have it worked out by now anyway mate.