Wow.Apple and I both thought computer was DOA!! (Boot Camp Crash)

Ok. Here's what happened. I still can't believe no one at Apple thought of a solution for me...read on.
I was attempting to install Windows XP using BootCamp Assistant when it came to the page directing me to choose which hard drive or partition to install on. I had set up the partition as per the manual. The manual states specifically that you MUST install it as follows:
"Selecting the Windows Partition
It is very important to select the correct partition when installing Windows so that you
don’t overwrite Mac OS X on your computer.
To select the correct partition for Windows XP:
m
Select “C: Partition3 <BOOTCAMP> [FAT32].”
WARNING:
Do not create or delete a partition, or select any partition other than as
noted below. Doing so may delete the entire contents of your Mac OS X partition."
so..... that partition did not appear and all it said was C:partition. I called the apple store and they told me to cancel the install and reboot. So I did.
Needless to say, this caused major problems. The machine refused to reboot. In fact, all I got was a grey screen with no text, no icons, nothing. I tried to reboot several times. Nothing. I called Apple Care and a guy there talked me through rebooting holding the "c" key. Nothing. Reboot holding option. Nothing. Remove battery and cord hold power button to clear the ram and hold Option/apple/r/p and let it reboot 3 times. then tried 2 times...nothing. By the way, i could get the dvds out by rebooting while holding the trackpad button.
AppleCare guy then told me to try to reboot with the Leopard dvd in. Nothing. Try to reboot with MacBook Pro Disc 1 in..nothing. Had me clear the ram again. nothing.
He then told me that there appeared to be a hardware failure somewhere and most likely my hard drive was fried. Told me to go to my nearest apple store for a consultation. I told him it was ordered online with the upgraded 160gb 7200rpm drive and they don't stock those in the stores. He told me to go to a store anyway.
I am a corporate pilot and spend quite a bit of time on the road...days at a time sometimes. I work on call and cannot make an appointment unless I know I have a day off, like for a doctor or something. I told him this and he put me on hold.
Apple sales rep comes on and states that she is sorry for my troubles and that they will ship me out a brand new MacBook Pro.....as soon as they receive a tracking number from fedex that my old one is in their system on the way back to them. I was happy with this result and kudos to Apple for such great customer service. She said it was diagnosed DOA and that I was entitled to a new one ASAP.
I was told I would get an email from Apple with a fedex label I could print and use to send back the defective machine. Incidentally, I don't quite understand their exchange program. I asked if she could send the new machine out now and take a credit card number for security. She said that was not possible, but would send the new machine out when and only when I emailed them a fedex tracking number. This pretty much makes no sense because I could just as easily send an empty box with a tracking number to them, but I digress.
Anyway, here is where it gets interesting. Not being a "sit on my laurels" type of guy I went on another Mac we have and started doing some internet searches for symptoms I just experienced. I went through many where people had the same exact problem installing XP and getting weird partition messages and then canceling and getting a dead machine that only showed a gray screen, no icons, nothing.
I came across a posting where a guy had the same problem and someone talked him through a solution: Install OSX on a firewire drive and connect the drive to the computer and let it boot from there. After it boots, use Disk Utility to reformat the internal drive and then install OSx on that drive. Interesting. I did that. And it worked!! I was then able to boot up from the internal drive. I then did a complete erase and install and got Leopard on. I am right now in the process of installing all my other programs.
The machine is not dead, is QUITE alive and seems no worse for the ware. It is purring like a .....well, like a Leopard (sorry, couldn't resist!)
I will NOT be installing XP on this machine this time!!!
I hope that may actually help someone else in this situation.
Take care and sorry for such a long posting.
Rob

Great post man, this will definitely be benificial to those who encounter the same problems!! It's always great when there is a solution as well

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