Help! Windows XP Pro install stuck in black screen!

The thread was moved from "User Solutions and Workarounds" by Xenos

Hey everyone, this is my first post. I joined last night after experiencing major problems installing a brand-new copy of XP Pro on my MacBook Pro with Parallels 2. I got Parallels for Christmas and I decided to try to install it as soon as possible rather than using Boot Camp after I upgrade to Leopard. I've never partitioned my hard drive before.

The installation ran normally the first time until Parallels prompted me to insert the Windows XP disc. Windows went through the typical blue-screen installation screen normally (although I've never done this before, so how do I know?)...until a few minutes in, when it arrived at this blank screen and just...stopped.

Yes, stopped.

http://i1.tinypic.com/6pjj70l.png


I clicked "refresh".

Nothing.

I restarted my computer.

I restarted the virtual machine in Parallels.

Still Nothing.

Then, faced with no information in the instruction manuals or in this forum (at least that I could find) on this error, I uninstalled Parallels using the uninstaller provided. Then I used AppZapper to remove the rest of the components apparently remaining.

Then I restarted again...then re-installed Parallels in Typical mode rather than Express.

I inserted the Windows CD again...and...

...got the same exact black screen.

When the virtual machine is stopped, it reads as "Suspended" in Parallels.

...

Do I have to go upgrade to Leopard and use Boot Camp, or does this mean Boot Camp won't work? Or do I have a bad copy of Windows? Microsoft tech support chats are not available unless you have some code that is only accessible once you've installed Windows!

Help!



-Joe

 

Could you give me the build version off parallels?

When you open parallels you get configuration screen. Click on "Options", then go to booting, boot sequence. Is "Hard disk, cd-rom,Floppy" enabled ?

 

This is ridiculous...I just tried to type a reply twice, and five seconds before I finished, my browser reset itself (somehow?) and I lost everything. So I'll make this brief.

Thanks for replying. I cannot find anything on any of the packaging, CD or manuals that indicates a specific build version. I estimate that this is probably version 2 because there is nothing that would indicate the version 3 that I heard about. The copyright date is 2005-2007, and the system requirements specify OS 10.4.6 or higher, if that helps. My parents say they bought it new from Staples in November.

I've already uninstalled the software from my Mac, so I guess I would have to pop the CD in to try and find out more information. Please get back to me as soon as you can,

J.

 

Did uninstall software alone?

In the map documents there is another parallels map with your .hdd (this is your virtual hard drive)

Let me know what you did.

 

I actually was able to fix this problem by creating a new virtual machine (File/new) and reinstalling Windows XP. Then I deleted the old virtual machine, which occupied 800 MB memory from a folder called Parallels, that was located in my Documents Folder. I hope that this helps someone.

 

OK, i used Dashboard to search for the .hdd file, I'm assuming the "map documents" you mentioned is the Documents folder in OS X Tiger. I haven't upgraded to Leopard yet, and the .hdd file is not appearing.

I hate to be a pain, but could someone explain what I need to do as if I'm a 6-year old? I'm not at all well versed in the intricacies of all this. So I've been scratching my head over what happened to all the Windows drivers after one uninstalls Parallels completely...

Both AppleCare (speaking "off the record) and my university tech support hotline told me that they have no idea how one would remove all the Windows drivers that Parallels allegedly installed before it went blank.

Again, I used the uninstaller on the Parallels CD. After that, I used a third-party app called AppZapper to remove what appeared to remain in the Applications folder. After my "proper" uninstall of Parallels, many components still appeared when I did a dashboard search. As of right now, the Parallels folder has been trashed and the computer appears to be in the condition it was before I installed the program for the first time.

Esteban, how did you delete the old virtual machine?

Should I try to re-install Parallels again with a different procedure?

Thanks,

J.

 

type "winxp.hdd" in spotlight.

When it isn't there, you don't have a virtual hard drive anymore.

Install parallels again.
Start parallels ......what do you get?

 

jackybe67,
Not quite true, sometimes the .hdd files have different names, it is safer to search for '.hdd' (without quotes).