The issue to keep in mind is that OEM licenses provide ZERO support from Micro$oft if you have problems. With an OEM license, it is my understanding the it is the responsility of the system builder (which in this case, would be YOU if you buy and install it) to provide support for the Windoze OS. In addition, I am pretty sure that OEM licenses as tied to the one machine (i.e. technically under the EULA, I believe you are not permitted to move the Windoze installation to a new computer...in otherwords, if you dump the old computer, you are not permitted to keep the Windoze install disks and license key and use it on a new computer...at least that is my understanding).

After you finish creating the partition, quit the Boot Camp and insert your Windows CD. Make sure that if you use Windows XP it has to be patched with SP2. If you have Windows Vista you will be fine.

Reboot your system and press the "Option" key to select between the hard disk and the CD. The CD will show as "Windows." Click on it and let the system boot into the installation program.

When you reach the point on the installation where you get to choose where you want to install Windows, choose the partition that's laveled "FAT32." Do not delete the partition and re-create it. When you are given the choice to format the partition into NTFS, do it. It is very important that you format your partition as NTFS otherwise the Mac will not boot successfully into Windows. Typically you want you Windows XP and Vista to run on NTFS to maximize the hard drive.

After you do all that you Windows will start copying all the installation files. This part is different in Windows XP and Vista but the bottom line is that all installation files are being copied into the hard disk.

Once that is done, the computer will reboot. Just make sure that you press the "Option" key again. At this point you will see three icons: the Macintosh hard disk, the Windows hard disk, and the Windows CD. Choose the Windows hard disk and you should be on your way. With Windows XP, you will continue configuring your brand new installation. With Windows Vista, you will enter your user information, some fine tuning and you will on your way.

On the Mac side you can use either Parallels or VMWare Fusion. I personally use VMWare Fusion. Both will allow you to point at your Boot Camp partition and boot it up within the MacOS X environment.

I hope this helps you. This is how I've done it on both Windows XP and Windows Vista. Personally I prefer to use, hence I rencommend, business (or Professional) versions of Windows but I'll leave that choice to you. Let us know how it goes!

Martin

This is exactly what I bought from www.newegg.com:

Windows Vista Business

If you want the Ultimate version it will cost you more but not that much more through Newegg. Here's the link to it:

Windows Vista Ultimate

Like I said, I did not have any issues whatsoever.

Yep, I am a vet and it is a honor to have served America and its fine citizens.

Martin

The problem that HALO9X experienced with the "Missing HAL.DLL" (HAL stands for Hardware Abstraction Layer) is pretty common when you delete the FAT32 partition and re-create it or leave the partition as FAT32.

Every once in a while I slip up and make those mistakes; that's how I learn and can advise others. Of course, creating strictly virtual machines through your favorite virtual machine software does not present any of the issues I describe. I personally prefer to use Boot Camp since it provides for faster Windows execution even running from within you preferred virtual machine software.

Martin