Windows XP / Mac OS X conflict

[horselips]

Hi all
I am using windows xp home addition ,when I boot up it begins to load as normal until I get to the log on and then it changes to a Mac OS X log on window.My son has an i pod and I suspect he has downloaded some sort of Mac program. I have tried to uninstall it but it is not in add and remove programs Found nothing on a search either.Done a system restore but it made no differance. Tried a smart restore (There is a copy of windows on a hidden sector of the hard drive) but it would not work either. Tried F 11 no joy. There is no floppy drive and the cd drives are disabled with the conflict.

Is there any programs that I can download to remove all Mac software from the computer ?

[John A]

Hello,

I suspect that the startup disk on your drive is set incorrectly. To manually select which operating system you would like to boot when your computer is starting up, try holding down the Option key. You should be given a choice between Windows and Mac OS X; choose the former, and you should be back in business.

To restore the behaviour you had before, start Mac OS X, log in, and go under the Apple menu. Choose "System Preferences", and click on the Startup Disk icon. You should see several items listed here, including the Windows partition. Click on it, and you've set it. Now Windows should automatically boot, unless you hold down the option key while starting up your computer.

Hope this helps

[horselips]

Thanks for your input
I pressed F8 and went through every option and Mac was never mentioned. The thing is that windows loads ok until it comes to selecting user and it is only at this point that Mac OS X appears and it may not even be a complete version of Mac . I have never used mac before so I just don't know.

[John A]

Wait... you are using a Macintosh computer with Boot Camp, aren't you? (iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook, etc.)

If you're using a Dell or HP machine or something, and you've got Mac OS X installed, then you've got an illegal version of Mac OS X installed, and that is... not good. And if that is the case, sorry I can't help you with it (thankfully I have no experience with that).

[horselips]

Its a Packard Bell with windows, and there is a version saved on a hidden sector which I am unable to access. My son has an ipod and must have messing about on the Mac web site and managed to install one of their programs . There is a lession to be learned there.

[jbennet]

not possible. mac programs dont install on pc's period

Do you mean the NT style welcome screen?
Or maybe hes using windowblinds?

[John A]

not possible. mac programs dont install on pc's period

At the moment, there are 2 possibilities here:

• A hacked, illegal version of Mac OS X is installed on your computer
• There's some Windows program that's messing with your computer to make it look like Mac OS X

Perhaps you can find out what program was installed? At the moment, I'm guessing it's a Windows program, as you said it allows Windows to boot before showing the OS X login screen. And if so, it must have been something weird, as the regular iTunes software does not mess with the rest of Windows.

['Stein]

Would it show up in the Add/Remove programs, perhaps?

[John A]

Would it show up in the Add/Remove programs, perhaps?

No, I don't think so. As previously said,

I have tried to uninstall it but it is not in add and remove programs

['Stein]

:o Back to the OP's problem...

[horselips]

Don't know anything about Mac all I know is when it came to loging in Mac OS X was obove the log on screen and the windows icons on the desktop had changed. when I used outlook express a apple logo appeared in the bottom right section of the screen.

I had to do a reinstall with a master set of cd's , even though the cd rom was disabled the pc was able to recognize it at boot up . The hard drive is also bigger (10G app) so I have lost the back up which was in a hidden portion
Thanks all