So I made the decision to go back to a 32bit Windows installed on Boot Camp due to some compatibility issues with the Android SDK and flashing tools not recognizing a Samsung Spica, dishing out some weird errors and generally just not finding the device. Done full installs twice before and was about to do the third but then I ran into a problem.

Boot Camp partition made, I start the install process like in any other PC. Delete partition, create partition, format it ntfs, etc, and the install starts. First reboot comes up in the installer for whatever reason it reboots to continue the install process and then this error complaining about hal.dll not there comes up. Ahh crap. Tried it again, same error. Tried downloading an iso and install through it and there it was again. All the while googling around trying to find what the crap was happening. Spent hours trying to figure out what was borking the 2001 Space Odissey computer. Hours you ask? Yes, hours. Well, about two hours.

Turns out you can’t delete the partition Boot Camp creates and make a new one. One must resist the urge to delete partition and recreate it like one always does and simply format it ntfs. That did the trick. Can’t really remember how I installed Windows before but I never ran into this issue so I guess I didn’t recreate it.

So now you know, if you ever feel like installing or reinstalling Windows on the Boot Camp partition you must be strong with the force and resist the urge to delete and recreate it. Simply format it ntfs on the next screen and you’re all set to go.