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Using bootcamp / installing Win 7 when the Optical Is Broken?

D

dieseltwitch

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 24, 2008
142
0
I'm trying to install windows 7 on my 08' MBP. However my optical drive is shot. Every disk I insert is either not readable or show ups as a blank disk.

Becuase I have an optical drive Bootcamp wont let me use a thumb drive

I tried fallowing write ups on using reFIt and a Win7 install USB drive I made in a Parallel windows 7 but I can't get that to work.

I tried partitioning a 35GB section manual an then using VMware to install it but it only looks for Bootcamp partitions.

Any thoughts on what to try next?

I was thinking if I could find a way to disable the optical drive that boot camp might think its on a air or newer MBP without a optical drive.
 
You may be able to get it to work by editing Boot Camp Assistant's Info.plist file. Open Finder and press command+shift+G and paste this into the window that pops up: /Applications/Utilities/Boot Camp Assistant.app/Contents

Now open the Info.plist file in the text editor of your choice and search for the following:
Code: 
<key>USBBootSupportedModels</key>
	<array>
		<string>IM130</string>
		<string>MM50</string>
		<string>MP60</string>
		<string>MB80</string>
		<string>MBP81</string>
		<string>MBP90</string>
		<string>MBA40</string>
	</array>

You'll need to add the model of your Mac to the array. So, if your Mac's model identifier is MacBookPro7,2, for example, you would add <string>MBP72</string> between <array></array>. You can find your Mac's model identifier here.

If that fails, you can always create the partition manually and install Windows without using the Boot Camp Assistant by following this guide.
 
Stooby Mcdoobie said:
You may be able to get it to work by editing Boot Camp Assistant's Info.plist file. Open Finder and press command+shift+G and paste this into the window that pops up: /Applications/Utilities/Boot Camp Assistant.app/Contents

Now open the Info.plist file in the text editor of your choice and search for the following:
Code: 
<key>USBBootSupportedModels</key>
	<array>
		<string>IM130</string>
		<string>MM50</string>
		<string>MP60</string>
		<string>MB80</string>
		<string>MBP81</string>
		<string>MBP90</string>
		<string>MBA40</string>
	</array>

You'll need to add the model of your Mac to the array. So, if your Mac's model identifier is MacBookPro7,2, for example, you would add <string>MBP72</string> between <array></array>. You can find your Mac's model identifier here.

If that fails, you can always create the partition manually and install Windows without using the Boot Camp Assistant by following this guide.
Click to expand...

I did the info.plist file edit and it at least allowed me to make a USB install disk... however all I get now is a flashing "_" in the upper left corner of the screen.

I tired another method that got me close but still didn't totally work. That was to use VM Box to install windows on to the partition making it bootable. This worked however when I went to clear the drive and make a clean using the thumb drive i end up back with a the "_" I tired it with out cleaning the drive and all it does is error out saying that a hardware change has caused a fault.

also the guide you posted while a great guide requires the use of the optical drive... the primary source of my problem... lol
 
dieseltwitch said:
I did the info.plist file edit and it at least allowed me to make a USB install disk... however all I get now is a flashing "_" in the upper left corner of the screen.

I tired another method that got me close but still didn't totally work. That was to use VM Box to install windows on to the partition making it bootable. This worked however when I went to clear the drive and make a clean using the thumb drive i end up back with a the "_" I tired it with out cleaning the drive and all it does is error out saying that a hardware change has caused a fault.
Click to expand...
I forgot a step in my initial post. It may fix this new issue.

In the Info.plist file, you should see this:
Code: 
<key>DARequiredROMVersions</key>
	<array>
		<string>IM41.0055.B08</string>
		<string>IM42.0071.B03</string>
		<string>IM51.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM52.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM61.0093.B01</string>
		<string>MP11.005C.B04</string>
		<string>MB11.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MBP11.0055.B08</string>
		<string>MBP12.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MM11.0055.B08</string>
	</array>

You need to add your Mac's boot ROM version to the top of the above list. You can find this in the Hardware section of System Information. Here's what mine looks like:

435df.png

So, my list would look like this when it's complete:

Code: 
<key>DARequiredROMVersions</key>
	<array>
                [B]<string>MBP81.0047.B27</string>[/B]
		<string>IM41.0055.B08</string>
		<string>IM42.0071.B03</string>
		<string>IM51.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM52.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM61.0093.B01</string>
		<string>MP11.005C.B04</string>
		<string>MB11.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MBP11.0055.B08</string>
		<string>MBP12.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MM11.0055.B08</string>
	</array>


also the guide you posted while a great guide requires the use of the optical drive... the primary source of my problem... lol
Click to expand...
You should be able to use a USB drive in lieu of the DVD used in the guide. It's how I initially installed Windows before I found the workaround above. If you can't get the first method to work, you should at least be able to create the install disk on your USB drive and boot to it manually to complete the installation.
 
Stooby Mcdoobie said:
I forgot a step in my initial post. It may fix this new issue.

In the Info.plist file, you should see this:
Code: 
<key>DARequiredROMVersions</key>
	<array>
		<string>IM41.0055.B08</string>
		<string>IM42.0071.B03</string>
		<string>IM51.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM52.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM61.0093.B01</string>
		<string>MP11.005C.B04</string>
		<string>MB11.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MBP11.0055.B08</string>
		<string>MBP12.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MM11.0055.B08</string>
	</array>

You need to add your Mac's boot ROM version to the top of the above list. You can find this in the Hardware section of System Information. Here's what mine looks like:


So, my list would look like this when it's complete:

Code: 
<key>DARequiredROMVersions</key>
	<array>
                [B]<string>MBP81.0047.B27</string>[/B]
		<string>IM41.0055.B08</string>
		<string>IM42.0071.B03</string>
		<string>IM51.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM52.0090.B03</string>
		<string>IM61.0093.B01</string>
		<string>MP11.005C.B04</string>
		<string>MB11.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MBP11.0055.B08</string>
		<string>MBP12.0061.B03</string>
		<string>MM11.0055.B08</string>
	</array>


You should be able to use a USB drive in lieu of the DVD used in the guide. It's how I initially installed Windows before I found the workaround above. If you can't get the first method to work, you should at least be able to create the install disk on your USB drive and boot to it manually to complete the installation.
Click to expand...

I can crate the disk ok but it wont boot... Will this fix it? Im in the process of trying one other work around i found right now so I will try it soon.
 
dieseltwitch said:
I can crate the disk ok but it wont boot... Will this fix it? Im in the process of trying one other work around i found right now so I will try it soon.
Click to expand...
I can't say for certain whether this will fix it or not, but it's possible that this is the reason it isn't working. After making these two edits to my machine a few months ago, I was able to install Windows through Boot Camp via USB.
 
I have a similar issue as the OP. My optical drive is toast, and for some reason, my machine is not recognizing the external DVD-RW I have connected via firewire. Following the above instructions gave me the ability to at least create a USB boot flash drive. Now I just need to figure out how to get the ISO file created from my install disc....

Thanks for your inadvertent help Stooby Mcdoobie.
 
Stooby Mcdoobie said:
I can't say for certain whether this will fix it or not, but it's possible that this is the reason it isn't working. After making these two edits to my machine a few months ago, I was able to install Windows through Boot Camp via USB.
Click to expand...

Any more ideas? Still doesn't work. I can make the USB install disk but when I go to boot to the boot camp partition is say "No Bootable device -- Insert boot disk and press any key"

Not sure where the problem is at. Ideas?
 
In reading around yesterday I found hints that certain thumb drive brands do not take well to be making bootable.

Any ideas what brands will take well?

Right now I'm using a 4gb SanDisk
 
Post from Amazon

Read this on DVD's when people swap out their superdrive caddy for a harddrive caddy.

Maybe it will work as well for booting from an external DVD:
"I, like many of you, was frustrated by all the different choices of cheaper external enclosures. I went with my gut and bought this one. No complaints here. It's just what you would expect. Not glamorous of flashy. Just a solid enclosure to get the job done. Obviously not designed for slot load opticals like mine (as there is no faceplate for that) but that doesn't really bother me. Aesthetics weren't my top priority as much as function was. Just get a cheap pouch at the dollar store to protect from dust, or do what I did and stick it right back in the plastic sleeve it was packaged in. Viola! Perfect external enclosure.

Also, for those of you with Macs who are saying that the optical drive will no longer be able to play movies via DVD Player, you're wrong. Here's a very simple fix for that. (Note: you'll need administrator permission) If you've experiencing an error when trying to use DVDs, just find the file /System/Library/Frameworks/DVDPlayback.framework/Versions/A/DVDPlayback. Copy it and paste it to the desktop. Then, leaving the original file where you found it, rename it by adding (ORIG) to the end of its name, just to keep it around for good measure. It should look like "DVDPlayback(ORIG)" Download a sweet program called 0xed and open the "DVDPlayback file you pasted on the desktop. Run a find and replace (command-F) and type "internal" in the search field and "external" in the replace field. check "all cases" option. Replace all and then "save as..." to the desktop, overwriting the other file on the desktop. Drag and drop the new file back in the System folder alongside it's (ORIG) brethren. That's it. Your now external optical drive will also play DVD movies again."
 
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