Black screen after initial reboot after Win 7 install

[oxfordguy]

Hi - I'm pulling my hair out trying to get Windows 7 to install (via Bootcamp) on my 2012 Macbook Air, no matter what means I use to install Windows 7 (e.g. from the original install DVD or from a USB stick I created in Bootcamp which contains both Win 7 and the Apple Windows Utilities), after Windows has completed the initial install and wants to reboot I just get a black screen, which stays this way even if left for 30 minutes. I've tried rebooting with the ALT/Option key depressed and selecting the Windows (hard drive) partition - same thing, and trying to boot again into the Windows install DVD or the Windows install USB key does work either.

I've no idea what I'm doing wrong here - any ideas? I thought this was meant to be easy! One of the main reasons I bought the external Superdrive was because I thought this simplify the Windows install process, but it hasn't :-(

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Well, it is supposed to be easy; but obviously there is something else going on with your installation that shouldn't be.

Can you check in Console and see if any errors are showing up regarding BootCamp or around the time of the Win7 installation?

Also, each time you've tried to install Win7, have you deleted the partition from the previous [failed] installation and created a new one?

It sounds like you've done everything right, so there aren't many things to try...

I guess, I'd try using a different external ROM drive and/or USB cable too. It wouldn't seem like those would be the problem, but I've seen stranger things affect computers that should never have.

 

[oxfordguy]

Well, it is supposed to be easy; but obviously there is something else going on with your installation that shouldn't be.

Can you check in Console and see if any errors are showing up regarding BootCamp or around the time of the Win7 installation?

I'm not sure what I should be looking for, there's all sorts of stuff in the console

Also, each time you've tried to install Win7, have you deleted the partition from the previous [failed] installation and created a new one?

Yes, have gone through the whole restore/repartition process each time, allocating 70Gb each time to windows

It sounds like you've done everything right, so there aren't many things to try...

I guess, I'd try using a different external ROM drive and/or USB cable too. It wouldn't seem like those would be the problem, but I've seen stranger things affect computers that should never have.

The superdrive doesn't have a removable USB cable and this is the only USB drive I have that is big enough, but I've never had a problem with it before

 

[SandboxGeneral]

You could always take it into the Apple Store with your Win7 disc and the BootCamp drivers disc and see if they can help.

As for Console, I don't know what to look for, other than looking around the time frame of the installation and see what errors, if any, are showing.

What version of Win7 are you using? Is it a full retail version or upgrade version?

 

[oxfordguy]

You could always take it into the Apple Store with your Win7 disc and the BootCamp drivers disc and see if they can help.

Nearest stores are London or Reading, which I don't have time to go to this weekend (I'm in Oxford), unfortunately

As for Console, I don't know what to look for, other than looking around the time frame of the installation and see what errors, if any, are showing.

What version of Win7 are you using? Is it a full retail version or upgrade version?

Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit upgrade edition, but this shouldn't make any difference, I haven't got anywhere near the activation stage (and I deactivated Windows 7 on the Macbook Pro I previously installed this on, which had no problems with Bootcamp nor with activating the upgrade version)

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Nearest stores are London or Reading, which I don't have time to go to this weekend (I'm in Oxford), unfortunately



Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit upgrade edition, but this shouldn't make any difference, I haven't got anywhere near the activation stage (and I deactivated Windows 7 on the Macbook Pro I previously installed this on, which had no problems with Bootcamp nor with activating the upgrade version)

I'm not 100% sure, but I thought if one had the upgrade version, they first needed to install a full version. I could be way off here, and perhaps someone else can chime in.

I've only ever installed the full version on mine, and never an upgrade.

 

[oxfordguy]

I'm not 100% sure, but I thought if one had the upgrade version, they first needed to install a full version. I could be way off here, and perhaps someone else can chime in.

I've only ever installed the full version on mine, and never an upgrade.

They're exactly the same disk images, just the licence is different, but in the past if I've ever had activation problems I've just phone Microsoft and they've issued me with a special activation code. I have a genuine Win 7 Upgrade disk and a Genuine XP full version disc, so this is all legitimate. I'm not even getting as far as the activation stage, though

 

[SandboxGeneral]

They're exactly the same disk images, just the licence is different, but in the past if I've ever had activation problems I've just phone Microsoft and they've issued me with a special activation code. I have a genuine Win 7 Upgrade disk and a Genuine XP full version disc, so this is all legitimate. I'm not even getting as far as the activation stage, though

Have you tried installing XP then since you have it? Do you get the same result? If so, maybe there's a video card defect or driver issue preventing Windows from running properly.

 

[oxfordguy]

Have you tried installing XP then since you have it? Do you get the same result? If so, maybe there's a video card defect or driver issue preventing Windows from running properly.

You can't install XP on a 2012 MBA, only Win 7 or higher. I think last time I needed to activate a Win 7 upgrade install I just gave Microsoft my XP serial number and the they gave me an activation code. But I haven't got as far as the activation stage yet anyway...

 

[SandboxGeneral]

You can't install XP on a 2012 MBA, only Win 7 or higher. I think last time I needed to activate a Win 7 upgrade install I just gave Microsoft my XP serial number and the they gave me an activation code. But I haven't got as far as the activation stage yet anyway...

You can still install XP if you want:

From: Can i install windows XP on Lion?

1. Go to Applications
2. Go to Utilities
3. Go to Bootcamp Assistant
4. Follow the instructions, but do not install Windows XP using Bootcamp Assistant. Just create a partition using it
5. Insert your Windows XP disc into your Mac
6. Restart your Mac
7. Upon hearing the startup chime, press and hold 'Alt' on your keyboard
8. Select the Windows XP disc
9. Press 'Enter'
10. Press F8
11. Choose the option to install Windows XP on your Bootcamp partition
12 Choose the option to format the partition as NTFS
13. Sit back, relax, and let your Mac do the rest
14. When your Mac automatically reboots, be sure to be there
15. Upon hearing the startup chime, press and hold 'Alt' on your keyboard
16. Go ahead and select your 'Windows' partition
17. Well, you probably know the drill for the rest of the steps

I don't believe the limitation is hardware related (i.e. 2012 MBA) but a software one. I've installed XP on Lion myself using the steps above and it worked just fine on my 2010 iMac with Lion.

 

[oxfordguy]

You can still install XP if you want:

From: Can i install windows XP on Lion?



I don't believe the limitation is hardware related (i.e. 2012 MBA) but a software one. I've installed XP on Lion myself using the steps above and it worked just fine on my 2010 iMac with Lion.

Thanks, I'll try it, I still want to run Win 7, though - maybe if I install XP first I can then see if I can upgrade from XP.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Thanks, I'll try it, I still want to run Win 7, though - maybe if I install XP first I can then see if I can upgrade from XP.

It's worth a try. Let's see what happens.

 

[oxfordguy]

It's worth a try. Let's see what happens.

Doesn't work, you have to have a Windows 7 disk in the drive for Bootcamp to create the Bootcamp partition and to enable the EFI boot loader, I tried to eject the Windows 7 disc on boot, then replacing with the Windows XP disc, but you seem to lose the EFI boot loader and the disc won't run...

Back to the drawing board, maybe I should try installing the release preview of Windows 8 instead?

I'm loathe to buy the full version of Windows 7 as a) I already paid of the upgrade disc and am entitled to use it as have a full Windows XP license and b) there's no guarantee it will work in any case, given my problems with the Upgrade disc (which was *not* a problem on my old Macbook Pro, which was also running Lion)

 

[oxfordguy]

Well interestingly, I can get Windows 8 Release Candidate to install via Bootcamp (from a USB stick), BUT its a bit problematic e.g. I can install the Bootcamp Windows Utilities, but when I try to run the Bootcamp Control panel get the error

"An error occurred while trying to access the startup disk settings.

You may not have privileges to change the startup disk. Make sure you have administrative privileges and try again"

Despite the fact that I *do* have admin privileges. Also I can't boot back into Mac OS X using the Bootcamp facility, it just boots back into Windows, I have to instead hold done ALT/Option when reboot and manually select the Mac OS X partition.

Also I don't think the graphics drivers are good - I tried running a (non-3D) game (which I did manage to get working under Wine in Mac OS X) , but scrolling across the screen is really slow (but scrolling across the screen is fast under Wine), I guess the drivers for Win8 are not mature yet.

I may have to resort to buying a full version of Windows 7, even though I should be able to use the Upgrade disc, in theory - I just hope that it actually works...

 

[oxfordguy]

Okay, I gave in and bought a full retail Windows 7 Professional package, tried installing the 64-bit version of Windows 7 via Bootcamp off the DVD (via my external Superdrive), even less success this time, doesn't even start installing Windows, just goes to a black screen and stays there. So, tried the ISO->USB key method, same thing, yet it looks like all the correct files are there on the USB key.

Totally frustrated with this, have never had such problems installing Windows on a Mac before :-(

Has anyone else had problems installing Windows 7 64 bit on a 2012 Macbook Air? I *did* manage to install the Release Preview of Windows 8 with almost no problems on install, but its not usable as Bootcamp control panel and reboot in to Mac OS X doesn't work properly.

I'm going to see if I can book an appointment at my nearest Apple Store (Reading or London) for the weekend, but this is a big hassle and time waste :-(

 

[oxfordguy]

Okay, next stage in the Bootcamp saga, after switching the Windows 7 USB key to the right hand USB port, I eventually managed to get it to enter the Windows 7 installer, and was even able to enter my activation key (first time I got this far). Once in Windows I then installed the Bootcamp 4.0 Windows Utilities - all of this seemed to work, though I did get one error "Intel (R) USB 3.0 Root Hub - no driver found", which seemed a little odd. However, the Bootcamp Utility installer said I should then reboot Windows to complete installation, which I did, but <sigh> back into black screen again, and Windows never restarts.

So, I did the alt-reboot thing and booted back into Mac OS X - I can see the Bootcamp partition and all the files on it in Mac OS X and it says the disk is formatted NTFS. Also, when I go to "Start Up" disk in Preferences it does offer the choice of booting into my Bootcamp Windows Partition or into Mac OS X, but if I select the former, it just goes to a black screen on reboot and stays there.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

 

[oxfordguy]

I've finally managed to get my Macbook Air to boot successfully (more or less) and consistently into Windows 7 via Bootcamp. I had to go through hoops to do this, though - after doing all the above (see previous posts), the only way I could get the Windows 7 partition to boot was to install Parallels 7, get it to locate the Windows 7 Bootcamp partition, and then start it in a virtual machine - I was then able to (successfully) activate my copy of Windows 7 Professional (full) and to install Windows updates etc. I then shutdown the virtual machine and tried booting into Windows via the Start Up disk in Preferences again and voila! it did actually boot into Windows (though still after a long time looking at a black screen).

Oddly, though, all the Apple Windows Utilities had disappeared, so I had to install them again (I did still have one error message, though "Intel (R) USB 3.0 Root Hub - no driver found"), though this time Windows would reboot after installing. I had to activate Windows again, though, as it seems you have to do this again, even if activating in Parallels, fair enough.

So everything seems to work, though there is a long delay (30-60 seconds?) with a black screen before I get the Windows logo each time I try to boot into Windows. This is *much* slower than booting into Windows on my early-2008 Macbook Pro (which takes about 12-15 seconds to boot into Windows) - this has an SSD, but is only a 1.5Gbps bus so should be slower, but this doesn't go into "black screen mode" during boot - what's all that about?

 

[dj-khalsa]

same issue here!

Have 2012 macbook air. Installed Windows 7 - installation was clean (in 1 go) ... but when booting into Windows 7, it displays blank screen with cursor on top left for 40-50 secs and then only boots!

Any solution to this ??

 

[oxfordguy]

Have 2012 macbook air. Installed Windows 7 - installation was clean (in 1 go) ... but when booting into Windows 7, it displays blank screen with cursor on top left for 40-50 secs and then only boots!

Any solution to this ??

This is pretty much what I get, but no blinking cursor before the windows logo, just a completely black screen!

 

[dj-khalsa]

Issue Solved

Got my issue solved via => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR67i5iovoI

Download this piece of software and do as directed in the video !!

Clearly an issue with the windows boot file which it fixes.

 

[w0mbat]

This is pretty much what I get, but no blinking cursor before the windows logo, just a completely black screen!

Did you manage to get this sorted? I have the completely black screen with no cursor too

 

[tillsbury]

I just installed W7 64-bit from CD on a rMBP. After the first reboot into Windows (copying files) it crashed out to a grey plain screen. Hard reset (6 seconds on the power button) and it carried on. Windows installed, shoved in the boot camp DVD I'd just burned, installed a load of stuff, then restarted windows and it died on "Shutting down". Left it for 15 minutes, got bored, hard rebooted again. All perfect since then.

Seems that the installation procedure is a bit flaky while the proper hardware drivers aren't installed. Once they have been successfully installed everything seems fine.

 

[oxfordguy]

Got my issue solved via => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR67i5iovoI

Download this piece of software and do as directed in the video !!

Clearly an issue with the windows boot file which it fixes.

Tried this, but makes no difference to the boot time, nor the completely black screen when booting

----------

Seems that the installation procedure is a bit flaky while the proper hardware drivers aren't installed. Once they have been successfully installed everything seems fine.

When you boot into Windows now, do you get the proper Windows start-up screen as it boots, or do you just get a black screen before the Windows logon screen appears (which for me is still about 40-60 secs after turning on)?

 

[tillsbury]

When you boot into Windows now, do you get the proper Windows start-up screen as it boots, or do you just get a black screen before the Windows logon screen appears (which for me is still about 40-60 secs after turning on)?

in bed now on iPad. Will report back in the morning... I did a couple of restarts during installations which were fine...

 

[oxfordguy]

in bed now on iPad. Will report back in the morning... I did a couple of restarts during installations which were fine...

Thanks, I'd be interested to know