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Boot Camp problem

S

simon360

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 12, 2007
27
0
Hey guys,

I need to install Windows 7 for my job (shudder). I've got an ISO and a USB drive, and I've got the Boot Camp assistant open, but the option to "Create a Windows 7 install disk" is greyed out.

I had already created a Windows 7 install USB key, through the utility Microsoft provides, so I figured I could go ahead without it. But when I got to the point of partitioning, the utility wouldn't let me continue, because it couldn't detect a Windows 7 install disk.

I'm on a late 2010 MacBook Air 128GB.

All of the alternative methods I've seen seem to involve rEFIt, but more importantly they require using the Boot Camp assistant to partition the drive. But the BCA refuses to partition without a Windows 7 disk.

What do I do here?
 
Burn the ISO to a DVD and install from there, USB flash drive won't work as you already notice.
 
This is totally do-able via USB drive. I did it myself this week. You can't just copy the ISO onto the USB drive; it has to be mounted. Lion will do this for you. Just copy the Win7 ISO to your desktop and run Bootcamp again and it will find it. Then Bootcamp will walk you through the process. Note: the USB drive must be at least 8gb to hold both the Win7 ISO and drivers that download from Apple during the setup process.
 
Hmm, ok. I went out and bought a 4GB drive today after reading http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_10.7.pdf, which said only a 4GB drive was needed. I'll see if anyone in my building has an 8GB drive I can use.

Is there any way I can just skip the dialog that stops me from proceeding without the disc? The drive should be perfectly bootable, I made it using the utility Microsoft provides to make a bootable USB drive.
 
I've got the same problem as simon360 and can't figure out how to install Win 7 wia Lion's bootcamp. It all went pretty smooth on Snow Leopard.

Pharmscott said:
This is totally do-able via USB drive. I did it myself this week. You can't just copy the ISO onto the USB drive; it has to be mounted. Lion will do this for you. Just copy the Win7 ISO to your desktop and run Bootcamp again and it will find it. Then Bootcamp will walk you through the process. Note: the USB drive must be at least 8gb to hold both the Win7 ISO and drivers that download from Apple during the setup process.
Click to expand...

Pharmscott, have you actually installed Win 7 on a 2010 Macbook Air? Because as I understood from the threads I found, it all goes well on a 2011 version but not the 2010.
 
simon360 said:
Hmm, ok. I went out and bought a 4GB drive today after reading http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_10.7.pdf, which said only a 4GB drive was needed. I'll see if anyone in my building has an 8GB drive I can use.

Is there any way I can just skip the dialog that stops me from proceeding without the disc? The drive should be perfectly bootable, I made it using the utility Microsoft provides to make a bootable USB drive.
Click to expand...

It only takes 4gb for the Win7 ISO but one step in the process is for your Mac to download all the drivers you'll need to finish Win7 setup so that's why you need 8gb total.

I don't know of a way to skip the dialog when it can't find the disc. Are you on Lion? Did you try copying the ISO to the desktop? This worked like a champ for me.

s2dio said:
I've got the same problem as simon360 and can't figure out how to install Win 7 wia Lion's bootcamp. It all went pretty smooth on Snow Leopard.



Pharmscott, have you actually installed Win 7 on a 2010 Macbook Air? Because as I understood from the threads I found, it all goes well on a 2011 version but not the 2010.
Click to expand...

No, I have a 2011 Air but I'd be surprised if this makes a difference... so long as you're running Lion.
 
has anybody successfuly installed windows 7 with just the ISO and a usb thumb drive? all the threads i've read is that macbook air 2010 on lion will not allow you to install windows 7 on a thumb drive. ONLY macbook air 2010. 2011 is perfectly fine.
 
simon360 said:
Hey guys,

I need to install Windows 7 for my job (shudder). I've got an ISO and a USB drive, and I've got the Boot Camp assistant open, but the option to "Create a Windows 7 install disk" is greyed out.

I had already created a Windows 7 install USB key, through the utility Microsoft provides, so I figured I could go ahead without it. But when I got to the point of partitioning, the utility wouldn't let me continue, because it couldn't detect a Windows 7 install disk.

I'm on a late 2010 MacBook Air 128GB.

All of the alternative methods I've seen seem to involve rEFIt, but more importantly they require using the Boot Camp assistant to partition the drive. But the BCA refuses to partition without a Windows 7 disk.

What do I do here?
Click to expand...

As long as you have the latest OS update you should be good to go. I've done it many times.

You don't need bootcamp to re-partition the drive. Its a pain to use because unless it completely recognizes the disk as proper it won't let you run partition. I have a stripped copy of Win7 that puts the install to about 2GB on disk....and bootcamp assistant won't recognize it as a windows disk, and refuses to re-partition.

If you go into Disk Utility, you can create the partition there, without any need to authenticate anything. Just format the new partition as Fat32 and when you get into the installer delete that partition and reformat it to NTFS before installing windows and you will be all set.
 
guys i have problem i need to create usb bootable drive i just cant anybody knows why?
 
EthosX said:
guys i have problem i need to create usb bootable drive i just cant anybody knows why?
Click to expand...

Do you have the 2010, because afaik the 2010 needs an optical drive, and later models allow for install via usb.
 
asting said:
Do you have the 2010, because afaik the 2010 needs an optical drive, and later models allow for install via usb.
Click to expand...

no macbook pro mid 2007 i got

----------
gentlefury said:
You don't need to use BCA...you can just use disk utility to repartition the drive and start the installer.
Click to expand...

no I have installed SSD 128gb unallocated and I want install clean windows 7 64
via usb ..
 
Here is how to do it

These steps only work after succesfully partitioning your hardrive. If you run into trouble partitioning your harddrive, start computer up while holding command+S. Then type in /sbin/fsck -fy and hit return. If it returns a message saying system OK then you are all set. If it says system modified then type the command again and hit enter until you recieve the system OK message.

If you have a partitioned harddrive.

1)INSTALL VMWARE on mac
2)Copy iso file to virtual desktop
3)Open vmware and download usb/dvd download tool for windows.
3) Open usb/dvd download tool and select iso file on desktop
4) Mount to usb drive
5)If vmare doesnt recognize usb device, restart computer and open vmware before inserting usb drive.
6)After succesfully mounting usb close vmware
7)Download refit
8)Install refit
9)Shutdown computer
10)Turn on computer and hold down option immediately
11)Select refit
12)Select windows icon
13)Windows should begin to install
This worked for me. I hope this helps.
 
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