I am sure i am not the first with this issue, But I can't install windows 7 on Bootcamp partition even after formatting it. Is there a fix for this?
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Can not install windows 7 on Boot camp
- Thread starter Alexjones
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The partition setup goes well, But when i attempt to select the Bootcamp partition under windows installer, It says Windows cannot be installed on this partition.
Format that partition (#4) in that screen. Should be a tools button or something near the right side below the box.
OK it's important to distinguish between formatting through the bootcamp utility on OSX and formatting the partition in the windows installer.
Win7 can only be installed on an NTFS formatted partition. The bootcamp utility does not format the partition this way, as this file system is proprietary to Windows. Bootcamp simply partitions your main volume to make installing Win7 more straightforward -- and importantly marks it so that it shows up as "BOOTCAMP" in the Win7 installer so that you know exactly which partition to write Windows to.
From the Win7 installer you need to select this partition, then click "tools" then "Format". The windows installer will then format the partition to NTFS and allow Windows to be installed on it.
Good luck!
When i click format, It turns the Bootcamp partition to unnamed. Windows still can't be installed
Yeah, is this the internal hard drive or are you trying to install to somewhere else? Optibay, USB, SD card ect.?
I am using the Apple usb external DVD drive i purchased separately. There is no DVD drive in the the rMBP...
OK. So you are installing from a DVD which you have connected via the USB superdrive. But to what hard drive are you trying to install windows to? Where is the bootcamp partition you created?
The hard drive is the hard drive on my Laptop installed by Apple corp. The partition is created in windows via bootcamp . After the partition is created and windows starts, The newly formed partition labeled bootcamp says cannot install windows on this partition, Even after formatting it.
I'm new to Macs, so take this with a grain of salt for now and maybe someone with more experience can chime in...
I don't have a drive so I downloaded an ISO and used bootcamp to create Win7 on a USB flashdrive. 4GB's was enough.
The process I went through... Bootcamp created the partition not Windows. I think maybe that's where it is getting screwed up. You said you created the partition with Windows. I don't think you are suppose to do that.
So this is how I did it (from memory so it might not be entirely accurate)
I downloaded the 64 bit Win7 home premium ISO on to my Mac. I put a fat32 formatted USB flash drive into the USB port. Then I launched bootcamp and followed its instructions to create Win7 on the flash drive. Once that was done bootcamp asked me to use a slider to choose what size partition to make. After that was done I selected the BOOTCAMP partition and clicked tools button (I think it was called that anyhow) and selected format NTSF. Once that was complete it started installing Win7. I entered my key and went through the rest of the install process.
One of those steps might be backwards. I cant remember if it made the partition or the Win7 flash drive first. In either case, that is how it was done and it worked perfect.
Don't know, I'm at a loss here. I can't think of any reason why this would be happening to you.
It might be worth a try to use bootcamp to re-consolidate your drive -- remove the bootcamp partition. Then try and start all over again. Maybe bootcamp messed something up the first time? Never know.
Beyond that I'd have to yield to someone with more knowledge.
I had a similar issue getting Windows on my Mac Mini. No matter what I did, it said this drive cannot be booted or some thing like that. It was horrendous.
Had a few threads about this and many tried to help and it was just not happening.
So, ultimately, I did Parallel's and am happy, yet sometimes in the still of the night, I know windows could be faster if I had it on Bootcamp 🙂
I think it was about 6 month ago so you could search for my old threads. This was my first experience with BootCamp, so I m no expert and I hope you have an easier time for sure.
Had a few threads about this and many tried to help and it was just not happening.
So, ultimately, I did Parallel's and am happy, yet sometimes in the still of the night, I know windows could be faster if I had it on Bootcamp 🙂
I think it was about 6 month ago so you could search for my old threads. This was my first experience with BootCamp, so I m no expert and I hope you have an easier time for sure.
I found the problem. Windows cannot be installed via external usb DVD drive. It must be done though an ISO file. If you have an unactivated Windows DVD, You can make an iso file from disk utility. Thanks for all your help.