Can't remove Win 7 install disk from drive; can't get back to Mac OS

[jkitty8872]

Please help!

I am trying to install windows 7 professional on my mac pro, using boot camp. I made the boot camp partition, inserted the win disk, and ran the install program. Windows started and said it could not install on the boot camp partition because it had not been formatted for NTFS (I don't know how that could've happened since the partition is 100g). So I restarted the computer and got the win 7 screen and the process began again. I cannot open my dvd drive to get that win 7 disk out. I'm stuck in a loop.

Is there a way to open the dvd without booting? In windows you can press the esc? key and get options to boot. Is there something like that in mac?

I've even tried unplugging the computer and nothing changed.

Also: Is win 7 "totally" unsupported on snow leopard?

Thanks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[r.j.s]

You have two options, format the partition as NTFS as a part of the install process, or hold down the option key on boot to get back to OS X.

 

[ian.maffett]

I'm not sure if this will help or not so forgive me if I am looking in the wrong direction... However, if you hold the mouse button down during boot (OS X) will eject the disc for you.

 

[r.j.s]

I'm not sure if this will help or not so forgive me if I am looking in the wrong direction... However, if you hold the mouse button down during boot (OS X) will eject the disc for you.

That would work too, but I dont think that is needed yet.

 

[jkitty8872]

Thanks!

Just got back to Mac OS. Will try bootcamp again; this time on my other hard drive. If that doesn't work, I will do as you suggested--format the partition as an NTFS drive, using the win install program.

BTW, like most windows users, I was "thrilled" to get a mac. If only I could leave windows forever!!

Thanks again!

 

[balamw]

(I don't know how that could've happened since the partition is 100g).

The 32 GB partition "limit" for FAT32 is not a real limitation, it's just Microsoft's attempt to wean people off of it. Disk Utility can't format the partition in NTFS so it uses a perfectly legit, but large, FAT32 partition just as a way of telling the Windows installer "Look Here Dummy!"

You need to replace it with an NTFS partition during the install. It's actually best that way since there are subtle differences in the details of NTFS between versions of Windows, so you want the actual Windows formatting tool to do its thing.

B

 

[Winni]

BTW, like most windows users, I was "thrilled" to get a mac. If only I could leave windows forever!!

You are currently experiencing the very old phenomenon that adding complexity to a work environment is counter-productive if you actually want to make your life easier. Or, in other words: If you cannot work without Windows, then you had zero reason to get a Mac in the first place. You only made things more difficult and messier.

Anyway. Pressing the "Option" - or "Alt" key on PC keyboards - when your Mac starts will enter a boot manager that will let you choose between OS X and "Windows". Where "Windows" in Apple land is everything that is not OS X; even Linux and FreeBSD would appear as "Windows" in that selection.

In Windows Explorer, you can also right-click on the CD/DVD icon and select "Eject" to remove the DVD.

OS X will usually show an "Eject" icon in the menu bar - if you don't have an Apple keyboard with an Eject key connected to your Mac. Right-Click "eject" should also work.

Oh, and if you're stuck in one-button-mouse land: Active the right mouse button functionality in "System Preferences" in OS X. Or use Option/Alt-Left-Click to simulate a right-click.

The other option is to dump Apple's lousy non-standard mouse and keyboard and get a better and standards-compliant PC keyboard and mouse. Microsoft and Logitech keyboards and mice are usually good choices. And they work much better with Windows, too.