Gray screen when rebooting after bootcamp

[mgargano]

I have a late 2007 iMac with El Capitan installed. I am trying to install Windows 7 with a Windows 7 upgrade disc.

My internal DVD drive broke, so I have an external drive that I am doing it with.

I run through the bootcamp process, get to the rebooting step and the computer remains gray. I was using an old external DVD Drive so thinking it may be not functioning as expected I bought a new one (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ODDE33U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00) thinking that was the issue. It turns out it was not.

I tried rebooting hitting option and selecting the EFI Boot (the portable dvd drive) option and it hangs right where I click it.

I tried other Windows discs (Windows 7, XP, 8) and have the same exact issue.

Anyone ever encounter this?

 

[chscag]

I have a late 2007 iMac with El Capitan installed. I am trying to install Windows 7 with a Windows 7 upgrade disc.

My internal DVD drive broke, so I have an external drive that I am doing it with.

I run through the bootcamp process, get to the rebooting step and the computer remains gray. I was using an old external DVD Drive so thinking it may be not functioning as expected I bought a new one (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ODDE33U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00) thinking that was the issue. It turns out it was not.

I tried rebooting hitting option and selecting the EFI Boot (the portable dvd drive) option and it hangs right where I click it.

I tried other Windows discs (Windows 7, XP, 8) and have the same exact issue.

Anyone ever encounter this?

I don't believe you can normally install Windows from an external disk drive. There are no USB drivers present until after Windows boots and the Windows 7 drivers are installed. Your iMac internal disk drive works because of the firmware built into the iMac. There are work arounds to use an external disk drive or flash drive but I don't have a link to one. Perhaps someone else will know.

 

[mgargano]

I don't believe you can normally install Windows from an external disk drive. There are no USB drivers present until after Windows boots and the Windows 7 drivers are installed. Your iMac internal disk drive works because of the firmware built into the iMac. There are work arounds to use an external disk drive or flash drive but I don't have a link to one. Perhaps someone else will know.

So I followed the steps from : http://www.hardturm.ch/luz/2011/10/how-to-make-the-macbook-air-superdrive-work-with-any-mac/ and my superdrive works with my iMac, however I still get the grey screen when I reboot... anyone?