Help with bootcamp install! No DVD drive...

[theaero]

Okay, so here is my dilema. I have a SSD in place of the superdrive. I am trying to install Bootcamp. I do not have an external USB drive. I modified the bootcamp assistant plist to allow creation of Windows 8 install disc using an ISO image. I tried doing that on an external HD, and two different thumb drives. However, after doing all the Bootcamp Assisant installer stuff, the computer restarts, and then I just get "No bootable device -- insert boot disc and press any key" Which makes it impossible to finish the installation.

Any help? I've been working at this for wayyy too long. I don't have the means of picking up a USB DVD drive.

Thanks.


EDIT: I do have a USB superdrive at my disposal, but even after editing boot plists, and kexts, I still was unable to get it working on my iMac.

 

[hfg]

When I replaced my MBPro SuperDrive with a SSD, I could not install Windows 7 from an external USB optical drive. I ended up having to reinstall the internal SuperDrive first, then swap them back after the windows install finished.

Good luck ...


Edit: I think there are several threads on these forums regarding Windows installation issues.



- howard

 

[theaero]

What about installing Win 7 on my MBA, and then using target HD mode, disk utility > restore > source/dest. etc to copy the installation to the other computer?

 

[hfg]

That would probably be easier done with "WinClone" ... but it still might not run due to hardware differences between the install computer and the target computer.

 

[theaero]

Okay... well it is possible to put the bootable Win 7 installer stuff on an internal drive? Then during the Win 7 installation, select the normal BOOTCAMP partition that was created by the BC assistant?

Thanks.

 

[hfg]

That might work. BootCamp Assistant will no longer just create a formatted partition and stop ... it requires the DVD to be recognized and the install to be started before it will actually create the partition. That is OK however, simply go to the point where you reformat the partition in NTFS, then abort the installation and you can start your own Windows install to the just created partition.

You could also create the partition with Disk Utility and install Windows to it.

 

[theaero]

How would I go about doing this? I've tried everything, to no avail.

 

[hfg]

If you search around on the "Windows on Mac" forum below this one, I think you will find several discussions on step-by-step Windows installations on various Mac configurations.

I am traveling at the moment and don't have access to my "reference link library" on my home machine ... so I'm sorry I can't point you directly to some solutions at this time.


-howard