iMac (2010) not booting from usb drives

[marzomac]

When I opened bootcamp the option to create a windows install disk was greyed out. I edited the plist to add my model identifier to the list of supported device. Returning to bootcamp I created a usb install disk and partitioned my HDD.

My iMac restarted and loaded a windows style screen saying that no boot disks were found. I restarted in OS X and went to the startup disk preferences only to see that the install disk didn't show up.

I then used Disk Utility to add a third partition to my Macs HDD to use as a setup disk as I read an article that on my iMac only the HDD and ODD can be used to install windows. Using CCC I cloned my install disk to the recently created partition. That didn't work either.

My ODD isn't working so my only option is to use a USB.

I seem to remember installing windows onto my 2008 Macbook from a USB. Why would apple have disabled this functionality?

 

[PaulKemp]

I'm not sure, but it was the same for me on my MBA. The option was grayed out. I just used bootcamp to save the files I would need for Windows 7/8. Then I used Disk Utility to partitioning the disk. Then with rEFIt installed, I was able to boot to the empty Windows partition. And that one again recognized the bootable windows DVD and let me install it.

I've written a howto on my blog, see if you get get some tips from there. http://paullabs.com/

 

[marzomac]

thanks