iMac - installing Windows 7 problem

[Daniel512]

Hello,

I am trying to install windows 7 on my imac 21.5" 2010.
My DVD drive doesn't work, and since I must one in order to install my Wndows 7, I bought an external DVD drive.

Everything went smooth, but then suddenly it said that message:

No Bootable device. Insert boot disk and press any key.


I think that it caused because it doesn't able to read my external DVD drive when it installs the Windows 7, but can only read internal's one.

What should I do in order to fix that problem?


Thanks in advance,
Daniel.

 

[irishgrizzly]

Bootable USB?

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

 

[Daniel512]

Bootable USB?

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

I can't understand the link that you gave me,
What do you mean by "Bootable USB" as I'm using external DVD drive with the Windows 7 installation disk,

But the link that you gave me is really unclear.

 

[ashman70]

I had this very same problem recently, go back through the bootcamp wizard, delete the partition you created for bootcamp, recreate it and try again, this worked for me.

 

[maflynn]

Bootable USB?

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

You can only use a USB to install windows on Macs that do not have optical drives. The OP's iMac has an optical drive so that option isn't available to him, it won't work.

 

[Daniel512]

You can only use a USB to install windows on Macs that do not have optical drives. The OP's iMac has an optical drive so that option isn't available to him, it won't work.

I didn't get it..

So what should I do?
can I install windows from disk on key? or how else should i install the winodws 7?

as my internal DVD drive is broken.

 

[niterage69]

Re

forget about using the bootcamp utility, it makes things harder then they actually are

The simplest solution i have found for installing any alternate OS on a mac is by using "rEFit"
http://refit.sourceforge.net/
this allows the mac on boot up to show the hidden menu.

steps:

1. install latest version of "rEFit".. you can *remove it after you installed your other OSes.
REBOOT the mac atleast 2-3 times. you should then see the new startup menu.

note: i have yet to figure out why this is required, perhaps the 1st reboot activates the correct services & blesses the boot??

2. open Disk utility & add the second partition, under the format type for the partition...select "ExFat" this is recognizable to windows during the installer.
see attached image

3. plugin in your external device with the OS installer (external CD-Drive, usb HDD, Flash Drive..etc)

4. Reboot & select your device from the menu of choices (please look at the icon/descirption types for your choices, as they represent the type of connection) to ensure you are picking the external device.

5. follow the installer form the OS media & when you get to location choices pick your newly created partition & select to format it to the OSes preferred formatting type

that's all there is to it.
* i keep rEFit on my macs, so anytime i attach any bootable device it becomes available to use upon rebooting the system.