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Installing bootcamp without superdrive in macbook pro- can i use a Mac Pro?

K

knucles

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 8, 2006
125
0
Portugal
hi guys

i'm strugling to install bootcamp on my late 2008 mbp because i dont have a superdrive - mine broke and i put a 2nd hdd in.

Problem is that now i want to install bootcamp and i can't and all the tutorials i can find are pretty confusing....

i have a mac pro too.... can i install bootcamp through the mac pro and stick the hdd it in the mbp?,

thanks for the help



IT WORKS

Installed bootcamp and win7 in the disk while in the mac pro and put it on my mbp successfully. I've installed the drivers and everything seems to be working just fine.
 
Last edited:
Basically i would remove the 2nd hdd from my mbp - put it in my mac pro - install windows in it - put it back in the mbp and install the drives for mbp.....

will this work?
 
I don't think that'll work. Windows is much more sensitive to hardware changes than os x.

I would just get a USB optical drive, or boot from a USB flash drive if your MBP supports it.
 
Also try the target mode if you have Windows XP
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661

if you do have Windows 7 or 8 you can create them on flash drive.
open Boot camp assent let it copy windows 7 or 8 disc to thumb drive
you might want to use disk utility save disc to dmg (choose DVD/CD master)
when you done change extension .dmg to .iso then go ahead create flash drive with bootcamp assiantant
 
when I installed bootcamp on my MBP, it wouldn't let me do it without using a superdrive. I ended up having to burn my windows 7 ISO to a DVD to make it work.

For some reason they will let you do it with a thumb drive if you don't have a superdrive in your computer, but if you do, they demand you use a DVD. There are supposedly ways around it, but I didn't have any success with them.
 
- i don't have a firewire disk.....

- booting from an external dvd won't work - i'm using a late 2008 mbp...


still stuck.....


either xp or windows 7- whatever works.....

thanks for the help
 
if this is the case then i would encourage you to look into the hacks that people say work for making it think you're allowed to bootcamp with USB... googling them would probably work best, I don't have links off the top of my head
 
download the windows .ISO file either illegally or via MSDN/TechnNET, as long as you have a serial for the correct version nobody cares.

plug in USB stick (min 8 gb, might work with a 4 GB) for the install
and either one USB stick 4 gb or external HDD for the drivers to download to

start bootcamp assistant and just, check all three boxes and press press next next next pretty much.
(I would recommend at least 40 Gb for windows + some apps during vanilla install. I used 60 on mine, 33 Gb free now with pretty much only Office 2007 installed.)

Your computer will reboot, hold down the ALT/option key when you hear the startup sound, choose the usb stick and windows installer will boot.

choose the "BOOTCAMP" Partition and press Format (Not the red X, think it says delete), the former error message that windows can't install on this drive should be gone.
Press next, fill in your serial key and let it install

something like that :)
 
download the windows .ISO file either illegally or via MSDN/TechnNET, as long as you have a serial for the correct version nobody cares.

plug in USB stick (min 8 gb, might work with a 4 GB) for the install
and either one USB stick 4 gb or external HDD for the drivers to download to

start bootcamp assistant and just, check all three boxes and press press next next next pretty much.
(I would recommend at least 40 Gb for windows + some apps during vanilla install. I used 60 on mine, 33 Gb free now with pretty much only Office 2007 installed.)

Your computer will reboot, hold down the ALT/option key when you hear the startup sound, choose the usb stick and windows installer will boot.

choose the "BOOTCAMP" Partition and press Format (Not the red X, think it says delete), the former error message that windows can't install on this drive should be gone.
Press next, fill in your serial key and let it install

something like that
Click to expand...

this might work on a non optical-drive capable mac.

it won't work in late 2008 mbp - it was the first thing that i've tried
 
IT WORKS

Installed bootcamp and win7 in the disk while in the mac pro and put it on my mbp successfully. I've installed the drivers and everything seems to be working just fine
 
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