Is it possible to use an external DVD to install Windows on a iMac

[ASLMAC]

Hi,

My internal DVD is not working anymore and I want to install Windows.

I know it is possible to install Windows using an external DVD on a Macbook Air.

But is it possible on an iMac.

Since I have problems doing this, I ask the question in this forum ???

To be specific: my problem is that the screen remains gray, when I select to boot from an external DVD containing a bootable iso of windows 7.

 

[balamw]

Not all combinations of external optical drive and Mac work equally.

There is an entire long thread dedicated to this topic, namely installing Windows without a working internal SuperDrive.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/601414/

Your best two options are:

1) Use VM software to perform the first part of the install, completing it on native hardware
2) Copy the contents of the ISO to a throwaway internal partition (as if to a USB drive) and boot/install from that.

B

 

[ASLMAC]

RE: Is it possible to use an external DVD to install Windows on a iMac

Not all combinations of external optical drive and Mac work equally.

There is an entire long thread dedicated to this topic, namely installing Windows without a working internal SuperDrive.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/601414/

Your best two options are:

1) Use VM software to perform the first part of the install, completing it on native hardware
2) Copy the contents of the ISO to a throwaway internal partition (as if to a USB drive) and boot/install from that.

B

Thanks for helping.

It seems to me that (2) is the most easy solution, although I do not know how to make the partition bootable.

 

[balamw]

I do not know how to make the partition bootable.

It's all in the thread I linked to. Basically you follow the same approach that is used to copy the ISO to a USB flash drive, only to a partition.

B