Windows 7 on refurb MBP early 2011 without superdrive

[eperezf]

So I got this refurbished 15" early-2011 i7 MacBook Pro and the previous owner decided to take out the Superdrive and replace it with a slot for another HDD.

I want to install Bootcamp to my MacBook because I work a lot with CPU and RAM consuming apps so I can't use virtualization (Paralells or VMWare Fusion).

The problem is that I can't install Windows without a drive. I have tried several methods searching through internet and forums but without success:

• Modifying the Boot Camp Assistant .plist
• Booting from external CD drive
• Booting from bootable pendrive/SD Card/SD Card in reader
• Installing rEFInd

All I have in hand is:
My MacBook Pro
My previous MacBook Pro (Mid-2009)
4GB pendrive
16GB SD Card (can be used as pendrive with card reader)
Windows 7 x64 ISO and DVD
A Windows PC with external DVD drive
3 blank DVDs

I was thinking of using my older MBP to create a Bootcamp installation and then copy it to a partition made manualy on my new MBP but I'm not sure it will work.

I need to have bootcamp quite urgently in this machine because i work outside my home and there are some softwares that are not available on OSX but are too heavy for virtualization and i would like to use the CPU at full power.

Also, i can't order a new superdrive from Amazon, Newegg or whatever because I live in Chile and everything takes at least 3 weeks to ship (specially this time of the year) and, although they are quite cheap, i have to pay import taxes and stuff.
I have not been able to contact the previous owner to know if he haves the Superdrive stored so i gave that lost although i will keep insisting.

Any suggestions would be VERY appreciated as i have been struggling with this one for several days.

Thanks!!

PS: Sorry for my english. I'm from Chile.

 

[leman]

The Bootcamp Assistant is able to create a bootable USB stick (or an external drive partition) with Windows installation from an ISO file. The problem is, this option is disabled on machines which per default come with superdrive. You can try this tutorial to enable it: http://forums.atomicmpc.com.au/index.php?showtopic=51873

 

[monkeybagel]

The Bootcamp Assistant is able to create a bootable USB stick (or an external drive partition) with Windows installation from an ISO file. The problem is, this option is disabled on machines which per default come with superdrive. You can try this tutorial to enable it: http://forums.atomicmpc.com.au/index.php?showtopic=51873

The option is actually disabled on machines that cannot boot Windows from a USB flash drive.

 

[eperezf]

I tried that one but i get the "no bootable media--Insert..." white text.

 

[xcodeSyn]

I tried that one but i get the "no bootable media--Insert..." white text.

Boot Camp is hard coded to look for Windows installer only from the internal DVD drive for Mac models with factory-installed superdrive. Either you put the superdrive back or use another approach following this link. There is no guarantee that it would work for you depending on your comfort level working with terminal commands.