Dillbobaggins

Q: Bootcamp will not load Windows installer - No bootable device, insert disk then press any key

Hello, I recently decided to install bootcamp onto my 2009 27" iMac, I have done this before for other people's computers and I thought it would be no different for my own. However, on attempt to install the Windows disk, instead of starting the installer it only gives me an error message saying No bootable device, insert boot disk then press any key. I have tried ejecting the disk and then putting it back into my disk driver but it still seems to give me the same error. I went back into my Mac using Alt(option) key on startup and then set the startup disk as the Windows installer disk but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I also tried booting the disk directly from the startup disk menu is the alt(option) key on startup but that didn't do anything different either.

 

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Also if it helps my computer is a

2009 27" iMac running OSX 10.8.4

And my disk drive is an external drive because my internal SuperDrive went out.

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Jul 15, 2013 4:48 PM

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Q: Bootcamp will not load Windows installer - No bootable device, insert disk then press any key

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  • by BeebarbX,Helpful

    BeebarbX BeebarbX Jul 15, 2013 10:57 PM in response to Dillbobaggins
    Level 1 (100 points)
    Jul 15, 2013 10:57 PM in response to Dillbobaggins

    That last point is your problem, Boot Camp doesn't really like booting from external drives.

     

    You will have to do the following (assuming Boot Camp already partitioned your hard disk):

     

    1. Use Disk Utility to make a CD/DVD Master of the Windows Install Disc.

    2. Rename the resulting *.cdr file so it has an *.iso extension.

    3. Insert a USB Flash Drive (8GB or more) into a USB port and start Boot Camp Assistant.

    4. Make sure only "Create a Windows 7 or later version install disk" is checked.

    5. Follow the directions, selecting the USB Flash Drive as the destination, and the *.iso as the source.

     

    You should now be able to boot from and install Windows from the USB Flash Drive. It's annoying, but I had to do that.

     

    You will need a second flash drive of 1GB or more, or 700MB or more extra space on the install disk to place the boot camp support files, which will need to be installed.

  • by Dillbobaggins,

    Dillbobaggins Dillbobaggins Jul 16, 2013 8:16 AM in response to BeebarbX
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 16, 2013 8:16 AM in response to BeebarbX

    Thank you!

    By using this it helped me to know what to look for. Sadly the option to install with a USB did was not available to me.

     

        - So just to help others with this same problem, watch this video I found http://youtu.be/KmHxkahbK-g and hopefully it will help you.

     

    Thanks again!

  • by Dillbobaggins,

    Dillbobaggins Dillbobaggins Jul 16, 2013 8:41 AM in response to BeebarbX
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 16, 2013 8:41 AM in response to BeebarbX

    Okay, so I thought I had figured everything out. However, I was only able to install the windows startup onto a USB drive. My computer is still not willing to startup from it.

     

    I have tried starting it up and holding alt(option) but it does not appear on the list of startup disks. Any thoughts?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jul 16, 2013 8:55 AM in response to Dillbobaggins
    Level 9 (50,459 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 16, 2013 8:55 AM in response to Dillbobaggins

    Did your Mac come with an optical drive, yes or no please.

  • by Dillbobaggins,

    Dillbobaggins Dillbobaggins Jul 16, 2013 9:12 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 16, 2013 9:12 AM in response to Csound1

    Yes, it came with an optical drive. But my optical drive has gone out now so I am unable to put in a disk for installation, and thus have to use a USB method.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jul 16, 2013 9:17 AM in response to Dillbobaggins
    Level 9 (50,459 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 16, 2013 9:17 AM in response to Dillbobaggins

    The USB method is not supported on Macs that have an optical drive, even when it is broken.

     

    Fix the drive and use a DVD.

  • by Quic5,

    Quic5 Quic5 Nov 2, 2013 10:14 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 2, 2013 10:14 AM in response to Csound1

    I spent a lots of time for this crp...

    And here is the answare:

    The USB method is not supported on Macs that have an optical drive, even when it is broken.

    "Fix the drive and use a DVD."

    Dude! Just by a 2400$ imac27 and when the optical drive died u can fix that for 300$ or u can ONLY use external superdrive for 100$ but no waranty for the boot .

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Nov 2, 2013 10:23 AM in response to Quic5
    Level 9 (50,459 points)
    Desktops
    Nov 2, 2013 10:23 AM in response to Quic5

    Quic5 wrote:

     

    I spent a lots of time for this crp...

    And here is the answare:

    The USB method is not supported on Macs that have an optical drive, even when it is broken.

    "Fix the drive and use a DVD."

    Dude! Just by a 2400$ imac27 and when the optical drive died u can fix that for 300$ or u can ONLY use external superdrive for 100$ but no waranty for the boot .

    No idea what you are trying to say.

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Nov 2, 2013 12:45 PM in response to Quic5
    Level 6 (15,344 points)
    Nov 2, 2013 12:45 PM in response to Quic5

    Quic5 wrote:

     

    I spent a lots of time for this crp...

    And here is the answare:

    The USB method is not supported on Macs that have an optical drive, even when it is broken.

    "Fix the drive and use a DVD."

    Dude! Just by a 2400$ imac27 and when the optical drive died u can fix that for 300$ or u can ONLY use external superdrive for 100$ but no waranty for the boot .

    What? Fix your optical drive. The Boot Camp supported configurations of computer are published in the Boot Camp support documentation. If you don'y want to fix your drive then stop trying to use Boot Camp. Use a VM instead.

  • by Billbrown,

    Billbrown Billbrown Nov 2, 2013 4:24 PM in response to Dillbobaggins
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 2, 2013 4:24 PM in response to Dillbobaggins

    Sooo much false information here its unreal.

     

    You can edit the info.plist file inside bootcamp assistant to enable the "install from usb" option on iMacs that have originally shipped with a Superdrive.

     

    You just need to add yourself admin rights to the folder & the file, then edit it and make a tiny change.

     

    The only difference is if your running Mavericks, then you need to re-sign the file to stop boot camp assistant crashing out.

     

    Google those and you will get detailed walkthroughs.

  • by DanielFaraday,

    DanielFaraday DanielFaraday Jan 22, 2014 9:16 AM in response to Dillbobaggins
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 22, 2014 9:16 AM in response to Dillbobaggins

    Any luck with this?

    I have a late 2012 Mac Mini.

    No Optical Drive on it.

    I created the USB drive with Bootcamp/

    Still getting the same error message above...

    Eventually I have to restart. The only after that is to delete the windows partiton in Bootcamp.

    I know the drive is good. On my desktop it comes up as WININSTALL.

     

    I would really like to install windows 7. Is there something I'm missing?

     

    Best,

     

    Joshua

  • by tdemille,

    tdemille tdemille Jan 25, 2014 11:04 AM in response to Dillbobaggins
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 25, 2014 11:04 AM in response to Dillbobaggins

    I had this same issue, what I did was very simple and solved me two days of hacking pLIst files.  My solution may not work for you, but essentially I kept seeing the dreaded 'insert boot device', so I:

     

    • rebooted
    • Held down the option key
    • the bootcamp boot screen came up and had recover disk, osx disk, and windows USB
    • I selected the windows USB and hit enter
    • It installed windows
  • by DanielFaraday,

    DanielFaraday DanielFaraday Jan 25, 2014 11:10 AM in response to tdemille
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 25, 2014 11:10 AM in response to tdemille

    I tried this as well.

    I see no USB drive in this screen. Just OS X Recovery and my current drive.

     

    Also, besides this issue.

    I was having some system failures.

    Took my MM to the apple store, and they kindly exchanged it.

    Told them about this issue. They said it commonly happens with flawed machines like mine.

    Regardless, this new one came with 10.8. I tried the install.

    Again, the same issue...

     

    Today, I will be trying ROXIO Toast as the .iso medium.

  • by tug!,

    tug! tug! Jan 26, 2014 4:56 AM in response to DanielFaraday
    Level 3 (685 points)
    Jan 26, 2014 4:56 AM in response to DanielFaraday

    just a thought but what usb drive are you using? usb 3 or usb 2?

     

    also i wouldn't use toast to produce an iso. it doesnt work properly!   an excellent programme otherwise though.

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