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Q: USB ports/devices not working under Windows-7 after Bootcamp installation on MacBookPro Retina Late 2013.  SOLUTION: Use USB 2.0 stick for Bootcamp driver downloads

1) INSTALLATION

 

I used Bootcamp (v. 5.1.1, OS X Mavericks) in combination with an original Microsoft installation DVD disc in an external optical CD/DVD drive. Note, the installation is NOT done from a Windows-7 ISO image.

 

In the Bootcamp setup menu, only the lower two of the three options are selected, namely a) download Windows-7 drivers to a USB stick, and b) partition the harddrive and then to install Windows. The top option using USB stick together with ISO image ist not selected.

 

2) PROBLEM

 

After the initial Windows-7 installation, no devices attached to the USB ports can be found under Windows-7. All USB ports are dead. Also several other hardware components were not functioning (such as wireless). It is a hardware driver issue.

 

3) CAUSE

 

This hardware driver issue is caused when using a USB 3.0 stick in the destination drive for the Bootcamp driver downloads. It seems that Windows-7 cannot recognize the USB 3.0 stick properly during the Bootcamp/Windows installation process, thus failing to do perform a proper installation of several Windows-7 hardware drivers.

 

4) SOLUTION

 

Embarassingly simple: Use instead a USB 2.0 stick and everything will work perfectly.

 

Follow these steps in order:

 

1) Connect external DVD drive to a USB port and insert the Windows installation disc

2) Start the Bootcamp utility

3) In Bootcamp, remove the previously failed Windows-7 installation and partition completely

4) In Bootcamp, redo the entire setup process, but this time using a USB 2.0 stick

5) Follow all further steps in Bootcamp and Windows-7 installation process

6) Towards the end you will be asked to confirm the installation of all Bootcamp/Windows drivers

7) Bootcamp now properly  installs all the Windows-7 drivers

8) Your Windows-7 installation now works like a charm

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Dec 6, 2013 2:21 AM

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Q: USB ports/devices not working under Windows-7 after Bootcamp installation on MacBookPro Retina Late 2013.  SOLUTION: Use USB ... more

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  • Helpful answers

  • by waynefromsanta fe,

    waynefromsanta fe waynefromsanta fe Dec 14, 2013 8:44 PM in response to appleidge
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 14, 2013 8:44 PM in response to appleidge

    You are the greatest!  It took me hours to figure this out till I found your posting....Apple should make everyone aware of this issue...  Phone support did not have this solution... It worked great!

  • by ZXNinja9,

    ZXNinja9 ZXNinja9 Dec 17, 2013 11:03 AM in response to appleidge
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 17, 2013 11:03 AM in response to appleidge

    I have a bit of a problem with this solution, I get the same problem with the USB3.0 ports not working in Windows 7 but I have been using a USB2.0 flash drive the whole time and it's not working

  • by dreamlifter747,

    dreamlifter747 dreamlifter747 Feb 4, 2014 6:48 AM in response to ZXNinja9
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 4, 2014 6:48 AM in response to ZXNinja9

    hi i have exactly the same question. I use a USB2.0 stick but yet the USB ports are dead when windows is installed.

    Did you find any solution ? please reply

     

    thanks

  • by ZXNinja9,

    ZXNinja9 ZXNinja9 Feb 4, 2014 9:12 AM in response to dreamlifter747
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 4, 2014 9:12 AM in response to dreamlifter747

    I never found a solution, it was a friends macbook and I don't have access to it anymore. Hopefully someone finds a fix.

  • by Fred CHAUNIER,

    Fred CHAUNIER Fred CHAUNIER Feb 28, 2014 4:29 PM in response to appleidge
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 28, 2014 4:29 PM in response to appleidge

    Thanks for the USB2 tip, it was my problem.

    But I did not have a 8GB USB2 stick.
    So here's an other way, using a USB3 stick: just use a USB2 hub!

    I plugged my old USB2 hub to the MacBook, and my USB3 stick on the hub, and it worked.

  • by dynofu,

    dynofu dynofu Mar 27, 2014 2:42 PM in response to dreamlifter747
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 27, 2014 2:42 PM in response to dreamlifter747

    i encounted the same problem after the BootCamp installation - all USB ports are dead. after uninstall Intel's driver from program manager, ports revived, although it's now USB 2.0.

  • by dreamlifter747,

    dreamlifter747 dreamlifter747 Mar 27, 2014 7:33 PM in response to appleidge
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 27, 2014 7:33 PM in response to appleidge

    ok guys i had the same problem in my new macbook retina. The problem is not entirely the USB. The windows version u are trying to install is either pirated or cracked.

     

    Try installing the original windows 7 or 8 90 day trial version from Microsoft website and then it flows flawlessly. No USB or any other problem.

    After installing the trial version using USB 2.0 (bought 3 yrs agao) the installation completed successfully and all USB ports were working perfectly and no red light in the headphone jack!

     

    just for the sake of checking your mac's hardware try the windows trial if it works means the USB is not the problem and your  windows copy is not original.

     

    I am 100% sure windows trial version will work with no errors.try and let us know

     

    thanks

  • by Darkulous,

    Darkulous Darkulous May 16, 2014 2:00 PM in response to Fred CHAUNIER
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 16, 2014 2:00 PM in response to Fred CHAUNIER

    I can confirm that using a usb2 hub will "cheat" the problem.

     

    I looked over at my PC and saw my Razor keyboard which has an addition USB port. I said what the ****, grabbed the keyboard and hooked it to my wifes Mac.  It detected the KEYBOARD!  I picked up the USB3 with the precious files inside and plugged it into the keyboard - Success!

  • by olypdd,

    olypdd olypdd Jun 7, 2014 12:38 AM in response to dreamlifter747
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jun 7, 2014 12:38 AM in response to dreamlifter747

    This reminds me. When I installed Windows 7 on my 2011 MBP, I kept losing power to the USB ports. I checked the properties in the device drivers (USB BUS) and there is a power conservation option that was checked by default. It was labled something like "power down the USB bus to conserve energy" or something similar. So I unchecked that box on each USB bus properties and no more issues ever. This issue sounds like it's been solved and a different issue from mine, though it seems worth a look at those driver properties for this really dumb default selection that seemed to power down the usb port whenever it felt like it.

  • by olypdd,

    olypdd olypdd Jun 7, 2014 12:52 AM in response to dreamlifter747
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jun 7, 2014 12:52 AM in response to dreamlifter747

    Good point. I saw a youtube video about this very point you're making. The guy downloaded under his license and those installations presented similar issues. Only when he downloaded the trial from Microsoft did it install the drivers and the install went smoothly. http://youtu.be/m9oMz5rMkD8

     

    Also, after he got the trial version, he had to delete the bootcamp partition and start from scratch with the Windows 7 trial  package. So if you use that from the get go, the drivers should install correctly. Check out his other videos, problem 1, 2, 3.

     

    After keyboard and mouse freezes, here's what he did- http://youtu.be/jCPpbJB5LzI

  • by siu-85,

    siu-85 siu-85 Jul 27, 2016 11:30 AM in response to appleidge
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 27, 2016 11:30 AM in response to appleidge

    Another solution:

    1. Burn the Bootcamp drivers to a CD-ROM.
    2. Run Bootcamp to create a Windows 7 partition and install Windows 7.
    3. After Windows 7 is installed use the CD-ROM in step 1 to load all the Apple/Windows drivers.

     

    I tried loading the Windows drivers using a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 stick with no luck. Using the CD-ROM instead worked and all the drivers loaded perfectly.