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2011 iMac won't install Windows 7 in Boot Camp

I'm attempting to install Windows 7 x64 on my 2011 (Thunderbolt) iMac via a burned, bootable DVD which was previously used to install Windows 7 x64 on my friend's MacBook Pro. Apparently, the disc works. After partitioning one of my internal drives in Boot Camp, downloading the drivers and stuff Apple provided, putting that stuff on a FAT-formated flash drive, then attempting to install Windows, the install fails. Well, it doesn't really fail. Before I'm even given the option of installing, right after clicking the "start setup" button in the Windows Installer, I get an error saying "No device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers, and then click ok." I go to scan and browse the flash drive for the drivers which Apple provided, and I get the same message over and over again regardless of what I click. I ran Software Update before doing any of this, and I have also attempted to install the x32 version of Windows 7 as well, as to no avail. I would try burning the Apple-provided drivers and stuff to a CD or DVD, but obviously there is no way to insert such a disc into the drive since the Windows disc is already in.


These are my computer's specs, if they matter:


2011 Thunderbolt iMac

2TB storage, partitioning 100GB for Windows

3.4GHz i7 quad-core

16GB RAM

Radeon 6970 with 2GB VRAM

...attempting to install Windows 7 Home Premium (I think) x64 (or x32 if I have to)

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on May 20, 2011 1:35 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on May 24, 2011 4:04 PM

I am having the same exact problem, my specs are:


2011 Thunderbolt

i7 3.4

27" imac

16GB

1TB

7 replies

May 24, 2011 8:17 PM in response to corpclik

Update: I've successfully installed Windows by re-burning my Windows .iso image at 4x. The install went smoothly, but Windows is now unable to boot. After installing and going through its series of reboots, then fails to boot after restarting (after given the option to select what method of updating you want Windows to use).


This is some of the stuff Windows says, on a black screen with white text, when the boot fails:

mcfg 0x8ee39000 0x3c 0x8ee0f000 0x195000 0x3

(insert a ton more of that ^ stuff)

recalculating checksums rsdt len 0x6c, xsdt len 0xb4

Completed

Booting Windows 7/Vista/Server (No SLIC - Pointer)

Booting Windows 7/Vista/Server (No SLIC)

Booting Windows NT/2000/XP

Booting Enter Command Line

Boot failed! Press any key to enter command line.

_


I've dug through various archived forum postings in the programming bowels of the internet. Apparently there was/has been/is a known issue in which Macs refuse to boot Windows when the Mac in question has a 2TB hard drive. This is due to some GRUB issue or something.


I have no idea what to do. I need Windows, and I'm quite sure no Genius appointment will help me solve this problem. So much for a Mac seamlessly running Windows via Boot Camp.

May 24, 2011 9:46 PM in response to dillonfromphiladelphia

I believe Windows 7 needs a partition formatted as NTSF (it won't run on a FAT 16/32 formatted drive). As BootCamp doesn't do NTSF formatting, you can run the Windows 7 installer to achieve that from the Windows 7 Install Disk. Just be sure you select the partition that is open, and not your Mac OSX one. 🙂


Here's some links that might help you out ...


http://gizmodo.com/5387353/how-to-survive-boot-camp-and-run-win-7-on-a-mac

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2289341?start=0&tstart=0


Message was edited by: Trancedog73

Jun 29, 2013 5:01 AM in response to dillonfromphiladelphia

I had a similar problem. I installed boot camp on my late 2012 iMac using a windows 7 DVD in an external usb drive. Windows seemed to install successfully, but after trying to reboot into windows I got the command line screen with "Boot failed. Press any key to enter command line."


The solution is as follows:


1.Boot with the windows 7 install DVD (hold down option at startup and then select the windows DVD)

2. Pretend you are about to install windows, but when you get to the screen where you select a partition, press shift f10. This will bring up a window where you can enter commands.

3. Type bootrec.exe/fixMbr [enter]

4. Type bootrec.exe/fixBoot [enter].


Exit and reboot and this time you should be able to boot from your windows partition.

2011 iMac won't install Windows 7 in Boot Camp

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