Bootcamp Macbook Air 2011 "No Bootable device"

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Bootcamp Macbook Air 2011 "No Bootable device"

Hello,

I'm trying to install windows 7 on my brand new Macbook Air. It's the Macbook air Mid 2011 with Mac Os Lion. I used bootcamp to create a bootable USB Drive with the windows installation and the windows support drivers. After that bootcamp starts partitioning and then reboots. Up to the reboot everything seems to work as it should. During the reboot I get a black screen with the message: "No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key". I am able to boot of the bootable USB drive on my windows PC so it seems the USB drive is OK. To make sure I tried two different windows DVD's. Any idea's on fixing the problem?There's not much information on internet yet about the new bootcamp in OS Lion. Been trying the whole day so I hope someone can help me out.

Greetings Johan

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jul 29, 2011 12:26 PM

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Answer 1

Trey992

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Jul 29, 2011 12:28 PM in response to Oehoe

There was just a post with the exact same problem. Look on page 1.

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Answer 2

Oehoe Author

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Jul 29, 2011 2:28 PM in response to Trey992

Could you point me to the discussion because I read the other posts but I didn't find anyone with the same fault. I only found a sollution of rebuilding the ISO but I did that already about ten times. I tried it via bootcamp and with Windows 7 download software for DVD/USB on the PC. Still the same message.

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Answer 3

Trey992

Level 1

30 points

Jul 29, 2011 2:43 PM in response to Oehoe

I was referring to to the thread that was talking about rebuilding the ISO, sorry.

So you've tried using Windows Install DVD's that work correctly and you still it still says 'No bootable device'?

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Answer 4

SamA1R

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Jul 29, 2011 2:46 PM in response to Oehoe

exact same problem here.. please help

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Answer 5

Oehoe Author

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Jul 29, 2011 2:52 PM in response to Trey992

I created a bootable USB Drive which works on my Windows PC. I can boot from the USB Drive into the windows installation on my PC. When I use this USB drive on the macbook air with bootcamp I get the " No bootable device" message. Thanks for any help!

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Answer 6

Frotty

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Jul 29, 2011 3:34 PM in response to Oehoe

Same problem here, except for that i got a mac mini 2011... spend 2 days with that. happy if ill get this to work..

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Answer 7

Jul 29, 2011 6:18 PM in response to Oehoe

I spent 2 hours (phone) with Apple Care... stuck to the step "Format to NTFS",... Impossible to find any driver

Hope an upgrade of BootCamp will fix this ?

Soon ?

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Answer 8

SamA1R

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Jul 29, 2011 9:31 PM in response to Oehoe

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/windows-7-on-the-macbook-air-dont-go-there/1471 4

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Answer 9

Jul 30, 2011 12:47 AM in response to SamA1R

Thanks for the link to the article, however it refers to last year's model and doesn't really address the original poster's question. I am also stuck in the same spot. Spent quite a while creating a bootable USB stick and get the "No Bootable Device -- insert boot disk and press any key" error. I then connected up my CD drive with my Windows CD and same error.

Has anybody been sucessful at getting Win 7 onto their Bootcamp partition? I'm thinking there has to be some manual way to do this. I see that I have a Bootcamp partition ready to be set up, however I'm not familiar enough with DVD-less Mac's to know what the possible work around might be.

Thanks for your help!

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Answer 10

Jul 30, 2011 1:14 AM in response to Oehoe

2 ideas :

- Windows 7 installer needs some certified drivers to access the SSD module : maybe those drivers are there but aren't recognized as certified. So Windows 7 installer stops

- As Apple provides also Toshiba SSD, maybe somebody (lucky) with a Samsung SSD succeded in this stuff ?

(Mine is an unlucky Toshiba 256 Go)

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Answer 11

SamA1R

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Jul 30, 2011 7:13 AM in response to jkwireless

That article was written 2 days ago, I suggest you read it again. It clearly states there are issues with using a usb drive to bootcamp windows 7.

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Answer 12

Jul 30, 2011 7:42 AM in response to Oehoe

In my case : no problem to launch Windows installer from a USB Flash Key

- Windows Home Premium 64bits French (official, DVD)

- image ISO built with "ISO recorder 3.1" (from a PC running Vista and DVD reader)

- MBA mid 2011 13" Lion / Bootcamp 4.0.1 (429)

ISO file copied on MBA desktop

BOOTCAMP : 3 boxes checked (@ "Select Tasks" step, sorry I don't have the english version)

Then wait around 5 to 10 mn to get a bootable key filled with :

- Windows 7 (from ISO)

- and a directory "WindowsSupport" (from web)

Split the SDD (in my choice 50/50%)

Then install starts....(steps, ...)...... then it shows 4 partitions

The fourth one is labelled BOOTCAMP but it isn't yet an UMTS one

So I use "format" (the label "BOOTCAMP" is erased), 125 Go are available

And... END of story, because I can't find any certified driver (Windows installer needs drivers to recognize the UMTS partition)

In the past, it was solved by an update of BOOTCAMP, so should I wait or ... cry ?

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Answer 13

Jul 30, 2011 8:18 AM in response to Oehoe

I am having the exact same problem. Used 2 different versions of windows and get the same error.

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Answer 14

Oehoe Author

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5 points

Jul 30, 2011 9:12 AM in response to pilloworker

I tried the "ISO recorder" software and it didn't work for me. I decided I'm going to try reinstalling Mac OS X to see if that makes a difference. I'll report back later tonight.

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Answer 15

Jul 30, 2011 1:11 PM in response to Oehoe

I don't promote a specific ISO tool, :-) it's the first I tested. And it seems to be a bit shy :-)

You may not notice the software after install, but if you click-right onto a DVD volume, you'll get a new line "create image from CD/DVD"

Please also check if you got the good one (64 or 32bits, etc...)

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