MacBook Pro with (SSD+HDD)

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Level 1

9 points

MacBook Pro with (SSD+HDD)

I have MBP (early 2011), I took off my DVD drive, put HDD in the place of DVD and put an SSD on the HD connection. I installed Lion on SSD and Users home folder on HDD. I did this setup as my SSD is only 80GB and I have over 200GB of user data.

I tried to make Boot Camp Assistant (BCA) to resize HDD to install Windows 7, the BCA freezes as it needs to unmount and mount HDD to do the resize. Of course it won't be able to unmount it as it's in-use by the OS. I've managed to fix this issue by logging in as 'root' and I created the bootcamp partition successfully.

Now I have a windows 7 iso which I burn on DVD and restarted MBP to install Windows 7. Using an external USB DVD drive and using the ALT key I get the bootable devices and when I choose the DVD drive. I get a black blank screen with the flashing cursor, I see the dvd drive light blinking for a minute or two and that's it. Nothing happens after that, I pressed all kind of keys and still nothing happened.

The iso file has an EFI folder which in theory it should be bootable on a MBP, but yet still can't get to the setup screen.

Any suggetions or recomendations that I can do?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7), 15" Early 2011

Posted on Sep 19, 2011 3:30 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 19, 2011 3:40 AM in response to Boiling Ice

This could simply be that the media is corrupt, try redownloading and re burning a fresh ISO, this could help, If that doesn't help try making a bootable USB drive.

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Answer 2

Boiling Ice Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 19, 2011 4:14 AM in response to Sillychilly

I did redownload and also tried the DVD on a PC and worked.

I'm in the process of making a USB drive as I type...

I will update the post later

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Answer 3

Boiling Ice Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 19, 2011 6:10 AM in response to Sillychilly

I created a USB drive, but still the same thing... It's bootable from a PC and virtual machine via parallels as expected, but still black screen

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Answer 4

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Sep 19, 2011 7:12 AM in response to Boiling Ice

There are issues and extra steps with two hard drives.

Easy method is to disconnect the drive that you will NOT use for Windows.

Another, format the non Windows to something other than GPT.

Look for a thread on iMac w/ SSD and HDD

https://discussions.apple.com/profile/The%20hatter?view=bookmarks

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Answer 5

Sep 19, 2011 8:30 AM in response to Boiling Ice

You need to wait very long.

I have the exactly same setup like yours but when I used bootcamp assistant to make a windows partition I don't have any problems, I don't know why.

After clicking start installation from BCA my MBP rebooted and then I wait for like 15-20 mins.

At first it turns black, then show a black line blinking, then turn blank again, then blinking, then start loading windows file, then installation started.

So far so good but I don't have the required drivers for the system so I'm stucked in installation progress.

I downloaded windows supported software though, if there's any help will be greatly appreciated 🙂

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Answer 6

Boiling Ice Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 19, 2011 9:53 AM in response to LucentShade

I've waited for over 30 minutes and still no progress. reading the link suggested by 'the hatter' indicates that the issue is both Lion and Windows 7 have recovery partition which they can't get alone very well.

Also the EFI seems to fail to boot up Windows 7 setup so I can't pinpoint the issue exactly. It's just so annoying I can't install it..

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Answer 7

Sep 19, 2011 11:26 AM in response to Boiling Ice

I've successfully setup mine in half an hour.

nothing had been done.

I just change another windows 7 disc (32 bit)

Create bootcamp partition, reboot.

Format the partition

Start installation and wait all done,I guess my is just the disc corrupted.

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Answer 8

Boiling Ice Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 20, 2011 2:28 AM in response to LucentShade

I tried 32-bit and 64-bit, redownloaded the ISOs and checked MD5 just to make sure and still same issue.

I installed rEFI hoping for something, but when I try to boot from the USB/DVD it complains about no bootable device.

I'm almost giving up on this 😟

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Answer 9

Sep 20, 2011 10:58 PM in response to Boiling Ice

I have beaten my head against the same brick wall, a few years ago now, with a MBP 3,1.

Replaced optical superdrive drive with HDD, and used external USB optical drive. I discovered that there was no way any bootable Windows CD/DVD would boot from the external burner. Tried Microsoft install disks, Paragon and Acronis. Also tried a different burner which was firewire or usb

I ended up putting the superdrive back in the MBP and all would boot again.

I have since heard that there are exceptions and ways round this, but you may be in same situation.

Windows is fussy about booting from external optical drives.

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Answer 10

Boiling Ice Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 21, 2011 12:31 AM in response to Mike Boreham

I don't think it's about Windows booting from external drive, I used the same drive to boot up on HP, Dell and Toshiba... all successfully booted and starting installing.

I think the issue here is with EFI or Lion recovery partition. I just can't figure out where the pinpoint is

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Answer 11

Sep 21, 2011 12:45 AM in response to Boiling Ice

You may well be right but it could be that the problem is Macs booting Windows disks in an external burner, rather than Windows booting Windows in an external burner.

I can't remember all that I found out at that time, except that I wasn't alone.

I still have the USB external burners from that experiment, but now have a MBP 2010 with Lion and recovery partition. So I will see if I can boot from Windows installer disks in the external.

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Answer 12

Sep 21, 2011 1:10 AM in response to Mike Boreham

Just tried both my external USB burners with my MBP, trying to boot from a Win 7 HP 32bit install disk.....no go...just like it was for a few years ago.

Of course the reason could be different now.

Would be good to hear from someone who has definitely booted from and external USB burner, with Lion etc.

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