Mac Mini 2012 BootCamp Windows install failing

Question

Mac Mini 2012 BootCamp Windows install failing

Hello,

I have the new 2012 Mac Mini (model Macmini6,2). I'm having difficulties installing Windows 7 with Bootcamp.

I run the Bootcamp Assistant which successfully creates a Windows 7 install disk (on a USB drive). It also successfully downloads the latest windows support software and puts it on a different USB drive. The hardrive partition options come up and after selecting the desired partion layout the system reboots and starts booting the Windows installer. This is where things go wrong...

The Windows installer is unable to recognize my installed hard drive. It asks for additional drivers and regardless of what drivers I select from the Windows support files it never is able to see the hard drive, and therefore can't continue with the installation.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks,

Bill

Mac mini, Windows 7, Mountain Lion 10.8.2 Bootcamp

Posted on Nov 19, 2012 7:40 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Jan 17, 2013 3:20 PM in response to BillSandiford

I believe I am experiencing something similar. I have the 2012 Mini with the Fusion Drive and 10.8.2, and am trying to install Windows 7.

In the initial Windows installation steps, I can see the BOOTCAMP partition, but when I try and install Windows on it, Windows says something like it can't find a system partition.

Since it can see the partition, it doesn't seem like a storage driver issue, but I'm wondering whether there is something about the Fusion drive that is preventing Windows 7 from installing.

I was able to install Windows 8 on this Mini previously, so it seems that Windows 7 is missing something that is required to install on the Fusion Drive.

Reply

Answer 2

Jan 17, 2013 3:49 PM in response to BillSandiford

I am having the same problmes this very minute. I am bringing in another batch of Windows support s/w from Apple and am going to try again but for the last few attempts I am stuck at the "drivers" issue. I have no idea what drivers Win7 is looking for. Same machine as yours. Funny thing, I just set the Mrs. up with a 32 bit Win7 and it was a breeze to install and get up and running on an iMac from 2009. Go figure. I will be watching this thread. If you have progress, please post. Thanks.

Reply

Answer 3

Jan 17, 2013 6:13 PM in response to Steven Poleske

Here's what I did and it worked. When the Win installer comes to the panel with all the drive partitions and when you click on the BootCamp partition and it does nothing, look to the lower right and there should be a selection there that says "more" or "other" or something like that. Click on that and there will appear more selections to chose from. One says "Format" go ahead and format your BootCamp partition then all of a sudden the installer will take off and follow through with the installation and six hours later from the time your began your Windows mission, you can be right here posting while in Win7. Just like me.

Reply

Answer 4

Jan 17, 2013 6:34 PM in response to Steven Poleske

Well, the first time I did format the BootCamp partition with Win 7, just like I did for the Win 8 install previously, and I still got the error.

But I just tried again after a reboot, and the Win 7 install worked this time.

But the partitions listed were different this time. Previously Windows displayed partitions on 2 disks (disk 1 and disk 2), but this time it only displayed one disk. So something changed between the first time I tried it and this second time.

After the failure the first time, I read some discussions on the Fusion drive, and it appears that the Boot Camp partition is created on the mechanical drive only, and that if you use Boot Camp / Windows, you will not gain any benefit from the SSD or Fusion architecture. If this is accurate, it is a bummer.

Reply