Q: How to access Bootcamp drivers in Windows 7?

Having successfully installed Windows 7 (64-bit) on a Bootcamp partition of my new iMac, I used Disk Utility to format an 8 GB USB flash drive, choosing the MSDOS (FAT32) Format option as instructed to do by the Bootcamp 5.0 installation PDF. I then unzipped the Bootcamp 5.0.5033 files I had previously downloaded and copied them to the root directory of my flash drive.

When I restarted Windows 7 with the USB flash drive mounted, I navigated to my flash drive using only the wireless keyboard and tried to open the setup.exe file to install the hardware drivers. To my surprise, Windows 7 regarded my flash drive as improperly formatted and therefore unreadable. It cheerfully offered to format it for me, which I declined.

Back on the Mac OS 10.8.3 partition, I found that I could reformat my flash drive using NTSC, but then the Mac OS could no longer copy the Bootcamp drivers onto it. Since I don't have the necessary Windows drivers installed, naturally I can't get online and download the Bootcamp driver files directly onto the Windows 7 desktop. And I don't have access to another Windows computer at the moment. So it's a case of: "You can't get there from here".

I'd appreciate any suggestions for workarounds.

Many thanks!

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on Apr 13, 2013 3:45 PM

I have this question too

Q: How to access Bootcamp drivers in Windows 7?

All replies

Helpful answers

by Eric Ross,

Eric Ross Apr 13, 2013 3:53 PM in response to grj0245
Level 6 (11,686 points)

Apr 13, 2013 3:53 PM in response to grj0245

Take a look at this link, http://support.apple.com/downloads/#macoscomponents

BootCamp FAQs, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5639
Reply options

Link to this post

by grj0245,

grj0245 Apr 13, 2013 4:35 PM in response to grj0245
Level 1 (0 points)

Apr 13, 2013 4:35 PM in response to grj0245

Small Correction: I meant to say "NTFS", not "NTSC" (which refers to the television broadcast protocol.)
Reply options

Link to this post

by grj0245,

grj0245 Apr 13, 2013 4:43 PM in response to grj0245
Level 1 (0 points)

Apr 13, 2013 4:43 PM in response to grj0245

Eric,

Thanks for the links. I had consulted both of those web pages and followed their instructions. So I have requisite Bootcamp files. The problem is that, contrary to the instructions given in the BootCamp installation PDF, Windows 7 refuses to recognize my FAT32 formatted USB flash drive, so I can't get access to the driver files on it. And of course Windows 7 can't see the Mac OS partition so I can't access them there either.
Reply options

Link to this post

by Eric Ross,

Eric Ross Apr 13, 2013 5:04 PM in response to grj0245
Level 6 (11,686 points)

Apr 13, 2013 5:04 PM in response to grj0245

Is it possible to put the drivers on a CD or DVD?
Reply options

Link to this post

by Csound1,

Csound1 Apr 14, 2013 7:39 AM in response to grj0245
Level 9 (51,412 points)

Desktops

Apr 14, 2013 7:39 AM in response to grj0245

Format the drive using Windows, then copy the files on to it from your Mac.

Simplest method is to go buy another one and don't format it, they came correctly formatted as Fat32 when new (unless they are above 32GB)
Reply options

Link to this post

by lwhyman,

lwhyman Nov 13, 2013 3:18 PM in response to grj0245
Level 1 (0 points)

Nov 13, 2013 3:18 PM in response to grj0245

I went crazy trying to do a clean install of Mavericks and then Windows7 Bootcamp. It kept stopping before loading the drivers leaving me with a black screen. I finally hit F8 during windows boot at some point and selected "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement." After that, Bootcamp continued the Windows install properly.

Sorry this is so late; but perhaps others will find it useful.
Reply options

Link to this post

Q: How to access Bootcamp drivers in Windows 7?

All replies Helpful answers

by Eric Ross,

by grj0245,

by grj0245,

by Eric Ross,

by Csound1,

by lwhyman,

All replies

Helpful answers