MacBook Air 2013 Windows 7 freezes during installation

I had the same problem when installing Win7 using bootcamp. My solution which seemed to work on two MB Air with out any problem is as follows:

- Create the bootable OS (it's not part of the solution; you can use CD drive if you choose to)

- Create the driver using USB

- Leave the driver USB plugged during the entire installation of the Win7 (this seemed to be the solution to the freezing problem right after installation and driver not loading)

- Partition and follow installation instruction

When the Win7 installation is complete, it'll automatically start installing the driver from the USB drive. During the installation of the driver, you'll notice similar bootcamp driver installtion status.

I had the same problem when installing Win7 using bootcamp. My solution which seemed to work on two MB Air with out any problem is as follows:

- Create the bootable OS (it's not part of the solution; you can use CD drive if you choose to)

- Create the driver using USB

- Leave the driver USB plugged during the entire installation of the Win7 (this seemed to be the solution to the freezing problem right after installation and driver not loading)

- Partition and follow installation instruction

When the Win7 installation is complete, it'll automatically start installing the driver from the USB drive.

anyone having any kind of freezing problem (especially during expanding files) - quit the installation, hold down alt to go back to mac, spotlight search disk utility and unmount and remove the .iso file - the problem was that the file was still in use by your mac. found this through trial and error.

Hi there, I having a same Issue when Installing Windows 7(HomePremium). Any updates now can be soft? Million Thank~ 🙂

I'm having the same issues. Please update if you find a solution

I'm having the same issues. Please update if you find a solution

Please see CODEUS solution. This has worked for me consistly on 8 users MBA. You basically just need to run each of the bootcamp options seperatly.

I'm reposting Codeus's solution below. This worked for me but I will add some useful points underneath.

It looks like it is important that the 'Windows Support software' that you download via Bootcamp is available to the Windows installer during the install process.

The best way to achieve this is to let Boot Camp Assistant put both the installer DVD image and the Windows Support software on to a single USB Flash drive as follows: -

• Copy a Windows 7 or 8 ISO image on to your Mac
• Insert an 8GB or larger USB flash drive in to a USB socket (warning: it will be wiped).
• Open BootCamp and select 'Remove Windows 7 or later version' to get rid of the failed Windows install
• Select 'Create Windows 7 or later version install disk' and follow the instructions to copy the ISO to the USB drive.
• Select 'Download the latest Windows support software from Apple' and follow the instruction to download to the same USB drive.
• Select 'Install Windows 7 or later' and go through the installation process, make sure the USB drive is still plugged in.

I have managed to install Windows 7 SP1 successfully using two versions. I installed a downloaded ISO image from the link I posted earlier but it would not accept my OEM serial number. I have had problems using the external Superdrive, I think because the right hand USB port is the secondary one. In the end I created an ISO image of my OEM disk from the Superdrive while booted in to the Mac.

I discovered the best way to use this is with Toast as Disk Utility refused to create a cdr. Either way if it works using Disk Utility then change the .cdr suffix to .iso and if you can't do it with Disk Utility then use Toast as I did and create a .toast image and when complete change the suffix to .iso. All you have to do then is follow Codeus's instructions pointing the Boot Camp Assistant to the location of your installer image .iso wherever you saved it and let the Boot Camp Assistant do its thing. Works like a dream compared to the freezing/hanging problems encountered by many of us.

FYI,

Great instructions in this entire thread. However, no mention has been made that this only works with a USB2 device. I tried with a Kingston USB3 flash drive but I kept getting "unable to boot from device". When I restarted and forced booting into the "Windows" partition I could not use the keyboard or trackpad.

With an older USB2 external drive I was able to install Windows 7 SP1 using the above instructions.

Thanks,

That is because this whole issue is because you do not have a USB 3.0 driver on the default Windows 7 installation media. So how are you going to provide a USB 3.0 driver to the install from a USB 3.0 device?

This worked for me as well.

MacBook Air 13" with i5 Haswell

Windows 7 Home Basic 64bit

I had the problem where my mouse and keyboard wasnt active when i had to set up my windows and had to key in a new user id

I was stuck for a long period of time and was on the verge of giving up. I decided that i would try a last time

i followed the instructions to

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4599

very very closely until the end. Next I prepared a 8GB thumbdrive.(very impt, i used a 4gb and it was driving me up the wall)

and continued to follow instructions on

http://help.apple.com/bootcamp/mac/5.0/help/

tried all over again and it worked

Hope it works for you

Intresting. I had installed Windows 8.1 Developer Preview via the BootCamp assistant a few days after purchase (back in June). It installed flawlessly, with no issues at all. So it was only this week when I decided to Install Windows 7 Ultimate, as it is more practical for what I use a laptop for. Got the same issue everyone else is getting during the Install of Windows 7 (freezes at 64%). Now about to try your "alternate method" (exploit) 🙂

Must be a Driver Issue, Lack of USB 3 support from stock Windows 7 iso is probably the culprit. But thanks for hopefully solving my problem (fingers-crossed)

Yes, the whole story behind this issue is usb3.0 driver missing from Win7 install image. Some of you guy may thing that how it magicaly work if you boot from Boot camp assistant? Because when boot camp send restart command, it also send parameter to setup.exe of Win7 installer too. If you make Win7 install usb with Boot camp assistant, you will find additional file called Autounattend.xml and additional folders, $WinPEDriver$ and Bootcamp. In $WinPEDriver$ contain usb3.0 drivers in it.(also other 2 drivers) This Autounattend.xml will tell installer where to find usb3.0 and load them during boot. So, it doesn't matter which usb port are you use. It will work but you need to make Win7 install usb with Bootcamp assistant and reboot from via boot camp.

In fact, I mod install.wim and boot.wim in sources folder by add usb3.0 drivers in. With the mods, now I do not need to care about boot camp any more (only need it to download drivers).

Ugh- having the dreaded "Expanding Windows Files" getting stuck at 68% EVERY TIME.

This is my 3rd Macbook Air, and I've had no trouble installing Win 7 Pro in the past on the other two.

I've tried every method I can think of... booting from USB, Superdrive + USB, Superdrive only.. it all results in "Expanding Windows Files" EVERY TIME. I've followed the direction to a tee, installing every OSX / Bootcamp update.

Also, I do have trackpad / keyboard support during installation, so it doesn't seem to be an obvious driver issue.

If anyone has slipped in to a resolution for this "Expanding Windows Files" freezing issue, please speak up. I've been working on this for 8 hours now.