You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: cyberpass
cyberpass Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

MBA Mid 2013 - Bootcamp Windows 7 - Changing Partitions - What a mess!

Keywords: MBA MID 2013 - Partitions, Windows 7, No Keyboard on Install, expanding Partitions, gparted


Hello All,


I recently purchased a MBA (mid 2013) and its fabulous! I Successfully installed Windows 7 using bootcamp and it is probably the best windows laptop I've ever had. That didnt last long when I realized I ran out of space on it within a week. So what should I do? Easy. shrink the os x partition and increase the ntfs partition. It was anything but Easy!


Here is the summary of issues I came accross and there resolutions.


1. NTFS Partition was at the end of the disk(far right as seen on Gparted)

- Shrink OSX partition

- Move Recovery partition to beginning of newly freed space

- Expand NTFS partition

- Parittion should now be complete!


2. Newly Sized partition doesnt show up when pressing "alt" key

- Download and install gdisk

- follow instructions: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4144252?start=0&tstart=0

- essentialy, changing your partition table blows away your mbr or gpt/mbr


3. Windows still doesn't boot up.

"

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.

2. Choose your language settings and then click "next."

3. Click 'repair your computer'.

If you do not have the disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

Status: 0xc0000225

"

- Boot into windows install disk(created using bootcamp), and click repair. If you have any MBA pre 2013, you're in luck. Windows 7 install will fix your boot issue. You're good to go. If you have a MBA 2013, your fux0red! MBA 2013 use USB 3 and windows 7 install disk does not include the drivers, so the keyboard and mouse wont work! Which begs the question, how the **** did bootcamp install windows 7 the first time round. Someone please enlighten me!


4. Can't use keyboard or mouse on windows 7 install to fix boot issue.

- On a windows computer (maybe you can use virtual box) install WAIK:

Keywords: MBA MID 2013 - Partitions, Windows 7, No Keyboard on Install, expanding Partitions, gparted


Hello All,


I recently purchased a MBA (mid 2013) and its fabulous! I Successfully installed Windows 7 using bootcamp and it is probably the best windows laptop I've ever had. That didnt last long when I realized I ran out of space on it within a week. So what should I do? Easy. shrink the os x partition and increase the ntfs partition. It was anything but Easy!


Here is the summary of issues I came accross and there resolutions.


1. NTFS Partition was at the end of the disk(far right as seen on Gparted)

- Shrink OSX partition

- Move Recovery partition to beginning of newly freed space

- Expand NTFS partition

- Parittion should now be complete!


2. Newly Sized partition doesnt show up when pressing "alt" key

- Download and install gdisk

- follow instructions: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4144252?start=0&tstart=0

- essentialy, changing your partition table blows away your mbr or gpt/mbr


3. Windows still doesn't boot up.

"

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.

2. Choose your language settings and then click "next."

3. Click 'repair your computer'.

If you do not have the disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

Status: 0xc0000225

"

- Boot into windows install disk/usb(created using bootcamp), and click repair. If you have any MBA pre 2013, you're in luck. Windows 7 repair tool will fix your boot issue. You're good to go. If you have a MBA 2013, your fux0red! MBA 2013 use USB 3 and windows 7 install disk does not include the drivers, so the keyboard and mouse wont work! Which begs the question, how the **** did bootcamp install windows 7 the first time round. Someone please enlighten me!


4. Can't use keyboard or mouse on windows 7 install to fix boot issue.

- On a windows computer (maybe you can use virtual box) install WAIK: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5753

- This will allow you to "slipstream"(ie include) usb 3 drivers into your windows 7 install disk/usb

- Download USB 3.0 Drivers: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/confirm.aspx?httpDown=http://downloadmirror.int el.com/22824/eng/SetupUSB3.zip&lang=eng&Dwnldid=22824 Further discussion: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5100623?start=15&tstart=0

- using dism tool copy boot.wim from sources dirctory on win 7 install, mount boot.wim, add drivers from zip downloaded above, unmount boot.wim, replace boot.wim. Here are sample instructions:http://forums.mydigitallife.info/archive/index.php/t-35429.html


5. Reboot, and keyboard and mouse now work. use the repair option and windows 7 install utility should fix the boot issue.


I realize, this is a mess of a post, but i figured a lot more people will be having these issues and this should be a good place to avoid other people confusing the issue.

MacBook Air, Windows 7

Posted on Jul 13, 2013 9:14 AM

Reply
8 replies
User profile for user: steve359
steve359
User level: Level 6
17,175 points

Jul 13, 2013 9:41 AM in response to cyberpass

The "supported" metod is put forward normally to people who have hacked their system too badly, or simply as "this one will work".


Alternate methods like you created are not un-supported as much as they are "not guaranteed".


But good work making it happen. It might help someone else have a last shot at it before removing-all/reinstalling.

Reply
User profile for user: pepaxx
pepaxx
User level: Level 1
0 points

Nov 20, 2013 4:35 AM in response to cyberpass

Thank you, cyberpass! It wasn't easy, but your instructions worked for me. I have a mid 2013 macbook air with the Haswell processor, and I wanted to increase the size of my Win 7 (x64) bootcamp partition. I used Camptune X to resize both the OS X and bootcamp partitions, but after that, Win 7 would not boot, and when trying to repair the Win 7 installation using a Win 7 DVD, the installation would get stuck on the 'Select your language' screen, because neither the keyboard nor the trackpad would work.


I used another computer, and following your instructions I slipstreamed the USB3 drivers into the Win 7 installation files (on my HD). I then made an iso using the oscdimg tool from the WAIK

(oscdimg -n -m -b"path_to_the_etfsboot.com_file_of_the_Win7_files/etfsboot.com" path_to_the_Win7_file_dir path_to_the_new_iso_file/Win7(x64)_USB3.iso) and burned the iso to a dvd.


When I booted from the dvd, the MBA mouse/keyboard still didn't work, but once I plugged in an external keyboard, it worked. I tried to 'repair' the previous Win7 install, but I got a message that there was nothing wrong with the Win7 install. However, when I tried to boot from the Win7 bootcamp partition, instead of Win7 booting, I would get a few screens of command line messages, after which a '>grub' prompt appeared. It took me a while to notice this, but one of the screens suggested using something like 'force /n60 SYS ' (I don't remember exactly). When I entered this command at the 'grub' prompt, the computer executed it, restarted, and finally booted into the Win7 bootcamp partition.


It was a long night, but now I have what I wanted - a 2013 MBA with a small (~20 GB - smaller than what the Bootcamp Assistant would allow) Mavericks partition and a large (~100 GB) Win7 partition.

Reply
User profile for user: aoezel
aoezel
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 25, 2014 4:12 PM in response to cyberpass

Setup of Windows on MAC


Requirements :

  • USB 2.0 Stick with min. 2 GB Space
  • External USB Discdrive
  • Empty DVD (for Windows 7 Install Files)
  • Windows 7 x86 with 64Bit ISO

Preparation :

  • If any Bootcamp partition was already created, start Bootcamp Assistant and select only 3rd entry and delete any existing Bootcamp Partition. Restart your Mac
  • Prepare DVD
  • Burn Windows 7 ISO to DVD
  • Prepare USB 2.0 Stick
  • Plugin USB Stick into left USB Port

Installation :

  • Plug in your USB Stick into the left USB Port
  • Start Bootcamp Assistant, select 2nd entry only and let Bootcamp download and install Windows Support files on to USB Stick. Quit afterwards Bootcamp. Keep USB Stick plugged in into the left USB Port of your Mac
  • Plugin external DVD Drive, insert Windows 7 Install DVD
  • Start Bootcamp Assistant, select 3rd entry only and keep going to partition your drive and install.
  • Bootcamp restarts into Windows, loads from DVD the Windows 7 installation files and within the whole process, it loads Bootcamp Driver and finishes successful

General Notes :

  • I tried several different pathways to get Windows via Bootcamp into Mac and my supposed way was the one which worked from skretch and on the first try!
  • No hussles with freezing Windows 7, no working Trackpad and Keyboard or anything else!!!
  • Useful link : http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4599
Reply

MBA Mid 2013 - Bootcamp Windows 7 - Changing Partitions - What a mess!

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up