Windows wont load onto the Bootcamp partition after formatting.

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Windows wont load onto the Bootcamp partition after formatting.

Got a new 13" Air 8/128 to replace my plastic MacBook which has run as a Bootcamp XP machine for years. My plan was to load Windows 7 from a USB ISO file.

First problem has been when I did get Windows loaded I coldnt use a keyboard or mouse to enter any settings to complete the install. I see there are some posts on this and if I make it back to that stage again hopefully following those will help.

Second and current problem is that after removing the failed windows partition and starting again, when Bootcamp makes a Bootcamp partition, and then I format it in NTFS, Windows says it cant install on it. Is there an issue with Bootcamp partitioning?

MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Aug 8, 2013 6:37 AM

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Answer 1

MillsDesign Author

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Aug 8, 2013 7:04 AM in response to MillsDesign

Tried again, after formatting the Bootcamp partition I get: "Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition."

Rebooted Mac, ran Bootcamp to remove windows partition, ran Disk Utility to check disk, restarted, ready to try again. Probably had this happen 5 times now.

Have Win 7 ISO on USB, have latest support software on another... bit puzzled.

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Answer 2

The hatter

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Aug 8, 2013 7:19 AM in response to MillsDesign

Seems like Windows even 8 does not understand the PCI Express SSD Samsung device??

You are the second one in 24 hrs - someone did get it installed fine but then would BSOD at various times and not sure why.

Samsung Magician is not seeing these SSDs as AHCI so it won't update the firmware or perform other tests.

There is a new Magician 4.2 out for new EVO

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Answer 3

MillsDesign Author

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Aug 8, 2013 7:46 AM in response to The hatter

Hatter,

Thanks for that, it seems a disppointing outcome for a new Air buyer intending to run Bootcamp/W7! Samsung Magician is a windows program, so presumably you have to have succeeded with an install to run it? If so will 4.2 improve matters?

Tempted to return it and say thanks but...

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Answer 4

MillsDesign Author

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Aug 8, 2013 8:25 AM in response to MillsDesign

Looking for info on my SSD I found this:

With an SSD on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, they are as follows:

TS = Toshiba

SM = Samsung

Other = likely 3rd party upgrade

Mine says APPLE SSD SD0128F

Is SD a Samsung SSD or...?

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Answer 5

MillsDesign Author

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Aug 8, 2013 8:43 AM in response to MillsDesign

OK, well I am using this as a blog now...

Just out of cussedness I kept going with the bootcamp - partition - fail loop until I got one that stuck, and proceeded to install. Got caught with no mouse/keyboard drivers again, so aother fail, but interesting this is an intermittant issue. More to come eager readers. reader.

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Answer 6

The hatter

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Aug 8, 2013 8:50 AM in response to MillsDesign

New hardware and I can promise you that even OS X will be behind on support. The wifi issue with some new models is just pare for the course. And you can expect Windows to lag getting driver support.

Maybe between iOS 7 and polishing Maverick they forgot?

They fixed an issue with Boot Camp and 3TB Fusion drives only to disable RAID support for drives larger than 2.2TB in 10.8.4 (before that you could use 3 and 4TB drive models. Someone forgot to test??

Wireless support doesn't come until a system and drivers are loaded and I have some old tech notes or user suggestions from past.

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Answer 7

MillsDesign Author

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Aug 8, 2013 9:41 AM in response to MillsDesign

SD likely to be SanDisk, so Samsung SSD issues unlikely to apply? http://blog.macsales.com/19008-performance-testing-not-all-2013-macbook-air-ssds -are-the-same

Hatter, not sure what the wireless comments refer to, hasnt been an issue (so far).

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Answer 8

The hatter

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Aug 8, 2013 9:48 AM in response to MillsDesign

New Macbook Air - wifi connectivity problems

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Answer 9

MillsDesign Author

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Aug 8, 2013 10:44 AM in response to MillsDesign

OK, followed the instructions to get everything on a single W7 USB stick (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5100623?start=0&tstart=0) and somehow managed to get beyond the partition issue, and seem to have a working W7 install. Dont know why (theres no sun up in the sky) but it all seemed to come together at last.

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Answer 10

The hatter

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Aug 8, 2013 10:46 AM in response to The hatter

force thread to refresh

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