How can I install WinPE on a MacBook Pro? (or any other way to repair Win7 boot sector on a MacBook Pro?)

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berutoran Author

Level 1

22 points

How can I install WinPE on a MacBook Pro? (or any other way to repair Win7 boot sector on a MacBook Pro?)

Hello,

I run MacOS X 10.8.5 and Win7 SP1 installed on a MacBook Pro (model summer 2010).

I used to run Win7 using Parallels desktop. I have version 9.0.23036 installed.

Unfortunately, the boot sector for Win7 got corrupted or erased (???)

I have many professional apps installed on Win7, not easy to re-install...

=> I try to find a way to use WinPE to solve the issue.

But I cannot boot directly from WinPE (v3.n?) on a USB memory stick. It stops when loading the system files.

Is there a way to run WinPE anyway? Using Boot Camp? Using Parallels desktop? by copying some Parallels drivers onto the WinPE system? (but which ones? where to copy them?)

Is there any other way to re-create the boot sector for Win7 without a full re-install?

Many thanks for any help.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), used with iPhone 5 running iOS 7

Posted on Oct 12, 2013 5:42 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 12, 2013 10:06 AM in response to berutoran

If you boot from the Windows 7 install DVD, the repair instalaltion options should allow you to rebuild your boot sector.

Before you do anything, I strongly suggest you make a full backup (preferably a bootable clone) of your MacOS side, that way if the WIndows recovery tools hose your MacOS, you do have a good copy to recover from.

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Answer 2

berutoran Author

Level 1

22 points

Oct 12, 2013 6:16 PM in response to GeekBoy.from.Illinois

Thank you for your help.

Can you tell me how to make a bootable clone of the MacOS side?

I am not very familiar to MacOS yet...

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Answer 3

Oct 12, 2013 8:03 PM in response to berutoran

There are two utilities that are most commonly suggested. SuperDuper! and Carbon Copy Cloner. I have used both, and they both worrk well. SuperDuper! won't copy the recovery partition, where Carbon Copy Cloner will. I started with SD! backin 2007, and recently changed to CCC to get the recovery partition copy as well. They both seem to work well, and take a few hours to clone my 750GB drive (with about 175GB free). onto an external FW800 attached drive. If you're connected via USB2, it might take longer.

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Answer 4

berutoran Author

Level 1

22 points

Oct 20, 2013 6:14 PM in response to GeekBoy.from.Illinois

Thank you very much.

I could make a bootable clone of the Ma OS side using Carbon Copy Cloner. This point is OK.

I sill get trouble with the WinRE environment: I cannot boot directly from the Win7 DVD: the loading of the system files stops at a certain point and I cannot get the Windows menu.

I could read a procedure on the Parallels.com support site (http://kb.parallels.com/en/5223) and tried to follow it (my Windows was installed using Boot Camp). The problem is that, unliked described on step 2 (Choose to "Start Windows Installation"), I can't get this choice in the Boot Camp menu. I only have two choices : "Download the latest Windows support software" or "Remove Windows 7 or later version". Do you know how I can get the "Start Windows Installation" choice, so that I can launch the Windows DVD through Boot Camp?

Thank you in advance

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