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

Level 1

8 points

USB Windows 7 install with OS X 10.9 Mavericks

I've spent much of the day trying to find out how it is possible to do the following on my MacBookPro without an optical drive with OS X 10.9 installed:

* Create a bootable USB drive with Windows 7

* Make my Mac dual boot Windows 7

It is my hope that by posting what did and did not work for me it will save someone else some time. I am currently completing this process so I will post a reply or revision with further instructions. Procede with caution, some of this got scary for me.

Create a bootable USB drive for Windows 7

What worked:

Giving in and borrowing a Windows 7 laptop with an optical drive. I used my Windows 7 disc and a freeware Windows application (WiNToBootic, http://www.wintobootic.com/) to create the bootable USB drive.

What did NOT work:

* Downloading or creating an .iso file and using the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool (on Windows 7)

* Using Disc Utility to create a bootable USB drive with a downloaded or created .iso file (on Mac)

* Using the Boot Camp Assistant to create a bootable USB drive with a downloaded or created .iso file (on Mac)

* Also did not work: Modifying the Info.plist file in the Boot Camp Assistant app to make the above work (tried various methods and terminal commands to authenicate file, but never worked, assuming a Mavericks issue)

Make my Mac running OS X 10.9 dual boot Windows 7

What worked (so far):

In addition to having the bootable Windows 7 USB drive, I also had an .iso file some created for me (would probably work to download one online as well). Both files were required for this to work. Download and install DAEMON Tools (free for 20 days, http://www.daemon-tools.cc/products/dtMacLite). Before completing this step make sure the drive you wish to put Windows 7 on is properly formated (what I am trying to determine now, I believe using Disk Utility select Partition, Options, Choose Master Boot Record, and Format: Free Space). Then use DAEMON Tools to mount your downloaded or created .iso files. Boot Camp Assistant will now think that the .iso is an inserted Windows 7 install disk. Follow the prompts in Boot Camp Assistant selecting only to Install/Remove Windows. At this point my computer tried to restart and stayed on a blue screen. THIS IS WHERE IT GOT SCARY! I did a hard shut down because my computer appeared to freeze. When I started it again, it said there was no boot media and to insert one then hit any button. I put in my bootable USB drive and pressed a key but nothing happened. Next I hard shut down again leaving the bootable USB drive plugged in then when restarted I attempted to use alt/option to select a partition to start from which did not work, but much to my pleasant surprise, the Windows 7 installer appeared. The only reason I stopped is it would not allow me to fully reformat the target disk or install Windows on it so I started OS X back up again by exiting the installer and using alt/option (which worked this time) to start in OS X. Now I am going to try again after changing the format in Disk Utility.

What did not work:

* Using alt/option at startup to select the bootable USB drive (seems to be disabled with Mavericks, what a disappointment Apple)

* Using Boot Camp Assistant with the bootable USB drive

* Installing an earlier version of OS X so that I could install Windows easier (I didn't try very hard here, just hit one wall and stopped)

I will keep you all updated on my progress. I hope this is useful...

MacBook Pro (15-inch 2.53 GHz), OS X Mavericks (10.9), Two hard drives, no optical drive

Posted on Nov 1, 2013 6:11 PM

29 replies

Dec 3, 2013 10:12 PM in response to nerdoo

I am using OS 10.9, and I followed all of your steps. They worked great until I arrived at the boot menu. The created "bootable flash drive" was not on the boot menu. Any ideas/suggestions?

marcellus.mc Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 4, 2013 6:32 AM in response to joedrichite

joedrichite,

Are you trying to install on a second hard drive? I had to physically remove the drive with OS X. Otherwise, you might have luck using DAEMON Tools. Also, it seems booting from USB is not a universal problem. I visited a friend recently with a new MacBook Pro with Retina Display and he demonstrated to me that he was able to boot from USB without any issues. Possibly it is an issue with the particular bootable drive or maybe a bug on older Macs that were updated, I do not know.

Download and install DAEMON Tools (free for 20 days,http://www.daemon-tools.cc/products/dtMacLite). Before completing this step make sure the drive you wish to put Windows 7 on is properly formated (what I am trying to determine now, I believe using Disk Utility select Partition, Options, Choose Master Boot Record, and Format: Free Space). Then use DAEMON Tools to mount your downloaded or created .iso files. Boot Camp Assistant will now think that the .iso is an inserted Windows 7 install disk. Follow the prompts in Boot Camp Assistant selecting only to Install/Remove Windows. At this point my computer tried to restart and stayed on a blue screen. THIS IS WHERE IT GOT SCARY! I did a hard shut down because my computer appeared to freeze. When I started it again, it said there was no boot media and to insert one then hit any button. I put in my bootable USB drive and pressed a key but nothing happened. Next I hard shut down again leaving the bootable USB drive plugged in then when restarted I attempted to use alt/option to select a partition to start from which did not work, but much to my pleasant surprise, the Windows 7 installer appeared.

I wish you luck, please post what does and does not work. Hopefully this was helpful.

Dec 9, 2013 7:40 PM in response to marcellus.mc

Well I recently learned the problems lies with the fact that I have a superdrive. Mac OS 10.9 will not boot from a usb when there is a super drive. Even when I changed the code of Bootcamp. I tried DAEMON tools but once again, no bootable drive was found.

GvaUkJoe

Level 1

0 points

Jan 3, 2014 7:48 AM in response to marcellus.mc

EUREKA !!! Huraayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

I have a MacBook Pro Mid-2010. I removed the original HardDrive to place a SSD from Crucial 256GB.I also removed the optical CD-Rom to place a cady from OWC http://www.macsales.com/ with a Crucial 128GB.

I have upgraded my MacBook Pro with Mavericks 10.9 and unable like you guys, to install Windows 7 successfully on my 2nd hard drive via BootCamp. I tried to boot on the USB bootable pen drive done via Bootcamp, via a CDROM, unable to recognize any of them by pressing the ALT key on the boot.

I spend over 3 days with no luck, then.... I had an idea...

1° I removed my 2nd SSD, the one that I want Win7/Win8 installed on it.

2° I open a laptop/desktop from work/home (any will do as long as you can connect the SSD

3° In my situation, the SSD is now in a laptop, I inserted the Bootable Pen Drive done via Bootcamp (ticked the 3 options), then booted my laptop (lenovo), with the key F12 to choose from which device to boot.

4° I see the USB Pen Drive. It's now booting on the USB Pen Drive and a bootcamp message appears...

5° Begining of the installation of Win7.

6° He will try to install the drivers for my lenovo laptop, I bypass this.

7° My windows is installed, no update. I then shutdown the computer, then remove the SSD

8° The ssd is now back to my MacBook Pro, but I have before this remove the SSD that contain Mac OSX Maverics.

9° I am connecting the SSD with Win7 on the main connectivity of my MacBook Pro and not on the cady replacing the CD Rom.

10° I am booting and my windows is starting.

11° When in Windows, insert your USB pen drive done via BootCamp, and run the SETUP.EXE 64 to run Windows 7 installation.

12° It will create an upgrade, then reboot.

13° When rebooting, you will then be in the initial installation, letting you the choise to partition the windows disk.

14° From there, configure your Windows 7 installation as you wish.

15° At the end of the installation, Bootcamp will this time install all the drivers related to your MacBook Pro.

16° Don't run all the Windows update yet, no need.

17° When completed. shut down the MacBook Pro.

18° Remove the SSD that contain your windows7 and install it back in the cady that replace your CD Rom.

19° Install back your SSD that contain Mac OSX Mavericks.

20° Boot your MacBook Pro and press the ALT option key. BINGO, you know got your two dual boot, MAC OS X + Windows.

Time for you to configure your windows, set it up and you are done.

It toke me around 45minutes to do the 20 above steps, so if you are in trouble and don't want to loose time, you know what to do. Borrow any computer, you won't crash it, you just need a laptop/desktop to insert your SSD for 45 min.

Enjoy !!!

truelies

Level 1

9 points

Jan 3, 2014 8:02 AM in response to GvaUkJoe

This may works on your computer, but not other MacBook Pro. I found this time different edition of MacBook Pro has different on installing dual system.

GvaUkJoe

Level 1

0 points

Jan 3, 2014 8:03 AM in response to truelies

Sorry dude,

I tried this on a MacBook Pro Mid-2009 + 2010 and both working.

Jan 6, 2014 8:04 AM in response to marcellus.mc

here is my experience:

macbook late 2008 - core 2 due, 2gb ram, 250gb hdd and the internal superdrive.

the hdd has osx snow leopard with win7 32-bit partitioned with bootcamp assistant.

i performed a little surgery to my little mac so it could run much faster than before:

1. replaced one of the 1gb ram sticks to a 4gb ram stick (=5gb of total ram). would be happier with 8gb, but upon replacing both sticks i get a memory error which i could solve up to this moment (though this is probably not related to nmy problem).

2. replaced the superdrive with a 250gb ssd from samsung (840 series).

i downloaded mavericks osx 10.9.1 and loaded it into a 16gb usb, which installed flawlessly on the ssd (125gb partition).

as i've formated the usb using snow leopard's disk utility and hadn't install any lions, i had no recovery partition (which disables "find my mac" along with other stuff). i decided to add a recovery partition, and have successfully done so using a custom app named Recovery Editor (instructions can be found here: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1606779).

next, i've tried to install windows 7 64-bit on the same drive (ssd) on the second partition - 125gb formatted to fat32. i've placed win installation files in the usb using the modified boot camp assistant (removed "pre" from "PreUSBBootSupportedModels" and "PreUEFIModels", added my model under "DARequiredROMVersions" and "UEFIModels").

before even trying to use this usb (and following a mass amount of people reporting peoblems), i decided to use your method: formatted the usb with diskpart (fat32, active), added the windows installation files from an iso (which includes both 32- and 64-bit versions), copied the bootcamp v5 support software and restarted the computer.

however, pressing the option key shows 4 options - the snow leopard partition and win7 32-bit partition on the hdd and mavericks partition and recovery partition on the ssd.

the usb is not recognized.

i tried clearing the pram (option+command+r+p) and eject and insert the usb after pressing option to see if it will add the usb to the list.

from what i've read around, some people were able to use their usb if they disconnected the hdd and placed the ssd instead (leaving the cdrom place empty), but i would rather avoid this.

might anyone have an idea how to fix this?

many thanks.

Jan 6, 2014 3:25 PM in response to marcellus.mc

From what I can gather here, it seems the only way I can install Windows on my Macbook Pro 13" (early 2011) is by physically removing the HDD onto which I want to install it, or else by somehow gaining access to a PC that already runs Windows 7. This is absolutely crazy.

I recently performed an SSD upgrade and was relieved after replacing the final screw that I wouldn't have to take it all apart again for a long time, if ever. My OS in on the 250GB Samsung EVO SSD in the primary drive slot, while the old HDD now just contains data (photos, music, archives) and is housed in the optical bay. The old SuperDrive is sitting in an external USB enclosure. Apparently this upgrade is officially sanctioned by Apple (one of the few things e.g. that doesn't invalidate a warranty).

Like everyone else here I've spent countless hours doing the far-from-merry dance of DiskUtility, BootCamp, DiskUtility, plist mods, Bootcamp, burn a DVD, create a USB drive from an iso, etc. And all to no avail.

[I know this won't help anyone else here (and how clever of Apple to leave us all floundering here to try and help each other without taking any responsibility themselves, offering no legitimate target at which to vent frustration), but this comes at the end of a long line of serious Apple-related frustrations. I'll never buy another Apple computer, though I've been using nothing else for ten years.]

marcellus.mc Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 22, 2014 2:55 PM in response to marcellus.mc

Okay, so the hard drive I had Windows 7 on went bad and I had to replace it. I followed all the steps I took last time but it didn't work this time around. For some reason I couldn't get the Windows installer to load even though I was using the same thumb drive. Then I tried a variation of one of the methods that did not work for my last time, as explained in the following link:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1680345

Don't know why different methods seem to work at different times, maybe just due to OS X updates. Oh well. One note though, even with using my Windows 7 install thumb drive and the method on the link, I STILL had to remove my Apple hard drive and I had to exit the installer and restart my computer again after reformating the extra drive in Windows. Anyways, everything is up and running great again. Good luck fellow compact disc ditchers!

Mar 9, 2014 5:59 PM in response to nerdoo

Thanks for the great detail! About to try this myself, but I need to do a bit of spring cleaning on my hard drive beforehand. I'm doing this for gaming and I tried VirtualBox, but it really wasn't up to par with what I need to do. Hope this works! I'll post an update on my progress soon!

budikdik

Level 1

0 points

Mar 25, 2014 12:42 AM in response to marcellus.mc

I have a new iMac just arrive last week, i was able to create a bootable usb drive on Windows 7 iso and i can boot up to usb and loading the the Windows installation. My issue was i'm not able to use the keyboard and mouse, it's not detecting even i replace with a non bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I'm stuck on the installation part. I'm using 10.9.2

Apr 26, 2014 2:16 PM in response to marcellus.mc

OK - might as well post here in hopes for some idea of a solution. i also have a mid 2012 13" MBP running Maverics (10.9.0) and tried to do bootcamp with Win 7 64 bit on it. i partioned the drive and using the Seagate NTFS driver formatted it as NTFS (recommended for 64 Bit) in Disk Utility. i did get the bootable USB flashdrive created but i installed the driver files on it in Bootcamp Asst after the initial Win 7 install (the driver install seemed to go well).

as far as the installation goes i booted from the USB drive, and the install (without BootCamp drivers)completed. however, the restart produced a blank screen. it does occur to me that perhaps maybe i should have included them on the original win 7 install?

any advice appreciated. in the meantime i'll try reinstalling and see what i can do.

Apr 27, 2014 1:58 PM in response to metaphysician67

OK - success! here's what worked for me - as always your mileage may vary...

i installed the BootCamp drivers on the USB installer disk. when i booted from the USB drive i instead set it to format the disk partition on my internal drive (previously i had left it alone because i had used the Seagate tool to format it as NTFS). that approach seemed to work, but i don't have a distinct explanation as to why. after succesfully restarting, it finished the install, and once it was finished i installed the BootCamp drivers for everything. seems to be working fine from what i can tell.

MatRojas

Level 1

4 points

Jan 11, 2015 4:58 AM in response to truelies

I made a guide on how to install windows 7 on a Partition without a Optical Driver and without booting on USB

I hope it helps

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=20584499#post20584499

USB Windows 7 install with OS X 10.9 Mavericks