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Black Screen with curser When Installing Windows 7 on Mavericks

I have been trying to install windows on my macbook pro via bootcamp all day today, i have put about 7 hours into it and i am very frustrated. I have followed the guides. I have updated my mac, installed the windows support drivers, i have the most recent bootcamp, I have windows 7 on a DVD with a usb optical drive.


So my problem comes when I get to installing windows. after i make the partion on bootcamp it trys to reboot to windows but instead goes to a black screen with curser. i have gone online and read through tons of forums that talk about this exact problem. i have attempted what they suggest such as booting while the usb with the windows support drivers is connected and boot to the windows disk using the option at boot. (Still black screen with curser) I have tried booting to the windows disk with no other external usbs attached but the optical drive. (still black screen). i have tried booting to another disk part of the DVD callled " EFI Boot" that pops up when holding option at boot up. When doing this windows 7 actually does start up and starts the install process but when choosing the bootcamp disk to install to, it says it is the wrong format. so i tried to format it in the windows install as people have said but that did work. But people have also said on other forums that you cant boot windows using the EFi Boot or what ever its called so i dont think that is an option. I have repeatedly deleted the bootcamp partion and tried to partition it again but still get the black screen when booting up.


My mac is a Macbook pro mid 2012. It also is a mavericks whitch i have seen caused many others problems with bootcamp. so i have seen many answers to the black curser screen but none have worked with me. Do you guys have any suggestions or questions for me that would help me get this figured out? Thanks for the Help!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Dec 28, 2013 12:00 AM

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Posted on Dec 28, 2013 3:16 AM

Simple fact is IF you have replaced the original built in DVD drive with a second HDD you will never be able to install Windows on your Mac, or at least not easily.


Apple has restricted Mac computers that originally come with a built in DVD drive to only install Windows from that built in drive When It Is Installed Inside the System.


These Mac's will not boot from the Windows installer from any other source, not USB stick or USB connected DVD drive no matter what make or model DVD drive it is.



So there are only three option.


1) Reinstall the original DVD Super drive in the Optical bay and whatever drive you want Windows install on to the main bay, install OS X on that drive in the main bay then use Boot Camp Assistant to install Windows. Once that has completed you can then switch around the drives to your liking.


2) Reinstall the Super drive to the Optical bay and whatever drive you want Windows install on to the Main bay. Do not install OS X and install Windows natively on the drive in the Main bay. The Windows 7 (and maybe a Win 8) DVD will boot the Mac computer from the DVD drive and you should be able to run the Windows installer, Partition and Format the drive for Windows only, MBR partition table, and complete the install of Windows on that drive. Then load the Apple Supplied Windows Support files you downloaded once Windows has finished the install.

Then move your drives around where you want them and install OS X on the other drive.


3) There are reports of being able to copy the Windows install files to a partition on one of the drives you will be using and then run the Windows setup, installer, from that partition. I have no information on exactly how to do that.

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Question marked as Best reply

Dec 28, 2013 3:16 AM in response to NormDoow

Simple fact is IF you have replaced the original built in DVD drive with a second HDD you will never be able to install Windows on your Mac, or at least not easily.


Apple has restricted Mac computers that originally come with a built in DVD drive to only install Windows from that built in drive When It Is Installed Inside the System.


These Mac's will not boot from the Windows installer from any other source, not USB stick or USB connected DVD drive no matter what make or model DVD drive it is.



So there are only three option.


1) Reinstall the original DVD Super drive in the Optical bay and whatever drive you want Windows install on to the main bay, install OS X on that drive in the main bay then use Boot Camp Assistant to install Windows. Once that has completed you can then switch around the drives to your liking.


2) Reinstall the Super drive to the Optical bay and whatever drive you want Windows install on to the Main bay. Do not install OS X and install Windows natively on the drive in the Main bay. The Windows 7 (and maybe a Win 8) DVD will boot the Mac computer from the DVD drive and you should be able to run the Windows installer, Partition and Format the drive for Windows only, MBR partition table, and complete the install of Windows on that drive. Then load the Apple Supplied Windows Support files you downloaded once Windows has finished the install.

Then move your drives around where you want them and install OS X on the other drive.


3) There are reports of being able to copy the Windows install files to a partition on one of the drives you will be using and then run the Windows setup, installer, from that partition. I have no information on exactly how to do that.

Dec 28, 2013 9:06 AM in response to LowLuster

Is your solution the only way? I would really like to not have to open up my MBP and switch all the disks around again since last time a cable was broken which caused me to be with out my MBP for two weeeks while waiting for the new HD cable to come in. I have seen many people online talking about installing bootcamp and windows through an external drive so it has to be possible.

Dec 28, 2013 9:13 AM in response to NormDoow

I would not of posted what I did it there was another way.


I would of posted, included, the other way if there was one.


I don't, nor does anyone else that posts on these forums, work for Apple. So there is no reason for me to post anything that would stop anyone from installed, or the way to install, whatever OS they like on a Mac computer.

Jan 6, 2014 2:51 PM in response to LowLuster

So i made the whole switch. i put the optical drive back in the optical bay. put the original Hard Drive back in the Main bay. then i installed windows 7 to the original hard drive on 100 gigs. After that everything worked. So then i continued to make the switch to put the original HD back to the optical bay and the SSd to the main bay. Now, i can boot up from the SSD or the mac side of the original Hd. but i can not boot up to the windows partition that is on the original Hd in the optical bay. When I try, it just goes to a black screen with the blinking cursor like it has before. So my conclusion is, that i can not install windows from the optical bay or boot to windows from the optical bay. So my next option i believe is to install windows to a partiton in my SSD witch will be in the main bay so it should work. then i will have my boot up for windows and mac both be in the ssd. the only problem is that my ssd is only a 128 gig, so i dont think i will have enough room on it if i have all my windows files on the ssd. is there a way that i can just have the windows os on my SSD and then have all the files and memory for everything else saved to my original Hd witch is in the optical bay. That is what i am currently doing with my mac ios. i am using 33 gigs for my mac ios on the SSD so i have 94 gigs free on it. Also how much memory do i need to leave for the windows os on my SSD? windows is taking up 40 gigs out of the 100 when i installed it the first time on my HD. Again thanks for all the help! hopefully should have everything cleared up after this!

Black Screen with curser When Installing Windows 7 on Mavericks

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