How to install Windows without USB or DVD drive on 2009 MacBook
Problem
I have a MacBook Pro mid 2009 fitted with both an HDD and SSD.
Obviously I had to remove the DVD SuperDrive to fit in the HDD into the Optical Bay.
This is awesome big and quick storage, but you can't use it for BootCamp anymore, BootCamp Assistant says. Because it needs the optical drive for installing Windows and it won't accept it via USB.
The good thing is, that you don't need the Bootcamp Assistant for installing Windows.
So:
I have Mac Os:X Mavericks working from my SSD (which I fitted to the HDD bay for increased speed)
The HDD is installed in the former optical drive bay, with one MacOS Ext partition for Mac storage and the other one being NTFS with Windows.
Solution
The solution is a little bit tricky, needs either a virtual Windows machine or a real one and it involves removing and refitting your hard drive, but on an older MacBook Pro like 2009s that originally came with an Optical Drive there is no other way. afaik.
Step 0.5
Backup your Data
Step 1
Partitioning your desired drive
You can do this using Apples Disk Utility if you have installed either Tuxera NTFS or NTFS 3G. Or you do that in step 3 in Windows.
I'd recommend a size of at least 30 GB, Windows 7 alone takes up around 20 GB
Step 2
Remove the hard drive and connect it to a windows machine
Afaik the next step has to happen in Windows with full hardware access. If you want to use a virtual machine i.e. VM Ware or Parallels you need to connect it via USB as an external device, otherwise it won't have full access to the partitions. Obviously you can use a real Windows computer too. Still you're gonna need to remove the drive from your Mac.
Step 3
Re-format and set "active" partition state
Format desired partition with NTFS, quick format works fine. (just in case)
Open your Windows 7 Image (or Disk) and Copy the directories "Boot" and "Sources" as well as "Bootmgr" onto the partition
Make the Partition bootable:
Using Windows XP, Vista, or 7, open CMD as Admin (Windows key + R, type CMD, hit Enter)
Enter the following commands, (replace X with what applies to your hard drive):
diskpart
list disk
select disk X
list partition
select partition X
active
exit
X:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 X:
Exit and shut down
(Source and additional images: http://www.instructables.com/id/Install-Windows-7-without-USB-or-DVD-without-upg ra/)
(If this is somehow possible using Mac Tools, please let us know!)
Step 4
Fit the HDD back into your mac
Just that.
Step 5
Install windows
Start your Mac and immediately press and hold the alt (option) key until you can select the other drive to boot windows.
Install using advanced installation to select the same partition.
Step 6
Clean up
After the installation press cmd + r (in windows) and type and run msconfig
Click to the Boot tab.
Click 'Windows Setup (\windows)', and hit Delete.
Click OK.
Click 'Exit without restart'.
And lastly, delete the ‘Sources’ folder from your hard drive root (this will free up 2-3gb).
Final Step:
Install the Mac drivers (Get the right version here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5634 )
Recommendation: Use Winclone Pro to backup your precious installation.
On a footnote: This article was a big help to me: http://www.instructables.com/id/Install-Windows-7-without-USB-or-DVD-without-upg ra/)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2009), OS X Mavericks (10.9), SSD & HDD in optical bay
