How can I switch back to Mac OS X from Windows 7 Bootcamp?

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Level 1

5 points

How can I switch back to Mac OS X from Windows 7 Bootcamp?

I'm having problem switching back to Mac OS on my Macbook Air. It's currently running Windows 7 bootcamp without a Mac OS installed with it. I tried booting up on Mac OSX installer disc (Snow Leopard) on the external CDROM drive but it boots to Windows instead. I tried the Boot Camp Control Panel on Windows and Restart to Mac OS X but it could not find an OS X intalled and I tried changing the startup disc to the installation disc on the CDROM and restarted but still goes to Windows.

Please HELP!

Thank you.

MacBook Air, Windows 7

Posted on Apr 16, 2014 2:00 PM

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Answer 1

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Apr 17, 2014 5:41 AM in response to froiesq

To boot from a DVD you need to hold the C key as soon as the computer reboots. This works as long as the DVD in the drive is a valid bootable disk for your computer. Depending on the model of your MBA that disk may not work.

Again, depending on the model of your MBA (it would be nice to know) you may be able to boot the computer with Internet recovery - hold Command, Option, and the R key as soon as the computer boots. If your MBA supports this, your computer will load the recovery utilities from the internet. You'll be able to reformat the drive and install OS X from there.

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Answer 2

froiesq Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 17, 2014 6:58 AM in response to dwb

Thank you for responding.

I have Model A1370 EMC 2393 and I have the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Install DVD. I tried holding C and its not working. I tried holding down CMD OPT and R and it's not working either. It seems thats it's stuck in BootCamp. I also tried to reinstall Windows 7 but now the keyboard is not working. I think because it does not have the BootCamp Support tools? I also tried connected a USB Windows keyboard and it's not working either.

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Answer 3

turbostar

Level 4

2,941 points

Apr 17, 2014 7:34 AM in response to froiesq

do you have any way of testing to make sure that ext cdrom drive works correctly, the hold C restart should work if the drive is working and if the disks are the right set

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Answer 4

froiesq Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 17, 2014 12:21 PM in response to turbostar

It works. I used it to reinstall Windows 7 but was not able to complete the Windows 7 installation because the KBD or USB KBD does not work. Touchpad is working fine.

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Answer 5

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Apr 17, 2014 12:44 PM in response to froiesq

The MBA did not ship with an OS on DVD because they don't have an optical drive. There are two kinds of OS disks - commercial release, which for Snow Leopard is 10.6.3 I believe, and machine specific. If your SL disk is gray it isn't going to boot your MBA because it isn't made for the MBA. If your SL disk has a cat on it look at what specific version it is. As I said, I think it is 10.6.3 and while I wasn't able to find out what specific OS version your MBA shipped with, I'm pretty sure it was a version later than 10.6.3 and if I'm right your disk isn't going to boot the computer. You'll need to either contact Apple for a valid replacement installer or find someone with a Mac who can make a valid installer on a USB drive or DVD.

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Answer 6

froiesq Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 17, 2014 12:58 PM in response to dwb

I bought this disk from Apple store for my Macbook few years ago. It's a white disk with a cat on it. It says Version 10.6. My problem too is that I can't boot to EFI to perform online recovery.

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Answer 7

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Apr 17, 2014 1:04 PM in response to froiesq

MacBook's go all the way back to 2006 so the commerical 10.6 will boot them but the 2010 MBA will require an OS version that was the release version or later. As to not being able to boot into Internet recovery, since you were running Windows on the machine you probably never installed the firmware update that allows it as it required 10.7 to install.

As I said, you probably will have no choice but contact Apple or use a Mac owning friend to get an OS version that is compatible with the computer.

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Answer 8

froiesq Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 17, 2014 1:20 PM in response to dwb

Okay. I will try to create a bootable disk. I have Macbook with 10.7.5 and Macbook Pro with 10.9.2. Thank you for the advise. I will let you know with the outcome later.

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Answer 9

froiesq Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 18, 2014 8:45 AM in response to dwb

I made a Mavericks 10.9.2 bootable usb hard drive using DiskMaker X and I tried booting from it on MBA but still goes straight to Windows 7. I'll call Apple Support and see what they say bout this issue.

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Answer 10

froiesq Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 28, 2014 12:28 PM in response to dwb

I just took it to an authorized service center near my place. It only costs $89 to reinstall the Mac OS X. Otherwise, I have to order the SDD adapter to reformat the SDD. Thanks alot for your help!

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