I CAN'T ACCESS MY MAC! STUCK ON WINDOWS 7

Question

I CAN'T ACCESS MY MAC! STUCK ON WINDOWS 7

I installed windows 7 on my macbook pro 13inch retina 2013 edition, and up until yesterday everything was running smmoothly and it would only boot up into windows if I held down the otion key and selected the drive myself. Today though (11/6/14) i went to normally boot up into y mac and it booted up straight to windows, and ive tried everything now, not even holding down the option button is working and I cannot access my Mac partition no matter what i do, ive been trying for countless hours to do something but nothing. I've also tried to use bootcamp within windows but no matter where i look, in the control panel or the task bar, i can't find it and to me it looks as though I have lost my mac 😟 somebody please help me. I've only had this computer for 4 months and if its already not working i don't think id go back to macs,

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.3)

Posted on Jun 11, 2014 2:27 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 1, 2017 10:35 AM in response to Tales.pizziolo

Well this problem has to do with the boot camp assistant in Windows. You can download it here -> Install Windows 7 and earlier on your Mac using Boot Camp - Apple Support

Download the file that is in the list in the link above (check computer and windows version) and copy it to a USB. Then start your computer in windows. Put in the USB. And install the windows setup. (file) which is the assistant. After install restart computer and search for "boot camp". Open and you can choose start up partition (Mac or windows).

This is not a big issue if you are stuck in windows. It can be fixed. Also search for boot camp assistant on youtube and other places if my guide is hard to understand.

/ Erik

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Answer 2

tbirdvet

Level 6

17,090 points

Jun 11, 2014 5:39 PM in response to Tales.pizziolo

Before you try the recovery do not push any keys until you just here the chime because too early or too late it might not work. If nothing happens trying recovery then perhaps you have an internal circuit board issue because recovery by-passess the drive for repairs. If all else fails you may have to take in for service.

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

685,221 points

Jun 12, 2014 10:48 AM in response to Tales.pizziolo

If you live near an Apple Store, make a Genius Bar appointment to have the computer tested. Supposedly there is no charge for testing. They should be able to erase your drive and re-install Mavericks. You will probably have to re-install Boot Camp/Windows.

Genius Bar Reservation US

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Answer 4

Jun 16, 2014 12:11 PM in response to Tales.pizziolo

Were you able to boot into the Recovery Drive as Csound1 suggested?

If no.....

I don't believe you can do this from windows, but if you have access to a Mac you can download the recovery drive to a USB 1GB drive.

To download the Recovery Disk Assistant, click here.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4848

Your best option is to install Mavericks on an external drive. That would allow you to see your files on your internal drive.

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Answer 5

tbirdvet

Level 6

17,090 points

Jun 11, 2014 9:59 AM in response to Tales.pizziolo

Try booting up in safe mode. If you can get back to your Mac screen then go to preferences and be sure the startup drive for Mac is selected. Could also startup in recovery mode (command R) and select disc utilities and then verify and/or repair disc. and then try normal restart.

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Answer 6

Jun 11, 2014 3:14 PM in response to tbirdvet

Hey thank you for the reply, but I tried booting it up holding command+R and nothing happened, the screen stays black and it's as if none of these commands I input into it are being registered. I've noticed that as soon as I press the power button, the chime sound plays emidiately and a weird noise comes from inside the laptop. I've tried so much now :/ thanks for your help and please if anyone thinks they might be able to help, let me know.

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Answer 7

Jun 11, 2014 7:10 PM in response to Tales.pizziolo

Most likely the Apple Store will erase your drive and re-install Mavericks. To attempt to save your Mac data, you would need to install OS X on an external drive and see if you data still exists to backup.

You can select to download and install Mavericks from Recovery Drive. You would select the external drive as destination.

Create an OS X Mavericks Partition

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Answer 8

Jun 12, 2014 12:16 AM in response to dianeoforegon

At the moment I can only access the windows partition, is there a way I can get Apple Store to erase my drive and re-install Mavericks through my windows partition, because windows is the only thing i have access to right now. If there is a way to do it, how could I? I appreciate your replies, thank you.

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Answer 9

Jun 12, 2014 12:18 AM in response to tbirdvet

And yes I've also tried what tbirdvet said, I've tried waiting and re-timing myself over and over again. Still nothing. If I really can't get this to work i might really have to send it in for servicing and hopefully they can do something about it.

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Answer 10

Jun 15, 2014 2:39 AM in response to Eric Root

Hey, I live in Alice springs in the Northern Territory in Australia. There are no apple stores since this is a very small town. But now I had a friend come around and he used command codes to get rid of windows to see if that would help but now it says "no bootable device -- insert boot disk and press and key" and yes I've tried holding the option key on start up countless times also but nothing works, it's almost as if my keyboard doesn't work on start up, but I'm using the default MacBook Pro keyboard built in so I think it isn't the problem.

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Answer 11

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Jun 15, 2014 3:39 AM in response to Tales.pizziolo

It sounds more like your OSX partition got corrupted, but let's test.

Reboot, at the sound of the chime (NOT before) press and hold the command-option-R keys. Hold them until a spinning globe appears, then post back.

Friends with Command Codes (whatever they are) should not be playing with your Mac (unless they back it up first)

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Answer 12

Jun 15, 2014 6:09 AM in response to Csound1

Yeah, never again. I'm just going to send this to apple. Its clear I won't be solving this anytime soon and I'm only running more risk of messing things up. Like allowing my friend to wipe windows off the computer, that wasn't a smart move. I tried holding command option and r but the screen just stayed black. I'm just going to send this in to apple. Any idea with the costs involved within that? Do macs usually come with a year warranty? If so would I be able to get it services within the warranty?

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Answer 13

Jun 15, 2014 11:15 AM in response to Tales.pizziolo

I image you are as far away from an Apple Store as a user in Dubbo. 😝

I know this won't solve your current issue, but when you get up and running, make sure you have both a Time Machine and a clone backup. This way your data is safe. Just like a seat belt and an air bag protect you in different ways when driving, you need both Time Machine and a clone for full protection.

Get a 2T or 3T drive for the backup.

Both of these applications can be used to create a clone.

SuperDuper! http://www.shirt-pocket.com/

CCC http://www.bombich.com/download.html

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Answer 14

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Jun 16, 2014 6:47 AM in response to Tales.pizziolo

Do you have a Mac with which you can download the Mavericks installer?

And, let's check whether you do have a functional Recovery Partition? (Test by restarting and holding down Command-Option-R at the sound of the chime, release it when the spinning globe screen appears)

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Answer 15

Jun 16, 2014 3:51 PM in response to Tales.pizziolo

As Csound1 explained.

'it could be downloaded and copied, but not executed."

I suppose you could try copying it to the USB drive, but then it has to install. Not sure it will install while booted from Windows.

If it fails then use your brother's computer to make the recovery drive.

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