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Level 1

5 points

"Non-system disk Press any key to reboot"- Trying to install Win 7 on Mac Mini

Hello. I'm trying to install Windows 7 on a new-model Mac Mini ('Late 2012'), which I just bought from Apple. [Specs: 1 TB Fusion drive, 2.6 GHz intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, OS X Mavericks (latest), Graphics: Intel HD graphics 4000, Screen: LG Flatron 24"].

After following instructions on Bootcamp, I tried installing it through my external USB Apple Superdrive (DVD), but for some reason as soon as the system finishes getting things ready and reboots to begin installing Windows 7, I get a black screen with an error message as follows: "No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key". Pressing the keys on my keyboard does nothing (even though it's a wired model, not a wireless one.) I'm forced to do a hard shutdown using the power button and hold down the Option key in order to get the system to show the Mac HD where OS X is. It also shows the Windows DVD as another option, but when I select it and the system boots, I just get the same error message again. So I go back to a hard shutdown and reboot to go into OS X again.

Not sure what to do, I did some online research and in one post in the Frequently Asked Questions for Bootcamp, it says for installing Win 7 and Win 8, the computer won't work with external USB drives (*totally nuts in my opinion - Apple has to fix this stuff if they want to entice Windows users into buying their sleek, quiet hardware). Instead, the post recommends creating a Windows 7 ISO file from my Windows 7 DVD and putting it on a USB thumbdrive that Bootcamp is going to use to put all the Apple/Windows drivers on for the installation process. I'm also told I have to unplug my Superdrive (no explanation given for why). So I do all this and get Bootcamp Assistant running again. Unfortunately, as soon as the system reboots after going through all the usual preparation steps, I get another black screen with a new error message: "Non-system disk Press any key to reboot". So I'm at a loss for what to do next.

(I've also have an iMac that I bought more than a year ago that I also put Windows 7 on, with no problems that time. Go figure.)

If anyone here has an good answer for how to proceed, I need to know. Thanks in advance!

Mac mini (Late 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Sep 14, 2014 11:20 PM

84 replies

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:21 PM in response to Mazzerac

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$ sudo fdisk /dev/disk1

WARNING: Improper use of the sudo command could lead to data loss

or the deletion of important system files. Please double-check your

typing when using sudo. Type "man sudo" for more information.

To proceed, enter your password, or type Ctrl-C to abort.

This is what I got with the second of the 'sudo' commands? Is this safe for me to use?

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:25 PM in response to Mazzerac

The reason to use sudo is that otherwise your Admin account does not have privileges to run the command. This is a non-destructive command. It reads the MBR.

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:27 PM in response to Mazzerac

Hmm, after looking over the 'Maintenance Commands' for Sudo, I think you gave me a typo or something for the first Sudo command - two 'v's?

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:32 PM in response to Mazzerac

Please see

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize=256060514304; sectorsize=512; blocks=500118192

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 500118191

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 250392096 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

250801736 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

252071272 664

252071936 248045568 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

500117504 655

500118159 32 Sec GPT table

500118191 1 Sec GPT header

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:33 PM in response to Mazzerac

Disk: /dev/disk1 geometry: 121601/255/63 [1953525168 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AC 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 865908416] <Unknown ID>

3: AB 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 866318056 - 1269536] Darwin Boot

4: 0B 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 867588096 - 1085935616] Win95 FAT-32

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$

This above is the second sudo command.

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:35 PM in response to Mazzerac

Can't get the first sudo command to work. This is what I get:

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$ sudo gpt -v -r show /dev/<Bootcampdisk>

-bash: syntax error near unexpected token `newline'

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:38 PM in response to Mazzerac

I replaced <Bootcampdisk> with /dev/disk1 and this is what I get:

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$ sudo gpt -v -r show /dev/dev/disk1

gpt show: unable to open device '/dev/dev/disk1': No such file or directory

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:43 PM in response to Mazzerac

Just noticed your earlier post, out of order for some reason. So I tried the command again with both 'v's, heh.

Disk: /dev/disk1 geometry: 121601/255/63 [1953525168 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AC 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 865908416] <Unknown ID>

3: AB 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 866318056 - 1269536] Darwin Boot

4: 0B 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 867588096 - 1085935616] Win95 FAT-32

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$ sudo gpt -v -r show /dev/<Bootcampdisk>

-bash: syntax error near unexpected token `newline'

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$ sudo gpt -v -r show /dev/dev/disk1

gpt show: unable to open device '/dev/dev/disk1': No such file or directory

Oops. Didn't mean to put in my previous failed attempts above here.

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize=121332826112; sectorsize=512; blocks=236978176

gpt show: /dev/disk0: PMBR at sector 0

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 236978175

start size index contents

0 1 PMBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 236306352 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

236715992 262144 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

236978136 7

236978143 32 Sec GPT table

236978175 1 Sec GPT header

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:44 PM in response to Mazzerac

Oops. My previous failed attempts showed up above the successful one in the last post. Please ignore above that.

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:51 PM in response to Mazzerac

Run the GPT command for /dev/disk1 as well. That is where your Bootcamp will live. It should have a GPT #4. Your MBR is ready for installation. /Dev/disk0 is your ssd. I should specify that "<Bootcampdisk>" should be replaced with an appropriate value as shown in diskutil list.

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 6:56 PM in response to Loner T

Here it is:

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk1

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk1: mediasize=1000204886016; sectorsize=512; blocks=1953525168

gpt show: /dev/disk1: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

gpt show: /dev/disk1: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: /dev/disk1: Sec GPT at sector 1953525167

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 865908416 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

866318056 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

867587592 504

867588096 1085935616 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

1953523712 1423

1953525135 32 Sec GPT table

1953525167 1 Sec GPT header

cygnus-x1:~ LantS$

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 17, 2014 7:03 PM in response to Mazzerac

If you notice the GPT Start/Size for 1,2,3,4 are almost the same as fdisk start/size (except the little gap in GPT#3 and #4).

You are ready to install Windows. Put the USB in the USB socket closest to the power cord and attempt your first Windows installation.

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 7:06 PM in response to Loner T

As quick as that? It matters which USB port it is? Most curious. Okay, I'll give it a go.

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 7:26 PM in response to Mazzerac

No luck. 'Non-system disk Press any key to reboot'.

I wonder if there's an issue because after all the failed attempts, instead of getting the Windows drivers during Bootcamp Assistant, I downloaded them off the Apple website first and copied them over to the USB in place of the existing ones. When I compared the files previous to this, both sets of files were made within an hour of each other on the same day so I didn't think it mattered. Could there be some fundamental difference that means I have to do the 2-hour-long download/save to the USB again???

Could the fact that I'm using a USB 2.0 extension cord make a difference? I guess the question is, should I take it out and plug the memory stick in the back of the machine directly?

Mazzerac Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 17, 2014 9:45 PM in response to Mazzerac

Wonder of wonders.

I switched to a different-different brand USB thumb drive, a Sandisk 32GB that I borrowed. Then I made a new-copy ISO and went for the full 2-hour download/save process onto the USB once again. Then I ran Bootcamp Assistant one more time. And this time, instead of a black screen, the computer rebooted into the fuzzy install screen for Windows 7. It worked!

I'm still in the midst of watching it work, however. It's just finished expanding the Windows files onto the Bootcamp partition, which I had to have Windows format into NTFS from FAT32. And now it's about to restart the system after finishing install. We'll see how far it goes...

"Non-system disk Press any key to reboot"- Trying to install Win 7 on Mac Mini