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User profile for user: Mazzerac
Mazzerac Author
User level: 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

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84 replies
User profile for user: nicimini
nicimini
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 21, 2015 3:55 AM in response to Loner T

here it is

Last login: Wed Jan 21 08:10:45 on ttys000

minic:~ minic$ 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 647158336 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

647567976 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

648837512 1656

648839168 1304684544 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

1953523712 1423

1953525135 32 Sec GPT table

1953525167 1 Sec GPT header

minic:~ minic$


it's way over my head!

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User profile for user: Loner T
Loner T
User level: Level 9
59,477 points

Jan 21, 2015 8:29 AM in response to nicimini

Rebuild MBR to match the new GPT information thus resetting the Hybrid MBR.

Use defaults for other questions (like partition codes).

  1. Sudo gdisk /dev/disk1
  2. P (Print list of parts)
  3. R (Recover)
  4. H (chooses Hybrid)
  5. Partitions numbers to be hybridized: 2 3 4
  6. Y (Good for GRUB question)
  7. N (part 2 boot flag)
  8. N (part 3 boot flag)
  9. MBR hex code for partition 4 should be '0B' or '0C'. Try one at a time and test.
  10. Y (part 4 boot flag make NTFS bootable partition)
  11. W (Write the new MBR)
  12. Y (Yes! write the new MBR)
  13. Reboot


Re-try your Windows installation.

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User profile for user: nicimini
nicimini
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 21, 2015 9:15 AM in response to Loner T

look forward to attempting that. earlier today i was trying different formats for the bootcamp partition to see if it made any difference and ended up with a partition of 800gb of free space (duh!) that i'm now trying to reclaim via disk utilities having booted to apple recovery on line. the globe is up but not spinning. not sure how long it will take; but will try your command lines as soon as i'm back and running. very many thanks.

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User profile for user: nicimini
nicimini
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 22, 2015 4:00 AM in response to Loner T

hi, i'm worried i'm going down the wrong route. terminal looks like this at the moment.


Last login: Thu Jan 22 11:29:56 on ttys000

minic:~ minic$ sudo gdisk /dev/disk0

Password:

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.10


Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: protective

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present


Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.


Command (? for help): r


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h


WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,

just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will

be untouched.


Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be

added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 4

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y


GPT partition #4 does not exist or is too big; skipping.


No partitions converted; original protective/hybrid MBR is unmodified!


Recovery/transformation command (? for help):


how to proceed or should i go back/ quit?

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User profile for user: nicimini
nicimini
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 22, 2015 5:23 AM in response to nicimini

think i'm getting there; just not quite.


Last login: Thu Jan 22 13:16:10 on ttys001

minic:~ minic$ sudo gdisk /dev/disk1

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.10


Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: hybrid

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present


Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.


Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/disk1: 1953525168 sectors, 931.5 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 3B4522DB-D1B2-4795-BE37-DB4B853F215D

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 1953525134

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 1837 sectors (918.5 KiB)


Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 637802087 303.9 GiB AF05 Macintosh_HD2

3 637802088 639071847 620.0 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

4 639072256 1953523711 626.8 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP


Command (? for help): r


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h


WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,

just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will

be untouched.


Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be

added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y


Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): n

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n


Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB): n

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n


Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07): OB

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): y


Recovery/transformation command (? for help):

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User profile for user: nicimini
nicimini
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 22, 2015 6:32 AM in response to Loner T

hi, i thought i was there. did two versions, one with OB and one OC. both appeared as icons when 'alt' booted, but neither booted when selected, just went to black screen. here are the terminal logs, in case, yet again, i did a wrong input.


minic:~ minic$ sudo gdisk /dev/disk1

Password:

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.10


Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: hybrid

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present


Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.


Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/disk1: 1953525168 sectors, 931.5 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 3B4522DB-D1B2-4795-BE37-

DB4B853F215D
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 1953525134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 1837 sectors (918.5 KiB)


Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name
1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition
2 409640 637802087 303.9 GiB AF05 Macintosh_HD2
3 637802088 639071847 620.0 MiB AB00 Recovery HD
4 639072256 1953523711 626.8 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP


Command (? for help): r


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h


WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,
just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will
be untouched.


Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be
added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4
Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): Y


Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)
Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): AF
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N


Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)
Enter an MBR hex code (default AB): AB
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N


Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07): OC

User uploaded file


Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): Y
Recovery/transformation command (? for help): W
Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING
PARTITIONS!!
Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): Y
OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/disk1.
Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their
partition table automatically reloaded!
Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.
You should reboot or remove the drive.
The operation has completed successfully.
minic:~ minic$

Last login: Thu Jan 22 13:18:55 on ttys001


minic:~ minic$ sudo gdisk /dev/disk1


Password:


GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.10




Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their


partition table automatically reloaded!


Partition table scan:


MBR: hybrid


BSD: not present


APM: not present


GPT: present




Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.




Command (? for help): p


Disk /dev/disk1: 1953525168 sectors, 931.5 GiB


Logical sector size: 512 bytes


Disk identifier (GUID): 3B4522DB-D1B2-4795-BE37-DB4B853F215D


Partition table holds up to 128 entries


First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 1953525134


Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries


Total free space is 1837 sectors (918.5 KiB)




Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name


1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition


2 409640 637802087 303.9 GiB AF05 Macintosh_HD2


3 637802088 639071847 620.0 MiB AB00 Recovery HD


4 639072256 1953523711 626.8 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP




Command (? for help): r




Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h




WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,


just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will


be untouched.




Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be


added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4


Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y




Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)


Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): AF


Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n




Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)


Enter an MBR hex code (default AB): AB


Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n




Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)


Enter an MBR hex code (default 07): OB


Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): y




Recovery/transformation command (? for help): w




Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING


PARTITIONS!!




Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y


OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/disk1.


Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their


partition table automatically reloaded!


Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.


You should reboot or remove the drive.


The operation has completed successfully.


minic:~ minic$

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User profile for user: nicimini
nicimini
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 22, 2015 6:47 AM in response to nicimini

oh, it's still got a suspicious MBR anyway


Last login: Thu Jan 22 14:19:28 on console

minic:~ minic$ 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 637392448 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

637802088 1269760 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

639071848 408

639072256 1314451456 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

1953523712 1423

1953525135 32 Sec GPT table

1953525167 1 Sec GPT header

minic:~ minic$


more confusion (for me anyway)😕

Reply
User profile for user: nicimini
nicimini
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 24, 2015 7:48 AM in response to Mazzerac

hi mazzerac,

have been having my own nightmare with this issue. loner has been very patient and generous with advice, but i still can't get it to run.

i'd like to replicate exactly what you did, and although i've downloaded iso's from various places and made my own from a windows c.d. i thought i'd ask if you could give a link to the site from which you downloaded your iso...

then i'll buy a new 32 gb sandisk ( i've been using 8gb sandisk, 2 of them)

and see if finally it works.


many thanks

Reply

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

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