Trying to install Bootcamp on Early 2011 MBP w/ Optical Drive removed

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Trying to install Bootcamp on Early 2011 MBP w/ Optical Drive removed

I have an early 2011 MBP 15" where I've removed the optical drive to replace it with a 2nd hard drive.

I've been trying to get Bootcamp going after I installed Yosemite.

I created a bootable Windows 7 USB thumb drive, but my computer won't recognize it as bootable during the Bootcamp process and I've now gone through two failed attempts at installing bootcamp.

I'm starting to think the only solution is to put my optical drive back in. Is there any way to get bootcamp going without doing that?

Posted on Oct 25, 2014 12:18 PM

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Answer 1

Loner T

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59,536 points

Oct 25, 2014 12:56 PM in response to dspec99

Is your USB disk a USB2? Was it created using a Windows ISO + BC drivers after modifying the Bootcamp info.plist?

If you plug-in the USB and power-up the Mac, can you hold Alt and see the USB?

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Answer 2

Oct 26, 2014 11:18 AM in response to dspec99

Hi,

I am in the same situation, I'll try to use a usb optical drive but nothing... i created the usb windows installation but when i try to choose the partition i got an type portion error....

From to boot manager I see only the EFI BOOT HARDRIVE...

Any news?

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Answer 3

dspec99 Author

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Oct 26, 2014 12:53 PM in response to Loner T

- Yes it is USB 2.0. It's a Kingston Data Traveller. One of these: http://www.kingston.com/datasheets/dt101g2_us.pdf

- It was created in Bootcamp Assistant (on my friend's newer retina MBP) using the "Create Windows 7 Install Disk" option using a Windows 7 ISO.

- And no it doesn't show up when I boot up and hold alt.

I've read that my computer can only boot from a USB with a GUID partition scheme, but I'm not sure it's possible to create Windows ISO USB in that way?

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Answer 4

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 26, 2014 1:35 PM in response to dspec99

CDFS or ISO9660 can be booted, but via a USB, you will run into issues. GPT disks will boot properly.

Installation via Bootcamp, sets up the BIOS layer to boot in a specific order, and USB booting is not supported in older Macs under CSM-BIOS, hence it is set to boot from CDROM. You can try an external Optical drive, but it may or may not work, depending if Windows installer can recognize it or not.

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Answer 5

dspec99 Author

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Oct 26, 2014 1:56 PM in response to Loner T

I've tried from external optical drive and all I got was "no bootable disk." Looks like the only solution is to put my optical drive back in...if I can find it!

Thanks for your help Loner T.

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Answer 6

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 26, 2014 5:26 PM in response to dspec99

There is one more option. I have tested this on a 2008+ MBP which had a broken Optical Drive. Create a 4-8 GB partition on your internal disk, and restore the DVD/CD image to this partition. and during the installation sequence, where it is expected to use the Optical drive, press Alt and point to this partition. I do not have the broken MBP anymore, and it was tested to install SL 10.6.8, because its OD was broken. It may save you sometime rather than look for a replacement OD.

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