No ISO Option and Won't Recognize Windows Installer

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Level 1

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No ISO Option and Won't Recognize Windows Installer

I'm running into a peculiar issue with my Boot Camp Assistant trying to install Windows 10. I am no longer seeing the ISO option at the initial setup screen, and when I try to simply install Windows I get an error that the installer disk cannot be found. No matter what I do it will not get passed this error.

I suspect that it may have something to do with a previous attempt at installing Windows 7 on my MBP. That installation was working just fine, but at the last minute, while it was still installing Windows 7, I changed my mind and decided to not proceed with he installation and ended up reversing all the partitioning and setup I had performed getting my machine ready for it.

Now I don't know what to do. Please advise.

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Jul 31, 2015 1:17 PM

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Answer 1

AMILkita Author

Level 1

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Jul 31, 2015 1:29 PM in response to AMILkita

FYI: I tried using the Windows 7 installer disk, which worked on the aforementioned installation, but it is now not working either. I just can't get passed this error screen.

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 2:07 PM in response to AMILkita

Your Mac does not support USB installation. Yosemite and later have plugged gaps in this process. Your built-in Optical drive must be able to read DVDs, otherwise they need to be repaired/replaced/tested that DVDs can be read/written.

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Answer 3

AMILkita Author

Level 1

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Jul 31, 2015 2:16 PM in response to Loner T

This is rather odd, because as I previously stated, I already attempted to install Windows 7 on my machine, not even 2-months ago, and it all worked just fine (I was already running Yosemite). I had the option for creating the ISO and it read my Windows 7 installer disk without any problems.

At this moment, I created an installer disk (DVD) for Windows 10 from the ISO I download from Microsoft and it will not read it either. I'm quite certain that my disks and USB devices can't all be broken or defective because not a single one is working with Boot Camp Assistant.

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Answer 4

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 3:07 PM in response to AMILkita

Are you able to read the DVDs under OSX and see the file contents on the DVD?

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Answer 5

AMILkita Author

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Jul 31, 2015 3:58 PM in response to Loner T

Yes.

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Answer 6

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 4:45 PM in response to AMILkita

If you power cycle your Mac and hold Alt/Option key, does the DVD show up as bootable disk?

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Answer 7

AMILkita Author

Level 1

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Jul 31, 2015 7:28 PM in response to Loner T

Yes, if for example, I leave the Windows 7 installer disk in the drive it shows up as a bootable option.

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Answer 8

AMILkita Author

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10 points

Jul 31, 2015 8:13 PM in response to Loner T

I posted another discussion about an issue I'm having copying the content of the Windows 10 ISO files to my FAT32 formatted USB drive. I'm wondering if it might be related to this same issue, too.

Can't Copy All of Windows 10 ISO Content to USB Drive

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 8:17 PM in response to AMILkita

Why are you manually copying files to USB?

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Answer 10

AMILkita Author

Level 1

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Jul 31, 2015 8:21 PM in response to Loner T

Because Boot Camp Assistant is not working for me and I know of no other way. I did try burning it to a DVD, but again, Boot Camp does not seem to see it.

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Answer 11

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 8:36 PM in response to AMILkita

1. Your Mac clearly does not support a USB for Windows installation.

2. Can you look at OS X Yosemite: Burn CDs and DVDs to see if you can create a bootable DVD? You need to ensure that the burn rate is supported by the media.

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Answer 12

AMILkita Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 31, 2015 8:44 PM in response to Loner T

A bootable DVD for Mac or for Windows? Because the DVD referenced above was made following these instructions, and its content is the Windows 10 ISO content.

On the left is the ISO image files and on the right is the DVD:

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Answer 13

AMILkita Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 2, 2015 8:34 AM in response to Loner T

So I figured it out. I had to use Disk Utility to burn onto the blank DVD the Windows 10 ISO I downloaded from Microsoft's website. After doing so Boot Camp recognized it right away and installed the OS. Oddly enough, Boot Camp continues to refuse to read the Windows 7 installer disk, which it read and installed on my MBP a few weeks ago, but now it hates it, I guess.

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Answer 14

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Aug 2, 2015 10:08 AM in response to AMILkita

Newer versions of OS X are deprecating W7 installations using Bootcamp.

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