Windows 7 Pro Disk format failure

Question

Windows 7 Pro Disk format failure

Hi all--

Here's the particulars:

Mac Mini Mid-2011 w/ El Cap 10.11.3 and all software updated. 16 GB RAM/240 GB internal SSD.

I've read the relevant software documentation for Boot Camp and have a 32 GB flash drive for the Windows install disk and Boot Camp drivers. Per Apple's documentation, I downloaded driver version 5.1.5621 as I'm attempting a Win 7 Pro install. I have a full install Win 7 Pro SP1 disk ripped to an .iso also per documentation via Disk Utility. Interesting note is apparently the SD card slot is not acceptable as an install medium. Have a 16 GB card and mounted as a FAT volume but Boot Camp refused to acknowledge it. The USB flash drive was what Boot Camp wanted. One more thing is I asked Boot Camp to create a 40 GB partition on the internal SSD.

So basically this was supposed to be a textbook install. Entered into the Windows installer. Got to the destination screen and chose BOOTCAMP and asked the installer to format the selection. Windows apparently formatted the selection and I clicked Continue. I then received a note saying Windows couldn't use that partition and pls see the installation log. I cannot find that install log. But obviously something about the Boot Camp partition is not playing nicely w/ the Windows installer and I'm at a loss.

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), 16 GB RAM/240 GB SSD

Posted on Feb 6, 2016 3:06 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 6, 2016 10:13 AM in response to Mike McDonald

OK, found a link in a related thread taking me to a Boot Camp KB article for Win 8 saying disconnect *all* external drives. I have a Time Machine backup drive and the old 5400 RPM HD that came w/ the Mini mounted via USB. I disconnected both, unmounted the SD card, and re-ran Boot Camp to success this time. Win 7 is now installed. Huzzah,

Now, the post-mortem here is to take the boot camp driver folder and locate it in the C:drive. Installation works quickly. That said, out of the 40 GB partition, I'm left w/ ONLY 1.2 GB free space. I checked size of every single folder of the default install and there's absolutely nothing sucking up that much space. What is taking up space? I've run disk cleanup to no avail. Restarted several times and ran CHKDSK at startup also. How can I reclaim that space?

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