andreaamado

Q: Boot camp with external dvd drive

How it's possible to install Windows 7 in my old MacBook Pro Mid 2009 using an external DVD drive?

Because my SuperDrive is broken.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5), MacBook Pro Mid 2009

Posted on Aug 3, 2016 3:21 AM

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Q: Boot camp with external dvd drive

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  • by mgx0,Helpful

    mgx0 mgx0 Aug 3, 2016 6:22 AM in response to andreaamado
    Level 1 (31 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 3, 2016 6:22 AM in response to andreaamado

    yes, there is a way, I remember doing this when I swapped my Superdrive for a disk drive while my old Macbook was not able to boot Windows from USB.

     

    you need vmware Fusion and rEFInd installed

     

    it's a bit tricky because non-apple USB drives are not working when booting the OS but this one works if you read carefully. basically the process starts as usual, put the DVD into the USB DVD drive and start Boot Camp, leave it to create BootCamp partition, instead of reboot create a VM with physical disk mapping, start the installation, reboot to Windows and finish it using USB DVD.

     

    here is the guide, outdated a bit but might help. just be careful which disk you format in the VM, because you are working with physical disk where you have the OS X installed:

     

    http://www.andrewsavory.com/blog/2011/2156

  • by andreaamado,

    andreaamado andreaamado Aug 3, 2016 6:12 AM in response to mgx0
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 3, 2016 6:12 AM in response to mgx0

    Thanks for your answer mgx0

    So, I need to install another osx in my second partition or I can install rEFIt in the first?

  • by mgx0,

    mgx0 mgx0 Aug 3, 2016 6:19 AM in response to andreaamado
    Level 1 (31 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 3, 2016 6:19 AM in response to andreaamado

    rEFIt refits whole disk, not just second partition just to thru the guide from the link and you should be able to do it

     

    no need to have second partition. just create the bootcamp partition using the Bootcamp Assistant.

  • by andreaamado,

    andreaamado andreaamado Aug 3, 2016 6:22 AM in response to mgx0
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 3, 2016 6:22 AM in response to mgx0

    Thanks mgx0, I'll try later