Installing Windows 7 using Bootcamp macOS Sierra

Question

Level 1

9 points

Installing Windows 7 using Bootcamp macOS Sierra

Trying to install Windows 7 using Bootcamp but already disappointed.

1. Error pop-upped saying I need to have single partition HFS+. Checked everything - I have 1 partition only. Surfing forums and stuff and only suggestion was to clean up the drive, re-format it and do a fresh install. Really guys??? No, found out a solution in First Aid within Disk Utilities.

2. Once got through the screen Bootcamp told me I need 50Gb free space. Fine. Few hours wasted to delete and re-store my stuff. However, might be a good thing as I am using 128Gb SSD so sooner or later I would have to do it.

3. Now, ******* tells me

The installer disc could not be found. Insert your Windows installer disc and wait a few seconds for the disc to be recognized.

I have mount iso file in finder but it still does not recognise anything. I downloaded the other version of Windows 7 (just to try if it works) but still unsuccessful.

Also, in some screenshots here I have seen Bootcamp suggest to create Windows installer disk or something. Mine one does not. (See pic below).

And about my system:

Any ideas, guys?

MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.5)

Posted on Aug 14, 2017 6:31 AM

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Answer 1

Mr.Edgar Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 14, 2017 7:19 AM in response to Loner T

I am not sure if my DVD drive works at all as tried several old DVDs but it just spat them out.

Is there any other way to install Windows without using optical drive? As if it is broken - it will be not worth for me to buy another one just for Win7 installation.

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,566 points

Aug 14, 2017 7:12 AM in response to Mr.Edgar

The 2010 Macs use a physical DVD in the internal Optical drive to install Windows. Right-click on the ISO and choose Burn, expand the Burn dialog box, and choose the lowest Burn rate to avoid block errors. See Re: Need help installing windows on my iMac Mid 2010 El Capitan as an example.

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Answer 3

niels77

Level 1

4 points

Aug 15, 2017 3:43 PM in response to Mr.Edgar

Can you be more specific, Mr.Edgar? I'm stuck with the same problem on El Capitan. I downloaded a legal Win7 ISO and I don't have a Superdrive in my mid 2010 MBP.

I burnt the ISO to DVD twice on an external Samsung optical drive. Boot camp Assistant recognizes both DVDs - and the Daemon Tools virtual drive - but does not restart with the installation, instead the MBP freezes on the login screen of El Capitan. Keyboard and trackpad do nothing.

Did you manage to install Win7 using Daemon Tools? Where do I continue?

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Answer 4

Mr.Edgar Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 17, 2017 8:07 PM in response to niels77

Hi Niels,

Sorry for the late reply.

So what I did to make it work:

1. Used Daemon Tools to create virtual CD drive with mounted Windows 7 ISO (you need that for Bootcamp assistant as on my MBP mid-2010 it does not give you an option to use flash cards).

2. Copied Apple Support Files onto desktop

3. Created Windows boot flash drive in Daemon Tools and copied ISO onto that flash (just click create bootable Windows flash drive and use ISO as an image)

4. In bootcamp assistant started Windows installation

5. MBP restarted and started a Windows 7 installation from this flash drive.

6. Copied in macOS Sierra apple windows support files onto flash drive

7. Installed these files in Windows environment.

6. All done

I hope it will help

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