Bootcamp a 2009 iMac with a faulty superdrive?

Fr0dders

Fr0dders

Fr0dders

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Is this even possible.

From forum posts it would seem as easy as putting the ISO on a USB key, but it keeps saying it can't find the Windows CD (which it won't because my superdrive broke long ago)

Anybody think of a way round it ? I've got a 32gb USB stick which I can stick the iso on, but can't find a way to get the bootcamp assistant to use it.
 
Before i partition anything i may just try and get it to boot from USB. I'm at work at the minute so I'll report back on how i get on tonight.
 
Remote Disc doesnt work.

I've tried that but it insists on looking for it in the DVD drive (presumably D: drive) its a no go. Put my USB stick in and tried rebooting, no USB boot option. Boot camp has no option to create a bootable USB stick so I think its safe to say I'm stuffed.

Can't boot from USB and it insists on looking for the installer in the broken drive.
 
I only get two options in bootcamp.

Download the latest windows support drivers from apple

and

Install Windows 7.

The latter takes me to the disk partition screen. I choose how much space I want in the windows partition, click next and it falls over looking for the disc. Won't go any further.

If i format the USB with Mac journelled, how will windows read it when i try and install windows ?
 
Don't think that works anymore.

I've now got bootcamp version 5 installed and have inserted both the boot rom version and the model number to the list file and still don't get the option
 
I'm not convinced an external drive will work.

Because my system can see the superdrive its going to default to looking for the windows disk there.

Problem is the superdrive can't read any discs, but bootcamp won't know that and seems hard coded to look in a certain place for the drive.

I'm going to have to get the drive fixed (anybody know how much one is from apple ?) as that process won't work either. Boot Camp utility won't partition the drive anymore without a windows disc inserted. That guide talks about using the boot camp utility to partition the drives, then quitting. And i've seen several times now to make sure to use the boot camp utility to partition the drive and not disk utility :(
 
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It won't use the external drive though, as I still have a "working" superdrive it can see.

It won't look in both drives, its only going to look for the disc in my existing superdrive that can't read any discs (but still appears fine in OSX)

The external drive trick will only work if you don't already have a SuperDrive or have removed it entirely to replace with an SSD etc..

Concorde Rules said:
You can skip the choose installation media step??

I did it a month or so ago on my MBP and how do you do it on a MBA like the guide??

It is possible. I know it is!!
Click to expand...



I'd love to know how. I press next after the partition screen, then get a pop up error saying insert disc. I can then only click back without inserting the disc. Unless this is because I'm running bootcamp assistant 5 and they changed it recently ?
 
That won't work.

The bootcamp utility won't look at that drive as I have a superdrive installed already. The system can see it but it won't read discs.

To force it to swap over to the external one, I'd have to open the imac up and remove it. And if I'm going to do that i might as well buy a new one.
 
mrbell1984 said:
Read this.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3410900?start=0&tstart=0
Click to expand...

Ok so i worked out why this wasn't working. I hadn't followed it fully and renamed one of the arrays from PreUSBBootSupportedModels to USBBootSupportedModels.

Did this and i now have the 3rd option in bootcamp assistant "Create a Windows 7 install disk"

Did this and then followed the process through, got to the bit about partitioning the disk and it reported it couldn't partition the disk as there was an error and it required running disk util to fix. Rebooted, used cmd + r to boot into the recovery partition and tried running the disk tool. Didn't work as I had booted from the HD still and reported it couldn't unmount the drive.

So rebooted, booted back into OSX and created an OSX mountain lion USB recovery stick. Put that in, rebooted the mac, held down alt and now had a 3rd choice - boot into the USB stick. Did this and then managed to sucessfully repair the drive. Rebooted again and re-ran bootcamp. Bootcamp then ran through again, created the windows 7 flash drive, then partioned the drive. This ran through sucessfully this time and rebooted. It then attempted to boot into windows where it failed with:

No Bootable device - Insert boot disk and press any key. Tried pressing any key, and nothing. Its like its rebooted without any USB support. My USB wired keyboard is lit up, so I know it has power, but pressing any key makes no difference at all. It doesn't even clear the error and bring it back up again.

Now i know i can boot from this USB stick, as it booted from it when i turned it into a mountain lion recovery stick. So i guess any option of doing it from a USB stick is out as it looks like windows can't recognize the USB controller on my mac. Guess theres a reason that I didn't have that 3rd option.......

So I may give the external DVD drive option a go, just in case it does work. If it doesn't I think the only alternative is to get the Superdrive replaced, and cart my 27" imac to the local apple store. Which should be fun....
 
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