[Macpartners] Installing Windows7 on Boot Camp from USB

[Justin Fleming]

Hi Zaira,

The tool Thomas mentioned would be your best bet if you have access to a Windows PC.  If you still need to create a bootable Windows 7 install disk using only your Mac and the Boot Camp Assistant, you can edit a preference file (Info.plist) for the Boot Camp Assistant in order to enable the "Create a Windows 7 install disk" option that you mentioned.  What Apple did was disable this option unless you have a relatively recent Mac that shipped without an internal DVD drive, such as a MacBook Air, retina MacBook Pro, or one of the new iMacs or Mac minis.  Basically, editing this Info.plist file will add the model of Mac you're using to the list of Macs that are given the option to create a bootable Windows install disk.

I could walk you through this process, but someone on YouTube has already done a great job creating a video walkthrough that should guide you through every step of creating the install disk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1gqw0ougo.  If you have any questions about this or run into any issues, please let me know.

Hope this helps!
~ Justin
__

Justin Fleming
Mac Platform Coordinator
Software Release Team
Systems Engineering, IS&T, MIT
jtflem at mit.edu | 617.253.0157 | W92-229A

Important: IS&T staff will never ask you for your password, nor will MIT send you email requesting your password information.  Please ignore any email messages that claim to require you to provide such information.

On Apr 4, 2013, at 7:02 AM, Thomas Brand <tbrand at MIT.EDU> wrote:

> Good morning Zaira,
> 
> The easiest way I know of involves using a PC and Microsoft's free Windows 7 USB Download tool. (It works with Windows 8 and Server too.) it will take your Windows ISO file and make a bootable USB drive. Too bad you already need a PC to do it.
> 
> http://download.cnet.com/Windows-7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool/3000-18513_4-10972600.html
> 
> Thomas Brand
> VPF Tech
> 
> On Apr 4, 2013, at 1:11 AM, "Zaira Garate" <zaira at MIT.EDU> wrote:
> 
>> Hello!
>> 
>> I recently formatted my hard drive and need to set up bootcamp again. There used to be a way to save the Windows ISO file on a bootable USB using the Boot Camp Assistant, but I don't get that option any more. The second screen on the assistant only gives me the choice to "Download the latest Windows support software from Apple" and/or "Install Windows 7 or later version." I've tried "burning" the ISO to the USB using Disk Utility, but that doesn't work either. I'm running Mac OS 10.8.3 with the latest updates, by the way.
>> 
>> Is there a different way to do this with a USB?
>> 
>> Thanks in advance.
>> 
>> Zaira Garate
>> Massachusetts Institute of Technology
>> Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
>> 
>> 
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