Bootcamp black screen with Windows 7

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Hello forum,

This is one of my very first posts. I'm very experienced with computers, but new to Macs.

I'm using a 15" Macbook Pro 2.53Ghz 4GB Ram Intel Core 2 Duo. Brand new, mid-late 2009.

I am currently trying to install a legally downloaded version of Windows 7 x64 Professional. Downloaded from the MSDN-AA program. I burned the image onto a disc by right clicking it.

Started up boot camp assistant, partitioned my HDD (32 GB for Windows) and inserted my burned DVD. Clicked on the Start Installation button, and my Macbook Pro began to restart. After sitting at the grey start-up screen for a few seconds, I am sent to a black screen that says "No readable device, insert boot disk and press any key."

I am forced to reboot my Macbook by using the power button, and hold down the alt key to re-boot OS X. This Macbook is brand new, from mid-late 2009.

I have a tried a number of fixes, including burning the DVD at the slowest speed, holding down the alt key and entering the boot menu and then re-inserting the Windows disk (Windows DVD does not even appear as an option; only Macintosh HD), and trying to find the Windows DVD to boot from in system preferences (it does not appear there either). None of these have worked.

I desperately need access to Windows for a few of my computer programming classes. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
 

chscag

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It sounds like you're either not correctly burning the image to DVD or, the downloaded copy from the MSDN subscription program is corrupt. The burned DVD has to be bootable in order for it to work.

Try this as a test: Take the DVD you burned to a friend who has a PC. See if you can boot his/her PC with the DVD. If you can, and the install program for Win 7 starts, then you know the DVD is OK.

Let us know.

Regards.
 
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In order to burn the image, all I did was right click it, and select "Burn IMAGE NAME to Disc." So I'm assuming it used the Mac default program to do the burning. I was not able to edit any sort of format or options, it just began to burn to the Disc automatically and immediately.

I will try to boot it in a PC in just a few moments, and will post results.

EDIT: Tried to boot it on a Toshiba Satellite Laptop by changing boot preferences in BIOS, and also by pressing the "c" key, and I was unable to get the installer to load.

However, when Windows was already loaded on this PC, after I stuck the burned DVD of Windows 7 into the disk drive, I was greeted with this message; " Your computer can't run this version of Windows. You need an installation disc that's compatible with your computer. For more information, check your computer's system information."

This computer is running Windows XP Professional, and I am sure it meets minimum requirements (minus the necessary graphics card) to run Windows 7 Professional, which is the version I am trying to install.

Hope this helps you help me!

Thanks so much!

Chaz
 
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Ok! Fixed it!! Hope this post can help others!

OK: 1. Find the location of the original .iso you downloaded

2. Open Disk Utility

3. Select the original .iso you downloaded, and choose the Convert option in Disk Utility

4. When selecting convert, make sure to choose the option "DVD/CD Master" (This will make the disc bootable)

5.Burn the newly converted image (it should end in .cdr) to a blank DVD-R (that's what I used, I'm sure DVD-RW will work as well)

6. Make sure the DVD is in your drive, and open Boot Camp

7. Select Start Installation (assuming you've already partitioned your drive)

8. Install should work perfectly! Enjoy!

Hope that helps! Took me hours, and tens of discs to finally get it right!
 
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Glad you were able to get it sorted out.
 
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It's pretty simple. He is saying go back to the original downloaded file, which you downloaded as a .ISO file. You will need to re-burn it in the manner specified. What part are you confused about?
 
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Yes, sorry!

In order for this fix to work, you must start with an .iso file that you downloaded legally from the internet. I got my copy of Win 7 Pro legally from MSDN-AA, from a link through my University.

If you and trying to install from a retail disk, it should work without a hitch.

If you need to create an Image from another disk, Disk Utility can help you do that!
 

chscag

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Been busy and didn't have time to get back to you. But glad to see that my hint about trying it out in a PC helped. Anyway, glad you got it sorted out.

Now - enjoy running Win 7 on a real machine. :D

Regards.
 
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It's pretty simple. He is saying go back to the original downloaded file, which you downloaded as a .ISO file. You will need to re-burn it in the manner specified. What part are you confused about?

Ok. Sorry i'm just that inexperienced. Ok i need to go and download the .iso file. Where do i find that?
 
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Ok just need one question answered. I have a copy of Win 7. Just to get the instructions clear. I just need to download that version to my hard drive?
 

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