Installing Windows via bootcamp without optical drive?

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I realize that there are posts out there for how to install windows via bootcamp without an optical drive...... for mac air, etc... but in my case, those don't seem to be valid options. I have a legal copy of windows 7, and am trying to install it to an iMac. Normally, this would take just a few minutes, and next to no thought at all. However, the optical drive in this machine is no longer functional. Do i absolutely HAVE to go save up money to get my optical drive replaced? Or is there another way to install it?
 

Raz0rEdge

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2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
I'm guessing that if your internal optical drive is broken, it might be possible to use an external one if you have one..
 
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already tried that, sadly, bootcamp assistant didn't even recognize it.
(tried one that came with a macbook air, and i tried one that came with an HP laptop)
 
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Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
Yes new optical drive needed alas. If you read the Bootcamp Guidelines install only occurs from built in optical drive.
 
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currently trying a different method. using another mac machine to install windows via bootcamp. then going to make an image of the partition, and apply it to a partition on this machine
 

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