Error installing Win7Home via Bootcamp

I didn't have any problems creating the BootCamp partition, but when it restarts, theoretically from the Window7 HomePremium disk, I get a black screen asking which disk with a 1 or a 2 and then a blinking cursor waiting for my response. There is no indication regarding what disk 1 or 2 is, nor can I enter either option at the cursor.

So how do I get Windows7 HomePremium installed on my iMac. It is a 64bit HomePremium, but I have a Intel Core 2 Duo which is listed as being 64bit. Also, the Windows7 version said EOM, but is brand new.

I should add, I'm using OSX Lion, and see it won't accept Windows XP or Vista, only Windows7.

G'day and welcome to the forums.

For starters did you make the partition, or did BootCamp make the partition in the normal course of installing? And you do have the physical Windows 7 disc and not an image?

I had Boot Camp do the work, and after it had created the 50GB partition, I then followed it's steps, but that's when I ran into is seemingly not starting the Window7 install. Yes, I have (and used) a physical Windows 7 disc.

It sounds like you do not have the correct version of Windows 7 to install. If it's asking you about a disk 1 or 2, something is not right. You say that you have an OEM version of Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit? Can you link us to a copy of that version so we can get a look at it?

Version that was recommended elsewhere in the forum from Amazon.

Amazon.com: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack: Software

And for clarification, it's cryptic, but it doesn't seem to be asking for the Windows disk, but rather a disk location. With an iMac, I only have the built in one.

Well, that's a good version - definitely recommended, also by me. I have no idea then what's going on. The reason Lion only supports Windows 7 is that it does not have drivers for Win XP or Vista.

When you ran the Boot Camp Assistant to create the partition, did it ask you to download a driver package from Apple and burn it to disk?

Yes I did. I expected that I would install whatever was on that downloaded disk after I installed Windows7. Am I supposed to use it first? before the Windows7 install disk?

No, the driver disk is loaded after the Windows 7 DVD. The Windows 7 DVD has to enter setup first so that the partition you created can be formatted to NTFS and start the Windows 7 installer.

Can you copy down the exact error message or whatever message that you're getting on the screen and post it here?

And one more question... did you recently upgrade to Lion from Snow Leopard?

After BootCamp Assistant has me insert the Windows7 disc and click on the install button, it reboots, I hear the Mac chime, it briefly goes to a typical gray initial screen and then the screen goes black. In what I will call programming code type lettering, at the to left of the screen in white letters is:


1.

2.

Select CD-ROM Boot Type: _


(the underscore flashes, but I can not enter 1 or 2, even if I knew what they were)


The physical Windows7 Home Premium disc says Includes Service Pack 1 and 64-bit software.

If I insert the disc while in OSX I see that its "name" is
GSP1RMCHPXFREO_EN_DVD

It includes the following
files:
autorun.inf
setup.exe
bootmgr
bootmgr.efi

and the following
folders:
boot
efi
sources
support
upgrade


I upgraded to Lion from Snow Leopard as soon as Lion was available from the AppStore. I have also run the update released this week and am running 10.7.1

You can get this message if you don't have a Mac that is deemed as 64bit compatible.

Is yours on this list?
Boot Camp: Macs that work with 64-bit editions of Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7

This is all due to the latest incarnations of windows discs having two boot sectors. What you need is a friend that has windows.
Use a tool like nLite to create a new bootable DVD using the files from your disk. NLite will create a single boot sector disc and all should work ok.

If you don't have a windows machine available post back and I'll try and find a Mac friendly solution..... That doesn't involve the need to install windows in a VM

I think you may be on to something. Although all of the online info says my Mac is 64-bit capable, in turns our that I have a Mid 2007 that System Profiler says is an Intel Core 2 Duo. However, further research indicates that the Profiler information is incorrect and that it is actually an Intel Core 2 Extreme. That may well be the issue. I was able to find a 32-bit install disk for a different Windows7 product, and it begins the process just fine. So now I need to either swap the OEM64bit for an OEM32bit as I don't imagine Amazon will take it back since the package has been open. Otherwise, to wait until I get a newer iMac, hopefully sometime early in 2012.

Alas, no I don't have a Windows solution readily availabe, but I've taken note of your suggestion and will look around to see if I can find one.

Thanks for all your help!!

It's a bit laborious but you can use the free Virtual Box VM, install windows 7 in it. You dont need to enter the serial or activate for 30 days.

Remaster the disc using imgburn or nlite.

Install windows under bootcamp using the new disc. If it works you can then just delete the windows vm in virtual box

@mrplow:

Thanks for the good info. I learned something from your post. Good rep going your way.....