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I think I broke my iMac

L

LadderGoat

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 5, 2010
68
0
I tried to install windows 7 on it and the screen went black and now it comes up with
No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key
I can't get past this screen I can't eject my windows 7 disk to put the Mac OS X disk in and if I press any key nothing happens

I think it's broken and I can't afford to buy a new computer
Please help
 
IT IS NOT BROKEN.
When powering up the iMac hold down the OPTION/ALT key to get to the boot selection screen and choose Mac OS X ("Macintosh HD") to boot from and press ENTER.
Then when logged in go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and select the volume with Mac OS X on it.

Then use Boot Camp Assistant to remove the Windows partition and use it again to create a new one and try to reinstall WIndows again. Don 't use Disk Utility to erase the Windows partition.

Also of interest:



Helpful Information for Any Mac User by GGJstudios
 
You are a life saver thanks for the quick reply.
I think I will just leave windows as it is too advanced for me.
Thanks for the links
 
LadderGoat said:
You are a life saver thanks for the quick reply.
I think I will just leave windows as it is too advanced for me.
Thanks for the links
Click to expand...

It is not really complicated as shown below.

2qd29i1.png

1071i8g.png

oj1o5z.png
 
Last edited:
I had the same problem, a bit of googling always helps though.

If you want to try again, follow the instructions here, carefully and to the letter! http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3173 and you'll have win 7 running in no time.

Also if the drivers don't burn for you when starting bootcamp you can find them on the snow leopard disk, you must have those drivers. Also make sure you have a USB mouse handy.
 
The first time I used bootcamp I almost cried when the same thing happened to me lol. I'm not the type to read directions going into something like that and I like to learn from trying different things. It was a while until I found out you had to insert the OS X disk for windows drivers lol. I remember when BC burnt a CD for you before install.
 
Thaks guy i decided not to try again instead I fully reinstalled Snow Leopard and it works well.
I am not gonna ****** with it anymore haha
 
LadderGoat said:
Thaks guy i decided not to try again instead I fully reinstalled Snow Leopard and it works well.
I am not gonna ****** with it anymore haha
Click to expand...

No, it's not like you screwed it up. Don't feel bad ;).

Black screen during Windows 7's install likely means W7's DVD doesn't have some generic display drivers.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3173


You just need to faff about with a USB drive. Once you plug that guy in with the files on it, normal service resumes.


If you even have a kernel of curiosity, I'd urge you to try once more. Macs are resilient.
 
LadderGoat said:
I tried to install windows 7 on it and the screen went black and now it comes up with
No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key
I can't get past this screen I can't eject my windows 7 disk to put the Mac OS X disk in and if I press any key nothing happens

I think it's broken and I can't afford to buy a new computer
Please help
Click to expand...

I had the same isue with my i5 iMac after my Windows 7 install went pear-shaped.

Not all the time, but occasionally it would happen on boot up and just sit there showing that "No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key" screen, instead of booting into Mac OS - even though I'd selected the correct boot disk in the Startup Disk manager.

Simply enough though, I stopped it doing this by resetting the PRAM - as according to the Apple website, this resets startup disk preferences.

:)
 
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