Hey, I tried to install bootcamp on my Mac Pro ... and I don't have a flashed video card so I don't see the boot screen menus ... So I assumed the install would go smoothly and It would just automatically skip through them ... but I kept getting please insert bootable disk ... and holding down option and hitting an arrow to either side or even staying in the same place hasn't resulted in any response for me to return to my OSX partition ... any suggestions on how I can get back into the OSX part would be greatly appreciated thanks!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Please help me Fix my Idiotic Mistake
- Thread starter KBS756
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Have you tried "SHIFT" during boot for safe mode?
Or "Command-R" for recovery?
Either of those (assuming it boots OSX) would allow you to change your boot partition back to OSX.
Or "Command-R" for recovery?
Either of those (assuming it boots OSX) would allow you to change your boot partition back to OSX.
Haven't tried shift ... with Command + R I just get black for several minutes ... should I wait longer?
Trying shift right now.
I tried to set the start up disk using target disk mode but it doesn't apply for the mac pro ...
Hmm. Try opening up your Mac and pull out all the hard drives except the one you want to boot. Just pull them out enough to discontent the ports. Remember to turn your machine off first though!
This is what I did to flash my video card. I was able to boot back and forth between OS X and Windows without Bootcamp.
Hope it helps.
Gary
This is what I did to flash my video card. I was able to boot back and forth between OS X and Windows without Bootcamp.
Hope it helps.
Gary
You can always do a PRAM reset and it'll reset the default boot drive to the OS X partition.
Thanks I was not thinking straight
.... Now to figure out why it couldn't boot from that key
Gave it to a friend unfortunately .. seems the USB key that Bootcamps assistant is making is just bad though because i don't see it when i hold option on my laptop
I second the idea to try booting the Recovery System via the Command-R key chord.
When I tried to get boot camp up and running (which was a royal PITA), I noticed that even a simple USB stick can mess up the EFI boot manager of the Mac Pro 5.1. So maybe you should try to disconnect any USB device before turning your Mac on and press and hold Command-R then. Perhaps this makes a difference.
Another approach would be to try to boot from CD or DVD. If you still have the original media of your Mac Pro, open the drive by pressing the mouse button during boot. Insert the DVD, close the drive (gently pushing the tray) and reboot the system. Hold the 'C' key during the reboot. With any luck, your Mac will boot into the installer. There you should be able to change the startup disk from one of the menu items if I remember correctly.
I don't know how you made your USB Windows installer, but it probably won't work for older MP models. You need to use a DVD Windows installer under Boot Camp. I have tried in the past to hack Boot Camp Assistant and prepared USB installers, but they were not bootable under Boot Camp Assistant.
Sorry forgot to post, managed to get back into OSX ! ... still having no success with creating a USB boot drive though ... and I don't have a Disk Drive in my Mac Pro anymore ... close to going out and buying a Macbook air USB superdrive if that will work ...
Pressing X at startup only worked on systems that had Mac OS 9 and OS X on the same partition. Even then, I rarely got it to work. G5's and Intell based Macs don't respond to X at startup.
That USB superdrive is not working with the cMP by default. Even though you can modify the com.apple.Boot.plist file to make it work with cMP. Since it's a OS hack, I doubt that will it work for booting or not.
Also, it's better to have an external DVD driver with the eject button. It may safe you from some trouble during the Windows installation / operation.
Where is your old GPU?
Use an EFI GPU or fly blind through your EFI.
If you dont have a EFI GPU it is better to install Windows on a separate disk. So if you have a problem you can remove that disk
Use an EFI GPU or fly blind through your EFI.
If you dont have a EFI GPU it is better to install Windows on a separate disk. So if you have a problem you can remove that disk
After you edit com.apple.Boot.plist, you can install OS X or Windows via an Apple SuperDrive, done it many times
Just make sure the drive is directly attached, it won't work through a USB hub.
I just never understand why peoples often don't bother to keep the 
GPU, whether in the MP or on the shelve. It makes life so much easier and threads like these so much shorter...
GPU, whether in the MP or on the shelve. It makes life so much easier and threads like these so much shorter...