# problem to install windows 7 on MacBook Pro



## hellebarse (Sep 4, 2011)

hi, i want to install windows 7 on my mac to be able to play games but when i start bootcamp and try and make a partition i just get this message "Back up your hard drive and format it as a single volume in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) using Disk Utility. Recover data on the hard disk and try using Boot Camp Assistant again." and well i don't really get what im supposed to do. would be awesome if some1 like could help me step by step or something.
and btw is it possible to make a usb memmory/ extern hardrive bootable on mac? 
thank you!


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

How many partitions are on this hard drive already? (Open /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility to find out)

Yes, Macs can boot from external storage devices just fine. (including the OS itself)


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## hellebarse (Sep 4, 2011)

right now there are no partitions and i can't make any.


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

hellebarse said:


> right now there are no partitions and i can't make any.


Sure you are clicking now level of HD and not entry below it?


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## hellebarse (Sep 4, 2011)

well ofc i have on partition machintosh HD but nothin' else


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

hellebarse said:


> well ofc i have on partition machintosh HD but nothin' else


Should look like this:









You should be clicking the top level HD, not the partition which is named *machintosh HD* in your case.


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## hellebarse (Sep 4, 2011)

yeh i got that now and mine looks exactly like yours.


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

How much of the partition is used?


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## hellebarse (Sep 4, 2011)

178.1 GB of 249.72 GB is used


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

I would use Disk Utility to run *Repair Disk* selecting your partition this time and than try bootcamp assistant again.

If it still fails it could be there is too much fragmentation for bootcamp assistant to handle.
In this case you could use a 3rd party disk optimizer or a backup, partition and restore.


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## hellebarse (Sep 4, 2011)

well i can't click repair so should i download disk optimizer? it's just gray. and yes i have controlled the disc and it needs to be repaired


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

hellebarse said:


> well i can't click repair so should i download disk optimizer? it's just gray. and yes i have controlled the disc and it needs to be repaired


Either boot from your original OS X DVD or if you have OS X Lion, hold option while booting and boot off the recovery partition.

Once either of those starts, you can run Disk Utility and then will be able to select your partition.


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## hellebarse (Sep 4, 2011)

well i kinda don't have any osx disc so if u could help me make a bootable us that would be great


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

You best bet than would be to grab a copy of CCC (http://www.bombich.com/), and make a copy of your internal HD to your external HD.

You can then boot from the external HD and you can use Disk Utility on the internal HD.

The best option would be to clone the HD, repartition the internal HD into 2 partitions, and than clone back OS X into the smaller partition on the internal HD. Then you can install Windows on the second partition you created.


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