Ok, so out of my earlier frustration, comes borne some new tips that have been pretty documented by users AND workarounds have been found.
first up…. the infamous black screen.
this happens when you try to install windows 7 on the new iMACs on a Boot Camp partition.
Basically, upon install, you get past the Windows install, then the system reboots to get the whole “start windows for first time” screen. But… it goes black. I mean… NADA. Nothing. Dead. Yet… you can still hear the fan going. things are working. the harddrive is on… the cpu is working… yet…. no image.
here’s what’s happening :
you know that new mini displayport that Apple is touting? Well the iMAC sees it as the primary display. So the monitor your looking at is … the SECONDARY display. Thus, when windows boots up, it tries to output to the PRIMARY display… NOT the monitor. this should be fixed via a Bootcamp update….
but in the meantime, here’s the fix :
option 1) get an external monitor with a minidisplay adaptor…. connect BEFORE installing the WINDOWS 7 OS. and work off this external monitor… to remove the bad drivers…
Get your computer in safe mode (you will be able to navigate via the external monitor you have hooked up)
navigate to C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32DRIVERS
delete the following file :
if you have an NVIDIA card :NVLDDMKM.SYS
if you have an ATI card : ATIKMDAG.SYS
exit, restart… and good to go.
option 2) hold down the power button during that black screen… restart…. it’ll ask if you want to boot from CD/DVD and to hit a button… YOU WANT THIS…. hit a button! it’ll get you back into the DVD of Windows 7. DO NOT try to reinstall. instead, go to REPAIR WINDOWS > command prompt. in the command prompt, you want to ….
navigate to C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32DRIVERS
delete the following file :
if you have an NVIDIA card :NVLDDMKM.SYS
if you have an ATI card : ATIKMDAG.SYS
exit, restart… and good to go.
As of this writing, Apple does NOT support Windows 7, and thus there isn’t a proper BOOTCAMP update to handle Windows 7 Installs.