MBP i7 17" wont boot from external CD/DVD

I have installed a second hardrive in my mbp using the optibay. Since then ive been trying to install windows on the second harddrive, but it wont boot from the windows cd. After some testing, it turns out it wont boot -any- cd from an external cd/dvd drive.
When i put in a bootable cd and boot with the option key, it does recognize the cd. When i select it, it starts spinning up, stops, and i get a grey screen with an flashing apple/failed sign.
I have already tried the following:
- Reset PRAM
- Use the superdrive i removed as USB cd/dvd drive
- Use a different USB cd/dvd drive
- Tried to boot off a bootable USB memory stick
- Installed rEFIt boot loader.
- Tried the (USB) superdrive on a previous model 15" MBP, and it boots without problems.
Im at a loss what else i can try. OS X installed perfectly when the superdrive was still connected to the internal SATA connector, but i dont feel like switching the whole thing back. Not to mention i wont be able to install windows on the secondary drive.
Maybe i could try an ExpressCard SATA controller? Or would that be a waste of time/money? Im also considering installing through target disk mode, but im afraid ill run into all kinds of trouble.
I hope you'll have some ideas!

I think can wrap this up.
The OS X Installer that came with my MBP did work on the external USB superdrive. So it appears the same thing applies for any USB connected device: only OSX installer will boot from it.
As for my initial booting needs: i have successfully installed Windows using bootcamp, though i used a workaround so i didn't have to boot from cd. For anyone who wanders around here and wants to know:
- Created a 10GB VMWare disk image for Windows
- Booted windows install disk inside VMWare
- Upon first reboot i shut down the virtual machine
- Connected the 10GB VMWare disk image to a Debian virtual machine
- Ripped mbr using: dd if=/dev/sdb bs=1 count=446 > mbr
- Copied it to my mac, and installed it to my drive using: fdisk -u -f mbr /dev/rdisk1
- Copied over the VMWare disk image to my Bootcamp Assistent created partition using: dd if=/dev/sdb1 | ssh root@mymac "dd of=/dev/disk1s3"
- Used WinClone to make an image of my Bootcamp partition, and immediately restored it. This fixes some windows issues for the new partition, and resizes it to fit your bootcam partition
- Reboot into windows and the install will continue!
Some tweaking of these commands are needed. If you don't know what you're doing: don't.
Any questions, feel free to contact me.

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i have downloaded win 8.1 and burn image to dvd but i still get an error message "no bootable device......please restart system" .
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Hi
Does Satellite C50-A634 supports internal CD/DVD drive or did you try to boot from external optical disk drive?
You have to know that _Satellite C50 & Satellite C50D models *without* a built-in ODD_ are not able to boot from an external ODD due to a technical limitation.
Details here:
[Limitation of external boot media for Satellite, Satellite Pro C50 & C50D devices|http://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/kb0/TSB3B03JA0000R01.htm]
Only USB flash drives are supported as external boot devices!
It is necessary you can use a USB flash drive as recovery media on notebooks without a built-in ODD.

Sun v40z wont boot from external DVD/RW drive

Hello folks, I am banging my head on the wall with a Sun v40z that will not boot from an external dvd drive. I want to install Win2k3 Server on it. Any ideas.

The v40z is an x86 platform,and thus has a BIOS controlling the boot order and boot devices. You'll have to attach a VGA display and keyboard, power on the system, then hit F2 or F10 to enter Setup (it should say what magic key it is at startup time, just after the SUN logo splash screen comes up).
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Hi! I have a Lenovo IdeaPad S400 and a Samsung external DVD reader. Once, I've installed Windows 7 from that reader. Now I've got Ubuntu 12.10 and want to instal iATKOS ML2 and it just doesn't boot from that reader. It's not just that DVD. I've tried with the same Windows 7 and other Ubuntu disc but it doesn't show up neither.
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Solved!
Go to Solution.

hi Tiiiincho,
Welcome to the Lenovo Forums.
Can you try to:
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2. On the BIOS, navigate to the Boot Tab and set UEFI Mode to Disabled.
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4. During boot-up, hold the Fn key and continuously tap F12 and select the ODD drive on the boot manager.
Your iATKOS ML2 or any bootable installation disc should now start.
Hope this helps.
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Wont Boot from External USB HD

Hi Guys,
So Im in the practice of having a 'repair drive'. Basically I format and install OSX on an external USB HD plus a few maintenance programs. I do this so I can run diagnostics/housekeeping/optimization without being booted into the drive.
Anyhow, I formatted and installed OSX using my old white MB. Everything worked fine, I even installed the combo update. I get to boot into it on my white MB but when I try to boot into it on my unibody 15" MBP it doesnt want to... so I dont know what gives!! TIA

Boot the "old white MB" from the external, and double-check the version of OSX on it. Make sure it's not earlier than the version that came with the MBP. Check the MBP's DVD, or plug it's serial number in here: http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php
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Can you start in safe mode?
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This is fairly long winded, I will try to be as clear as i can.
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Used Disk Utility on another Mac, done the above.
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Thanks

Apple very plainly states that an Intel Mac can't boot a disk formatted on a PowerPC Mac, and vice versa. Each uses a different native partition table. Yet, each can read data stored on the other.
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Nate

Macbook pro cant boot from external dvd device please help !!!!

hello everyone please help me i have macbook pro 2011 core i5 version
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i am trying to install windows on origianl 500 gb hdd and linux on ssd
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https://support.apple.com/en-us/ht1310
Ciao.

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