Windows 7 Bootcamp refuses to format 20-gig partition to NTFS.

I just recently purchased a Macbook Pro 13-inch Retina at the close of 2012. Have wanted to install Bootcamp (5.1) on it, since I installed Bootcamp on my old Macbook Pro from 2007. Ran into a number of errors and roadblocks, but all were bypassed and there seems to be one final error that I cannot get around.
I am using an official copy, also recently purchased, of Windows 7 64-bit. It's installed as an .iso on a 16-gig flash drive. Upon starting the Windows installation on a 20-gig partition (created by the Bootcamp software), it asks me which partition I want to install Windows onto. I select Partition 4, which says BOOTCAMP, and then select "Advanced Options," where I attempt to have it format the partition from FAT to NTFS. I receive an error message stating that the "the recommended free space for installation is 24895 MB" and it refuses to format it.
There's no possible way that Windows 7 requires 25 GB of free space, I've done the research enough to know that. Why would it tell me that?? What is preventing me from using the install software to format the Bootcamp partition like everyone else seems to be able to do? Is there another issue that I'm missing?
P.S. Not sure if this is related, but there is an oddity in my hard drive's allocation of space: Disk Utility will only allow up to a 20 GB partition, and seems to think that the other 90 GB are necessary for my Mac's startup, even though I have approx 43 GB free, according to the information bar at the bottom of the Finder window.

20GB is way to small. Windows 7 requires at least 60GB of hard drive space. 20GB is absolute minimum just for Windows which also needs swap and data space.
Read and follow the Bootcamp Installation instructions. The instructions are available from the first screen when you run Bootcamp Assistant.

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What model Mini?
Is it booting to internet recovery or the recovery partition?
Try resetting the SMC and NVRAM
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Personally I have had no experience with this problem but maybe these urls will have some useful info.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20061565-263.html
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10329899-263.html
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Boot-Options-Change-To--EFI-Boot--in-Mac /615006

How can I install windows 7 using boot camp, if the partition will not format correctly?

Hi All,
I'm new to this forum and have had a chance to look around a little bit, but haven't really found an answer to the problem that I'm having.
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David Kaff wrote:
Yes, I choose "Format" under the advanced options screen. It seems like it formats, but then I get the same message of "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style." I can continue to click "format" but i keep getting the same error.
There is the answer, right in front of us ....
Delete the bootcamp partition and start again the correct partition type is GUID but BootCamp should take care of that automatically so try again.

Is it possible to get ReadWrite Mac HFS+ drivers for windows 7 so I can manage my Mac formatted Backups through windows bootcamp?

Hello!
I was just curious if there was a driver or something I can install so that I can read and write my mac OSX formatted [HFS+] external drives in Windows 7,
using the windows file explorer [the equivalent for finder].
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I need this because I need to do HEAPS of file management,
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This has been my most hated issue with OSX for years now.
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Hello Alberto and Woodmeister50,
thank you for both your answers.
I have to try and remember to state things I have tried previously or am aware of; my bad!
Alberto:
Thanks for your ideas.
I'm aware of ex-fat format.
Unfortunately, my external drives are quite full and a reformat or EXFAT partition is out of the question.
I'm formatted them OSX extended journaled a couple of years back before I was aware of exfat.
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[also, while not a big issue, I hear EXFAT can't handle files bigger than 4gb. Not that I have many such files, so that's not really a big concern].
So doing my file organization through windows explorer is, to my knowledge, the best option,
if it is possible. [I hope!]
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I'm not sure if paragon HFS+ or Macdrive allow you to use windows explorer to manage files?
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Thanks.
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Mac Explorer.
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Um.... there were a bunch of others I tried, but all no good.
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Windows installer won't format partition correctly.

I'm not very tech minded so Ill try to explain best I can. I am trying to partition mac to install windows.
First step: I use Bootcamp to create the partition, the mac restarts and boots to windows installer. However the product key can't be verified, windows won't help with the issue they say it is valid and its apples problem.
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Try the following steps:
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BigDrago wrote:
Why don´t it copy drivers for the wifi card? WIll the light on the keyboard still work?
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greez c

"Before i installed yosemite and win8.1, i was running mavericks and win7 on my macbook pro and i haven't had this Problem. i was able to see and read my mac Partition also on Windows 8.1???"
Sorry there's a mistake in the sentence!
i mean:
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Windows 8 installation gets stuck during create partition step in bootcamp. Any suggestions?

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Hi,
According to your description, it seems that your all Windows 8.1 computers connect to network via normal wireless network.
Did you have wireless router for them?
Please delete this adhoc, then check if these computer could connect to network.
If no, follow below guide to create and connect to adhoc :
Create adhoc in Windows 8.1
http://tipsandtricksforum.com/thread-210.html
connect to adhoc with Windows 8.1
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/56ff83ff-1f15-4fc1-aa37-6651340d46fa/windows-81-connecting-to-ad-hoc-networks
Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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Hi, I have macbook Pro, running Leopard OS X. I partitioned my hard drive a while ago to install windows and only allowed myself 10 Gig of data. Anyway, i deleted windows and want another OSX on there instead. How do i make this partition bigger please??

Hi, I have macbook Pro, running Leopard OS X. I partitioned my hard drive a while ago to install windows and only allowed myself 10 Gig of data. I deleted windows after i realised i wasnt enjoying using it at all and wasted my hard drive. I now decided that i want another OSX on there instead yet i have only allowed myself 10 gb on the partition. I have ben thru some programms but am struggling on making this partition bigger.
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Krittersnort wrote:
Hi. I got the System Progressive virus (or a similarly named virus) on the Windows/Bootcamp side of my iMac. Can I use my time machine to restore the windows partition to a previous date? If I can, how do I do that safely without screwing up my system? Thank you in advance to anyone who can help answer my questions. These forums are great and I really appreciate all of the smart people who help us dummies out. You guys/gals are the best!
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Windows 7 Bootcamp refuses to format 20-gig partition to NTFS.

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