Playing Windows games on a MAC?

[Bajantechnician]

hes one year younger than me...

[Bajantechnician]

 .

[allison1derland]

Based on a) your description and b ) OS X completes the partition and restarts the computer makes me think that

 

1) ...it's not OS X.  If it were, I wouldn't expect the Boot Camp Assistant to finish its job without error. 

2) ...it's not the USB port or other hardware.  If it were, I wouldn't expect the ISO to be copied to the flash drive successfully. 

 

I think it's the image. I'd see if I can get my hands on another one (7 or 8) to try out. 

You seem to be doing it right. 

 

 

edit // @allison1derland 

 

Plug in your flash drive and restart the computer.  Hold Option before the start up chime.  The computer will load the Startup Manager.  You should see the Windows USB drive. 

 

What happens if you select it?  (use the keyboard arrows to move the on-screen arrow, press return [sorry for stepping it out like that if you're already familiar with it]). 

 

Does it do the same thing? 

 

Screen Shot 2015-04-26 at 8.17.39 PM.png

 

I am going to try selecting a 10TP .iso that I installed successfully on a Windows machine a couple months ago instead of the 7.iso.

 

As far as with the 7 .iso I had, I did try holding option and waited a long time for it to detect the flash drive, but it didn't.  The flash drive was active because it has an LED on the outside to indicate that it's on.  I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in.  Didn't matter.  It wouldn't detect the flash drive, so I couldn't even attempt to boot  from it.  Now, when I did the same step and tried to boot from a Windows DVD I burned, it showed the DVD, but when I clicked it to proceed with the installation, I just got a blinking underscore on a black screen.

 

No need to apologize.  I do already know how to do that, but it's confirmation that I'm doing the right stuff.  Are the pictures that I posted on pg 2 visible to everyone else?  I attached them, but the other user didn't seem to be able to see them. I see them in the post, but maybe some permissions are preventing others.  

[watts300]

I am going to try selecting a 10TP .iso that I installed successfully on a Windows machine a couple months ago instead of the 7.iso.

 

As far as with the 7 .iso I had, I did try holding option and waited a long time for it to detect the flash drive, but it didn't.  The flash drive was active because it has an LED on the outside to indicate that it's on.  I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in.  Didn't matter.  It wouldn't detect the flash drive, so I couldn't even attempt to boot  from it.  Now, when I did the same step and tried to boot from a Windows DVD I burned, it showed the DVD, but when I clicked it to proceed with the installation, I just got a blinking underscore on a black screen.

 

No need to apologize.  I do already know how to do that, but it's confirmation that I'm doing the right stuff.  Are the pictures that I posted on pg 2 visible to everyone else?  I attached them, but the other user didn't seem to be able to see them. I see them in the post, but maybe some permissions are preventing others.  

Windows 10 might not install since it's still a preview. If it doesn't, I wouldn't consider that a sign of anything significant. But it's certainly worth trying.. and it might even work.

 

I have a different ISO than you do, but I'm wondering what the contents of yours looks like when it's opened in Finder.  Since the Startup Manager didn't detect the flash drive, something might be missing on it. 

 

I don't know exactly what files a computer looks for to consider a volume bootable, but I can probably take a pretty good educated guess.   Does yours look anything like this?  (the BootCamp folder has Windows drivers in it for the keyboard, wifi, etc)

 

 

Try using the link from above http://getintopc.com...-32-bit-64-bit/ to download a new Windows 7 iso or follow the directions in https://support.appl.../en-us/HT203909 to make a new image with the disc you have. 

[allison1derland]

Windows 10 might not install since it's still a preview. If it doesn't, I wouldn't consider that a sign of anything significant. But it's certainly worth trying.. and it might even work.

 

I have a different ISO than you do, but I'm wondering what the contents of yours looks like when it's opened in Finder.  Since the Startup Manager didn't detect the flash drive, something might be missing on it. 

 

I don't know exactly what files a computer looks for to consider a volume bootable, but I can probably take a pretty good educated guess.   Does yours look anything like this?  (the BootCamp folder has Windows drivers in it for the keyboard, wifi, etc)

 

Screen Shot 2015-04-26 at 10.25.53 PM.png

 

Try using the link from above http://getintopc.com...-32-bit-64-bit/ to download a new Windows 7 iso or follow the directions in https://support.appl.../en-us/HT203909 to make a new image with the disc you have. 

 

Looks like mine doesn't have the W$P.... file. I've attached a picture. Is it visible?

 

It wouldn't let me choose the 10TP.iso.  It said Windows 7 only.  I don't know why.  I removed my model from the plist with that restriction.  

 

Are all those downloads on that site trial versions of Windows?

[watts300]

Screen Shot 2015-04-26 at 8.51.55 PM.png

 

Looks like mine doesn't have the W$P.... file. I've attached a picture. Is it visible?

 

It wouldn't let me choose the 10TP.iso.  It said Windows 7 only.  I don't know why.  I removed my model from the plist with that restriction.  

 

Are all those downloads on that site trial versions of Windows?

Ya I see your screenshot. 

 

Hm. Trials.  I thought that any installation of Windows would be considered a trial if it's not activated with a serial number. 

 

Sending you a PM. 

[TheMastr13]

My friend bought a stupid Macbook Pro laptop even though he avidly wants to become a PC gamer. I need help in knowing if there is such of way of being able to run windows games on his mac. Would I have to just dual boot windows 7 on there or could I use such programs as bootcamp or Wine? 

that sounds like me lol

 

I use wineskin btw. its great

[allison1derland]

Should it be a Disk Image.dmg instead of an .iso??  I'm in the process of putting it on my USB drive now.  Will update with progress

[watts300]

Should it be a Disk Image.dmg instead of an .iso??  I'm in the process of putting it on my USB drive now.  Will update with progress

Should still work.

[allison1derland]

Oh my gosh.  This is becoming a major pain.  I burned the new disk image to my USB drive from Bootcamp, the computer restarted and I got the grey screen with the circle with a dash through it.  Took the USB drive out after turning it off and got the same thing.  Maybe it was a kext problem??  

 

I had to boot from my external backup to run Disk Utility and restore the OS.   After I restored my backup, my Bootcamp Assistant returned to stock.  

 

Then after I edited the plist again to restore USB creation and reenable booting from USB, bootcamp stopped functioning.  

 

I put the original plist back, and bootcamp began functioning again, but without USB support. ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffa;ldkfjalkdfja;lkdjf;laskjdflkjsa :angry:

[watts300]

Oh my gosh.  This is becoming a major pain.  I burned the new disk image to my USB drive from Bootcamp, the computer restarted and I got the grey screen with the circle with a dash through it.  Took the USB drive out after turning it off and got the same thing.  I had to boot from my backup to run Disk Utility from that and restore my backup.  Maybe it was a kext problem?? After I restored my backup, my Bootcamp Assistant returned to stock.  Then after I edited the plist again to restore USB creation and reenable booting from USB, bootcamp stopped functioning.  I put my backup of the original plist back, and bootcamp began functioning again, but without USB support. ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffa;ldkfjalkdfja;lkdjf;laskjdflkjsa :angry:

Ya, I think I said a few days ago I wouldn't edit the plist.

 

Man I wish I could see all this happening. I feel like the devil is in the details. Through no fault of your own, I think there's something you're leaving out of the description because you don't realize it's relevant... or maybe not even seeing it. 

 

 

"I had to boot from my backup to run Disk Utility from that and restore my backup."  Huh?  The OS X volume was no longer bootable?

 

"I put my backup of the original plist back, and bootcamp began functioning again, but without USB support."   Huh??   

 

 

KEXTs.. Do you have any?  What do you have in /Library/Extensions ? 

[allison1derland]

Ya, I think I said a few days ago I wouldn't edit the plist.

 

Man I wish I could see all this happening. I feel like the devil is in the details. Through no fault of your own, I think there's something you're leaving out of the description because you don't realize it's relevant... or maybe not even seeing it. 

 

 

"I had to boot from my backup to run Disk Utility from that and restore my backup."  Huh?  The OS X volume was no longer bootable?

 

"I put my backup of the original plist back, and bootcamp began functioning again, but without USB support."   Huh??   

 

 

KEXTs.. Do you have any?  What do you have in /Library/Extensions ? 

 

Editing the plist is the only way I could get Bootcamp to give me the top check box to create a bootable USB drive from an .iso.

 

Maybe I left something out.  I really don't think so because I'm trying to describe all my steps without skipping, but I'll think about it and if I remember anything new I'll be sure to edit my post.  

 

I create bootable backups of my main drive and keep them on my external hard drive, which I plug in and use to overwrite my internal SSD from the OS X recovery mode that has Time machine, reinstall OS X, Disk Utility, and something else.  I have booted from the internal recovery partition, my external bootable OS backup, and my external recovery partition.  Situations like these are where entire, bootable backups are far superior to Time Machine copies of files.  

 

Before I edited Bootcamp's plist, I copied the plist to another location on my computer.  When bootcamp starting throwing a fit, I replaced the edited version with the original version that I had copied just in case something went wrong.  With a stock plist, my Bootcamp does not have the top check box option to create a USB Windows installation media.  So the program starts up without error, as opposed to 10 minutes prior when it would just bounce in the dock for 2 mins without anything opening and then no windows opened but it stayed in my dock and when I right clicked it said "application not responding."  So I restored the original plist, and it bounced 2 or three 3 times and successfully started by opening the window that I could interact with.  But without the USB option.

 

I will attach a picture of /Library/Extentions though I have never messed with anything in this folder.  Never added, removed, or edited anything in there.  I theorized a kext issue because I have TRIM enabler + Yosemite and I know it requires disabling kext signing and that can cause some issues with rebooting for example when installing a 10.10.x update  or an update that alters the kernel somehow.

 

 

But does the Windows installation process require any sort of kext signature verification???  I wouldn't think it would, but I don't know.  

[watts300]

@allison1derland  Hmm...  I might have had an epiphany.  But first:  Have you tried installing with a DVD?  If not, please do.

[allison1derland]

Yeah, I tried a DVD right after the USB method didn't work the first time.  It resulted in a black screen with a blinking cursor.  

 

Are some Macs limited to 32bit?  I thought everything after (and including) Snow Leopard was 64bit.

 

@watts300 What realization did you have??

[watts300]

@watts300 What realization did you have??

After reading some more, it seems it's not as ground breaking as I hoped.  However, I've been told by some one that knows more than me that your computer's hardware "officially" won't/shouldn't support flash media.  Elaboration:  You and I both have Yosemite which means we both have the same Boot Camp Assistant (probably 5.1.4).  The application is designed to detect hardware and make certain options available based on what the firmware supports. Editing the plist won't enable or disable support, it will just hide or reveal options/checkboxes in based on what it knows works with the firmware. That's why the option exists on mine without editing the plist. 

 

That being said, another battery of questions...

 

Using the default plist, what options do you have in the second window (the first one is probably an introduction window) of Boot Camp Assistant? (mine has 3 check boxes)

When you tried the flash drive, were you using the USB port closest to the magsafe power connector?  

Was the flash drive formatted to FAT32? 

Is the partition map scheme of your SSD set to GPT?  

Is your Windows 7 install disc an original or a copy?

Do you have the means to burn the dmg from dropbox to try it? 

Did the seller include the original OS X install DVD when you bought it?

Does that OS X install DVD or any Windows install DVD appear in the Startup Manager? 

Did you have an external hard drive connected at any point in all your attempts? 

 

I just noticed that the picture of the Startup Manager on page 2 has an icon of an external Time Machine drive for OS X Yosemite.  That is interesting. Is it an external drive or is that your Yosemite volume partition on the Intel SSD?  If it's the Intel SSD, is there a backups.backupdb folder on the root level of that volume (with Applications, Library, System and Users)?  

 

 

 

PS. This article says your computer supports Windows 7 64 bit.  If you haven't already, to make future tries faster, you can download the Windows support files so that you don't have to select that option in Boot Camp Assistant. 

[allison1derland]

Editing the plist won't enable or disable support, it will just hide or reveal options/checkboxes in based on what it knows works with the firmware. That's why the option exists on mine without editing the plist. 

 

Yeah, I've read that before.  However, I also read about people successfully getting it to work unofficially, so I went through the process of editing the plist.  I thought if I removed the limitation, when I went through the process it would check that plist file and see that my model is not on the unsupported list, so it would go ahead and do it, unofficially.  Although it doesn't say the 7,1 model can do it, I have booted from USB connected things before, so that's why I think this is doable.  When my drive locked up for whatever reason, I plugged in my USB external HD, held option, and booted from that.  I do that quite regularly for various reasons.  That's why it doesn't make sense to me that this would be impossible just because it is an older model recommended to use DVDs.  

 

Using the default plist, what options do you have in the second window (the first one is probably an introduction window) of Boot Camp Assistant? (mine has 3 check boxes)

I have 2 check boxes: Download Windows support software and Install Windows 7

 

When you tried the flash drive, were you using the USB port closest to the magsafe power connector?

I tried both USB ports

 

Was the flash drive formatted to FAT32? 

I tried it with the flash drive formatted to FAT, though I discovered that it doesn't matter what it is formatted to before because Bootcamp reformats it anyway.  It could be OS X Extended Journaled to begin with and after Bootcamp is through with it, it will be FAT.

 

Is the partition map scheme of your SSD set to GPT?

Yes, GUID Partition Table

 

Is your Windows 7 install disc an original or a copy?

Copy burned from .iso

 

Do you have the means to burn the dmg from dropbox to try it? 

Not right now.  That's why I tried so hard to get USB to work.  Haven't bought blank DVDs in years.  No one uses them anymore (except as last resorts for stuff like this haha).  I looked around the house for one today, but no luck.  I'll look around again tomorrow.  Maybe I can erase a RW one if I find one.  

 

Did the seller include the original OS X install DVD when you bought it?

Seller of....what??  I got the MBP new in 2010.  I do have the original OS X Snow Leopard installation DVD.

 

Does that OS X install DVD or any Windows install DVD appear in the Startup Manager?

Will attempt and update post after

 

Did you have an external hard drive connected at any point in all your attempts? 

1 attempt maybe.  There were so many tries it's hard to remember.  But not all of them.  And I know that can be an issue, so if it was in, I know to remove it and try again.  I've also cleared the PRAM in between attempts, and reset the SMC between attempts to no avail.

 

I just noticed that the picture of the Startup Manager on page 2 has an icon of an external Time Machine drive for OS X Yosemite.  That is interesting. Is it an external drive or is that your Yosemite volume partition on the Intel SSD?  If it's the Intel SSD, is there a backups.backupdb folder on the root level of that volume (with Applications, Library, System and Users)?  

Oh haha yeah I know.  I customized the icons of all the partitions on my External HD so it'd be easier to tell them apart.  I didn't know it would happen, but I guess when I restored my OS from my external backup onto the internal SSD, it also copied the icon.  I just haven't bothered to change it because I hardly ever look at the internal icon.  I checked, and no, there is not a backup.backupdb in my root folder.  My backup isn't backed up in the classic sense.  It's a straight up clone of my internal drive.  That's why it's bootable.  

 

PS. This article says your computer supports Windows 7 64 bit.  If you haven't already, to make future tries faster, you can download the Windows support files so that you don't have to select that option in Boot Camp Assistant. 

That's what I remember.  I just wanted to make sure because the plist has an array relating to 32bit supported models, and I wanted to confirm that 32bit support did not equal 32bit limit.  Yep, I've downloaded the 4.x Bootcamp support software, and the 5.x support software.  

[watts300]

@allison1derland 

 

"I have booted from USB connected things before"  

Totally. OS X installed on a small flash drive can boot to the desktop. It's my understanding that Windows and Windows installers is iffy, though.

 

"Haven't bought blank DVDs in years."

I hear that. I have a leftover spindle of 100 from a few years ago that I bought to troubleshoot a console. (Don't ask.)  It looks like maybe five were used. I even took the optical drive out of my Mac so I could make a Fusion set.  I don't use that configuration any more, but I still have the optical drive in a cheapy enclosure... somewhere. The optical bay is still empty.  There's not really a reason to put it back in. 

 

 

"Seller of....what??  I got the MBP new in 2010.  I do have the original OS X Snow Leopard installation DVD."

Sorry, my bad. Something some one said earlier in the thread made me think it was a recent used purchase. I evidently misunderstood.

 

 

 

"Does that OS X install DVD or any Windows install DVD appear in the Startup Manager?"

"Will attempt and update post after"

This I am very curious about.  To be honest, at this point, the easiest (but not the best) answer would be that it's not detected.  Because then we could say that the optical drive is at fault and you won't be able to use it to install Windows like this.   And since Windows wasn't meant to install from flash on your model, it's just hit or miss. 

 

 

This is a very weird issue you found.    

Since you have a clone, I wonder if things would behave differently if you completely erased the SSD, reinstalled/updated Yosemite, and then tried B.C. Assistant again. 

[StareX]

With a MAC? No.. Only supported games.

With windows aka. Dualboot sure...

Why not MAC? Well, if I go into this you wouldn't read it.

[allison1derland]

@watts300

Ok I finally went to the dollar tree and got 2 blank DVDs. I did not need 100 hahaha. I burned that new .dmg after converting it to .cdr with disk utility then renaming it to a .iso and burning that to a DVD. Bootcamp recognized it. My computer progressed to the installation screens and recognized it as bootable. Got Windows 7 installed. Maybe an update revoked the ability to boot anything other than OS X from USBs. DVDs work fine. I guess I had a bad image 1 time. Then a bad burn (or image) 2 times after that with the other image I previously used.

I think we already determined that my computer can't handle the game I want to play anyway, but it did not defeat us. Just getting a completed installation is a type of win. Thank you @watts300 for all the help. Now...what about triple booting these 2 with ubuntu (or fedora) gnome?

Haha...only kind of kidding...shall we start a new thread? I've also been considering trying to upgrade the 7 install to 10 preview. Any thoughts on this? Should one try from inside the 7 installation?

@allison1derland 

 

"I have booted from USB connected things before"  

Totally. OS X installed on a small flash drive can boot to the desktop. It's my understanding that Windows and Windows installers is iffy, though.

 

"Haven't bought blank DVDs in years."

I hear that. I have a leftover spindle of 100 from a few years ago that I bought to troubleshoot a console. (Don't ask.)  It looks like maybe five were used. I even took the optical drive out of my Mac so I could make a Fusion set.  I don't use that configuration any more, but I still have the optical drive in a cheapy enclosure... somewhere. The optical bay is still empty.  There's not really a reason to put it back in. 

 

 

"Seller of....what??  I got the MBP new in 2010.  I do have the original OS X Snow Leopard installation DVD."

Sorry, my bad. Something some one said earlier in the thread made me think it was a recent used purchase. I evidently misunderstood.

 

 

 

"Does that OS X install DVD or any Windows install DVD appear in the Startup Manager?"

"Will attempt and update post after"

This I am very curious about.  To be honest, at this point, the easiest (but not the best) answer would be that it's not detected.  Because then we could say that the optical drive is at fault and you won't be able to use it to install Windows like this.   And since Windows wasn't meant to install from flash on your model, it's just hit or miss. 

 

 

This is a very weird issue you found.    

Since you have a clone, I wonder if things would behave differently if you completely erased the SSD, reinstalled/updated Yosemite, and then tried B.C. Assistant again.

[allison1derland]

For people in the future that have the same problem I had - unable to install Windows from a bootable USB drive on a mac, I will tell you that we have determined that unless your computer did NOT have a Superdrive in it when apple made it, you CANNOT boot from a USB to install Windows with Bootcamp.  With Bootcamp, your computer needs to be an Air or one of the new Macbook Pro retinas that do not have Superdrives to boot from a USB drive.  Tough luck.  I didn't have any extra DVDs, and I know DVDs are much slower than USB.  I feel your pain.  Forget booting from USB.  This is a Bootcamp discussion, not a reFind discussion.  You may be able to do it like you would install Linux with reFind, but I don't know.  I also think Windows installs are more restrictive than Linux installs so reFind may not even work for those.  I have an aftermarket SSD and I'm using TRIM enabler, which disables kext signing. I didn't want to experiment with reFind on my own system that is already non-stock and has a special situation.  

 

The machine in question:

mid 2010 13" MBP. OS X Yosemite

 

YOU MUST USE A DVD.

YOU MUST BURN AN .ISO NOT A .DMG.

YOU CANNOT USE BOOTCAMP ASSISTANT TO INSTALL 8, 8.1, OR 10 DIRECTLY

 

 

Here's what it should look like:

 

If you have a .dmg and want to convert it to a .iso, use this Terminal command.  Then rename the newly created .cdr to .iso.  Just rename it and click Use .iso 

 

Double click the .iso to mount.  Select the top level of the .iso.  click Burn.  Burn on the slowest speed possible.

 

Now you have the install DVD.  

From within OS X, when you use Bootcamp Assistant check Install Windows 7.  

Should probably download the Bootcamp drivers from apple's website (as opposed to checking the bootcamp box within the assistant) and put them on an external HD or flash drive directly that you'll plug in when you have windows up and running later.  

Size the partition.

Let Bootcamp take it from here. Leave it alone. It'll reset automatically a few times throughout the process.  You do NOT need to hold option or c to select it manually.  Doing so could mess it up.  (My drive spun down when still in the bootcamp assistant on the OS X side because it needed a nap or something - lazy.  I just went to finder and selected the drive to poke it awake and it finished in Bootcamp assistant and restarted to the black screens below)

 

 

 

 

Important ->>> Choose Custom (advanced).  Select the BOOTCAMP partition, then click Format and Ok.  Next.

 

 

 

Now plug in your external HD or flash drive with the bootcamp drivers you downloaded from apple on it.

Run the setup.

 

Little Core 2 Duo trying its best

[TDP_Equinox]

For people in the future that have the same problem I had - unable to install Windows from a bootable USB drive on a mac, I will tell you that we have determined that unless your computer did NOT have a Superdrive in it when apple made it, you CANNOT boot from a USB to install Windows with Bootcamp.  With Bootcamp, your computer needs to be an Air or one of the new Macbook Pro retinas that do not have Superdrives to boot from a USB drive.  Tough luck.  I didn't have any extra DVDs, and I know DVDs are much slower than USB.  I feel your pain.  Forget booting from USB.  This is a Bootcamp discussion, not a reFind discussion.  You may be able to do it like you would install Linux with reFind, but I don't know.  I also think Windows installs are more restrictive than Linux installs so reFind may not even work for those.  I have an aftermarket SSD and I'm using TRIM enabler, which disables kext signing. I didn't want to experiment with reFind on my own system that is already non-stock and has a special situation.  

 

The machine in question:

mid 2010 13" MBP. OS X Yosemite

 

YOU MUST USE A DVD.

YOU MUST BURN AN .ISO NOT A .DMG.

YOU CANNOT USE BOOTCAMP ASSISTANT TO INSTALL 8, 8.1, OR 10 DIRECTLY

 

 

Here's what it should look like:

 

If you have a .dmg and want to convert it to a .iso, use this Terminal command.  Then rename the newly created .cdr to .iso.  Just rename it and click Use .iso 

-snip-

 

Double click the .iso to mount.  Select the top level of the .iso.  click Burn.  Burn on the slowest speed possible.

-snip-

Now you have the install DVD.  

From within OS X, when you use Bootcamp Assistant check Install Windows 7.  

Should probably download the Bootcamp drivers from apple's website (as opposed to checking the bootcamp box within the assistant) and put them on an external HD or flash drive directly that you'll plug in when you have windows up and running later.  

Size the partition.

Let Bootcamp take it from here. Leave it alone. It'll reset automatically a few times throughout the process.  You do NOT need to hold option or c to select it manually.  Doing so could mess it up.  (My drive spun down when still in the bootcamp assistant on the OS X side because it needed a nap or something - lazy.  I just went to finder and selected the drive to poke it awake and it finished in Bootcamp assistant and restarted to the black screens below)

-snip-

 

Important ->>> Choose Custom (advanced).  Select the BOOTCAMP partition, then click Format and Ok.  Next.

-snip-

 

Now plug in your external HD or flash drive with the bootcamp drivers you downloaded from apple on it.

Run the setup.

-snip-

 

Little Core 2 Duo trying its best

-snip-

Both my 2011 MBP (With superdrive) and my snow core two 2008 (?. Can't be bothered to check) with superdrive worked just fine installing from a USB.

The only trouble with USB that I ran into was installing the bootcamp drivers. 

I had to copy those to the machine and then to the USB (Only on the snow 2008; Apple servers are strange for that machine). 

EDIT: Also, my thick 2008 metal iMac worked just fine over USB, and iirc, my two snow iMacs (all with SD) worked just fine over USB.

[Guest]

I would just dual boot, any sort of visualization won't yield great results. 

[allison1derland]

I'm jealous that it worked so easily for you.  I would have liked it to work, but if you read through I basically overtook this whole thread with this issue haha, and tried so many things.  It just refused to work on the mid 2010 13" MBP.  It's the only mac I have, so I wasn't able to compare it to others.  I also don't know anyone in real life with the same model or anyone else that would know what I was asking even if I did ask them, hence me turning to the internet community.

 

Both my 2011 MBP (With superdrive) and my snow core two 2008 (?. Can't be bothered to check) with superdrive worked just fine installing from a USB.
The only trouble with USB that I ran into was installing the bootcamp drivers. 
I had to copy those to the machine and then to the USB (Only on the snow 2008; Apple servers are strange for that machine). 

EDIT: Also, my thick 2008 metal iMac worked just fine over USB, and iirc, my two snow iMacs (all with SD) worked just fine over USB.