jdhiro

Q: Windows 8.1 install fails on new 2013 Retina MacBook

I doubt there are many people out there who can help with this yet.  I was able to pick up my 2013 Haswell Retina MacBook Pro from my local Apple store this morning (yay!), and so far everything has been stellar.  However, I'm unable to install Windows 8.1 via Bootcamp.  I have not tried Windows 8 or 7.

 

I've tried installing both via USB thumb drive, and via DVD on external SuperDrive, with the same results.  I know that 2013 MacBook Airs have to install via UEFI so I've tried that as well.  What I've tried:

 

Booting into UEFI:

- After creating the partition in Bootcamp, I boot holding OPTION

- At the boot selection screen I select "EFI BOOT"

- I go through all the motions, including formatting the BOOTCAMP partition

- After all the files have been copied, I get a message that "Windows cannot update the boot partition and that my progress won't be saved" (not the exact message).

 

Booting via BIOS:

- After creating the partition in Bootcamp, I boot holding OPTION

- At the boot selection screen I pick "WINDOWS"

- When I get to the partition selection/formatting screen it won't let me proceed, when I expand the error message it tells me that partition can't be used because it has a GPT partition table.

 

So, I'm stuck =(  Any ideas?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 8:56 PM

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Q: Windows 8.1 install fails on new 2013 Retina MacBook

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  • by Simon Metcalf,

    Simon Metcalf Simon Metcalf Aug 16, 2014 9:56 PM in response to KNNSpeed
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Aug 16, 2014 9:56 PM in response to KNNSpeed

    Many thanks for this post KNNSpeed.

     

    After several unsuccessful attempts your instructions helped to install an 8.1 ISO on a new Mid 2014 Retina MacBook Pro.

     

    However, I think the key step that made the difference was the PRAM reset.  After creating the USB installer we did the PRAM reset then booted straight into the EFI partition on the USB drive and followed the standard install procedure.  I don't think point 3 is necessary because it's possible to format the Boot Camp partition you intend to install Windows on when booting into the EFI partition immediately prior to installation (but after the PRAM reset).  So apart from the PRAM reset and installing from the EFI partition the method remained the same as those in the standard installation instructions.

     

    I didn't repeat this procedure to confirm since the process takes so long and we'd already wasted enough time with repeated failed installation attempts, but that is what worked for us.  Who knows why the PRAM reset is required but if it works it works.

     

    It's worth noting that Apple's response to the Boot Camp Windows installation problems we encountered was that it's a problem with Windows, which we don't accept.  Apple has been too slow to address these problems that seem to have first appeared in late 2013 models.

     

    Good luck to anyone else having problems.

  • by AndrewSwift,

    AndrewSwift AndrewSwift Aug 30, 2014 1:38 AM in response to jdhiro
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Aug 30, 2014 1:38 AM in response to jdhiro

    The solution that worked for me (recommended in the middle of all these pages) was to create a separate partition using Disk Utility before using Boot Camp.

     

    The Windows partition must be formatted as exFAT.

     

    Then, when installing Windows, use the Windows installer to reformat the partition correctly.

     

    Easy peasy.

  • by dubi,

    dubi dubi Sep 18, 2014 1:43 PM in response to Stacy Rothwell
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 18, 2014 1:43 PM in response to Stacy Rothwell

    This Apple help article worked perfectly.

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5373

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