Rick / Sharkdog
Level 1 (4 points)
Windows Software

Q: Trying to install Windows 10 on Early 2013 Retina MacBook Pro

Hello!

 

As the title implies, I'm having some trouble installing Windows 10 on a 15" MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2013).

I'm at wits end right now, so I turn to you guys, hopefully someone can point me in the right direction!

 

I started with creating the USB installer from Boot Camp Assistant, this seems to go off without a hitch (having done this multiple times, sometimes it fails, but then if I try again it will do one that doesn't fail).

 

I've created partitions through the Boot Camp Assistant, and also without (I read about making an exfat partition, so I tried that), but both to no avail.

When Boot Camp Assistant finished making the partition it tries to reboot into it and gives me a "No bootable drive, press any key to restart" type error. Keys don't work, so I force shut down the laptop and restart it holding Option to select the USB installer and go from there.

 

The USB installer boots without a hitch and gets me into the Windows 10 installer. When it comes to selecting a partition, I select the Boot Camp (or self made) partition and Format it. At this point it still won't let me install on the partition because: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks."

 

Having read a little bit, I found the gdisk Terminal utility and ran through that. Initially it wouldn't write, so I booted into recovery to unlock it, and then it seemed to go off without a hitch.

 

When I then boot back into the Windows 10 USB installer, it seems to install the OS without issue onto the selected partition. Yay! Right? Not really..

 

As soon as Windows 10 tries to boot up (at this point, from the partition, since it installed) it immediately starts crashing. Basically getting an error like such: "System thread exception not handled igdkmd64.sys"

 

Again, reading around a bit taught me that it seems to be some sort of (graphics?) driver error. Some of the solutions I saw seemed to assume that you can already boot into Windows 10 and have a few minutes before it starts crashing. I don't seem to have that luxury.

 

That's basically the spot I'm stuck at. I've run through this loop multiple times (with the different partitions, multiple times with each method) and seem to be stuck here.

 

Hoping someone can provide some insight!

Posted on May 29, 2016 5:32 PM

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Rick / Sharkdog

Q: Trying to install Windows 10 on Early 2013 Retina MacBook Pro

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  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jun 12, 2016 7:08 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jun 12, 2016 7:08 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog

    As a test, does W7 or W8.1 install properly without any Intel GPU issues?

  • by Rick / Sharkdog,

    Rick / Sharkdog Rick / Sharkdog Jun 13, 2016 3:34 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Windows Software
    Jun 13, 2016 3:34 AM in response to Loner T

    When trying to install Windows 8.1, I have to jump through the exact same hoops as for the Windows 10 install.

    Boot Camp makes the installer and partition, I then have to run GPT Fdisk to change the partition so that I can install. When the installer finally runs and reboots, I end up with the same driver error before any setup can take place.

     

    Basically, my experience with installing Windows 8 is exactly the same as Windows 10.

     

    Windows 7 I haven't been able to try yet. I've been trying to make a bootable USB installer, but haven't managed that yet.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jun 13, 2016 1:00 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jun 13, 2016 1:00 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog

    Does BCA not make a W7 installer using a W7 ISO from Microsoft?

  • by Rick / Sharkdog,

    Rick / Sharkdog Rick / Sharkdog Jun 13, 2016 4:28 PM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Windows Software
    Jun 13, 2016 4:28 PM in response to Loner T
    Doesn't seem like it, unfortunately.  BCA goes through the motions to make a USB installer, and it seems to go through successfully, except that the USB installer is not actually bootable.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jun 13, 2016 6:44 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jun 13, 2016 6:44 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog

    Can you connect the USB and run

     

    diskutil list

    sudo fdisk /dev/diskN

     

    N should join to the USB as shown by the first command.

  • by perthyone,

    perthyone perthyone Jul 27, 2016 9:18 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jul 27, 2016 9:18 PM in response to Rick / Sharkdog

    Rick / Sharkdog, if that is, indeed, your real name, I found a way around the igdkmd64.sys loop. I was having the same issue you were with Apple's strange (typical Apple) hybrid partition. I am sure there is some reason they do this and the explanation would probably make our brains explode. I, too, fixed this with the lovely GPT Fdisk tool that Loner T suggested. That issue aside, I ran into the flummoxing igdkmd64.sys problem. I simply appended the word backup to all of the files named igdkmd64 on the WININSTALL thumb drive created by BCA. I then ran the install from the EFI drive and it skipped those files. It worked perfectly! After two weeks of fighting this issue I can finally play Inside! The only reason I wanted to install 64 bit Windows 10 instead of my previously upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10 32 bit install. I would like to add that it was very gracious of Microsoft to allow my Windows 7 Pro 32 bit key to now activate the 64 bit Windows 10. A year ago they said nun-uh. I wouldn't even given it a second thought if I hadn't been lured by the game "Inside". Anyhow, I hope this helps more than just the two of us.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jul 28, 2016 4:15 AM in response to perthyone
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jul 28, 2016 4:15 AM in response to perthyone

    perthyone wrote:

     

    I am sure there is some reason they do this and the explanation would probably make our brains explode. I, too, fixed this with the lovely GPT Fdisk tool that Loner T suggested.

    It was Apple's way of mimicking a MBR disk by overlaying the GPT with a mapped MBR. There is succinct explanation at http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/hybrid.html .

     

    I simply appended the word backup to all of the files named igdkmd64 on the WININSTALL thumb drive created by BCA. I then ran the install from the EFI drive and it skipped those files. It worked perfectly!

    This forces the installer to use a generic display driver available in the Windows Installer. What is the year/model of your Mac? Is W10 installed using EFI Boot?

  • by perthyone,

    perthyone perthyone Jul 28, 2016 10:52 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jul 28, 2016 10:52 AM in response to Loner T

    That "succinct" explanation from RodsBooks helped me understand but it also makes me concerned about what I have done with GPT Fdisk. I am guessing that the EFI Boot I used to install Windows 10 didn't recognize the hybrid MBR/GPT because of the outdated Apple EFI V1.x on my MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012). All seems to be working fine but I haven't had reason to open Disk Utility yet. I hope I don't get any surprises.

     

    The generic display driver is definitely a preferable alternative to the mobius strip suffered by Rick / Sharkdog and me. It allowed me to get past that and get the correct drivers installed later in the installation problem.

     

    A lingering issue is the lack of audio but I am working on that.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jul 28, 2016 11:03 AM in response to perthyone
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jul 28, 2016 11:03 AM in response to perthyone

    perthyone wrote:

     

    That "succinct" explanation from RodsBooks helped me understand but it also makes me concerned about what I have done with GPT Fdisk. I am guessing that the EFI Boot I used to install Windows 10 didn't recognize the hybrid MBR/GPT because of the outdated Apple EFI V1.x on my MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012).

    The 2012 Macs are preUEFI and employ a kludge. They will support EFI boot partially.

     

    All seems to be working fine but I haven't had reason to open Disk Utility yet. I hope I don't get any surprises.

    Run msinfo32 and check BIOS Mode. You may be able to remove the Hybrid MBR, if you do not need it.

     

     

    A lingering issue is the lack of audio but I am working on that.

    My testing has always indicated that the 2012 MBP Audio (on a 13-in model) works in MBR/BIOS mode. It does not work properly using EFI boot because EFI boot is not exposing the embedded Cirrus Audio chipset correctly.

  • by perthyone,

    perthyone perthyone Jul 29, 2016 12:26 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 12:26 AM in response to Loner T

    MSinfo32 says UEFI. Have I travelled the wrong track?

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jul 29, 2016 5:05 AM in response to perthyone
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jul 29, 2016 5:05 AM in response to perthyone

    Do you have the luxury of removing/re-installing W10?

  • by perthyone,

    perthyone perthyone Jul 29, 2016 8:43 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 8:43 AM in response to Loner T

    I absolutely do.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jul 29, 2016 8:44 AM in response to perthyone
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jul 29, 2016 8:44 AM in response to perthyone

    Remove Windows using BC Assistant (only). If you run into issues, we can use DU/diskutil to cleanup.

  • by perthyone,

    perthyone perthyone Jul 29, 2016 12:35 PM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 12:35 PM in response to Loner T

    And then I am assuming I should re-fight the battles with BCA and not install from EFI.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jul 29, 2016 12:38 PM in response to perthyone
    Level 7 (23,898 points)
    Safari
    Jul 29, 2016 12:38 PM in response to perthyone

    You should not have to fight any battles, by default W10 should install using BIOS/MBR.

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