Windows 10 missing boot-critical drivers to install from bootcamp

Question

Level 1

8 points

Windows 10 missing boot-critical drivers to install from bootcamp

I’m currently trying to install Windows 10 from Bootcamp. I follow the bootcamp’s instructions, support software downloads, and HD partitioning and make it all the way to the Win 10 setup screen when I get the following message:

”Windows Setup could not install one or more boot-critical drivers. To install Windows, make sure that the drivers are valid, and restart the installation”

Doing some Googling for a few hours points to the most common reason being that I have a disc in my disc drive, but I have nothing in the disc drive.

HW: MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012), 256GB SSD

OS: macOS Majave (version 10.14.3)

Windows ISO: Windows 10 May 2019 Update (1903)

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.14

Posted on May 25, 2019 7:21 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

May 25, 2019 7:41 AM in response to SpiffyBacon

Please try with W10 1803 (April). Your 2012 Mac needs a USB2 Flash drive to create the Windows Installer.

Reply

Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

May 25, 2019 8:39 AM in response to SpiffyBacon

Can you try and find a SanDisk, Lexar or Sony. Toshiba's may also work, while HPs may not because they are OEM'd from PNY (IIRC).

Reply

Answer 3

SpiffyBacon Author

Level 1

8 points

May 25, 2019 1:26 PM in response to Loner T

That worked! I was able to get past that step at least.

I have a new problem now though: getting through to where I want to install Windows, after selecting the Bootcamp partition and clicking “format”, I get a new error message:

”Windows cannot be installed to this disc. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks.”

Doing some more Googling, the way forward with this is to start Windows on legacy mode through the BIOS startup, but I’m not sure how to do this on a Mac.

Reply

Answer 4

SpiffyBacon Author

Level 1

8 points

May 25, 2019 7:52 AM in response to Loner T

W10 1803 was giving me the same issue when I tried this a few weeks ago, and I’m using a USB 2.0 flash drive. I figured the May update might have helped, but no such luck.

Reply

Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

May 25, 2019 8:08 AM in response to SpiffyBacon

What is the brand/model of your USB2? I have seen issues with PNY, Kingston, NO NAME flash drives.

Reply

Answer 6

SpiffyBacon Author

Level 1

8 points

May 25, 2019 8:23 AM in response to Loner T

I’m using a JUANWE 64 GB USB 2.0 Thumb Drive

Reply

Answer 7

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

May 25, 2019 1:45 PM in response to SpiffyBacon

If you boot from the USB and hold Alt/Option, you should see two icons from the USB, Windows and EFI Boot. Choose Windows, which is the legacy BIOS boot loader/installer. Your 2012 MBP does not support EFI properly.

Reply

Windows 10 missing boot-critical drivers to install from bootcamp

Similar questions