Install Bootcamp in mixed MacOS environment (Mojave, Catalina, Bootcamp)

Question

Install Bootcamp in mixed MacOS environment (Mojave, Catalina, Bootcamp)

I was using Bootcamp since High Sierra and currently have Mojave as prime OS and Catalina on a separate volume for testing / migrating (not everything works atm). Because Windows is not a stable OS, I needed to reinstall Windows. I did this successfully a few day's ago with Mojave Boot Camp Assistant, but I allocated to less storage first, therefore I had to do it again.

But sadly Mojave did not allow me to allocate enough of my available free disk space to Windows (currently 320GB free, but only 142 GB available for partitioning. I followed all the hints I have found in the internet (e.g. removing Time Machine Snapshots, etc.), but all this didn't help and of course I contacted also Apple. But sadly Apple Support changes more and more to a speaking library for people who can not read what's available in the support pages by Apple and there is not much to find about "internals".

At last I made an experiment by using Boot Camp Assistant in Catalina, first I remarked, that Catalina Boot Camp Assistant removes Time Machine Snapshots. After the Time Machine Snapshot's Catalina has also removed "iCloud Files" and suddenly I had enough free space on my disk, but: I could not install Windows anymore neither from Mojave what worked a few days ago nor from Catalina !!!

After the Windows setup has been initialized, the message: " ... the drive and partition defined with <ImageInstall> in the AutoUnattend responce file could not be found" appeared

I changed the AutoUnattend.xml manually and gave the correct drive and partition to the Windows Setup, this helped me to go around the error message, but now I have a blue Screen a litte bit later

Because Windows has recognized the correct Drive and Partition with the same settings in the AutoUnattend.xml before Catalina has removed the "iCloud Files", I believe that there has been removed more than that

I also tried to install Windows with an external USB-Bootstick made by Bootcamp Assistant and with a plain Windows 10 installer on an USB-Bootstick

Does anybody has deeper experience and knowledge to start an effective discussion about this issue or has already a solution for this ?

At the moment my disk looks like this.

Meanwhile I am triying with a 60GB Partition for Windows and allocate external Data Storage for additional programs - I should have made this decision before experimenting with Catalina :(

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 14, 2020 3:16 AM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 14, 2020 10:23 AM in response to AlbertVonMoosseedorf

If you have a backup of all your critical data, I suggest installing Mojave and Windows on the internal disk first and Catalina on an external disk last.

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 14, 2020 9:02 AM in response to AlbertVonMoosseedorf

I usually install a second macOS version on an external disk, because the article ignores the fact that you may also have Bootcamp on the disk.

AlbertVonMoosseedorf wrote:

Until a few days ago I could boot either from Mojave, Catalina and also Bootcamp until Catalina has shot something on my disk. I believe installing Catalina in a separate container would not has made a difference.

I have a similar setup on a 2014 iMac, but Catalina is on an external disk. I do not need to fight Catalina EFI updates and Mojave and Catalina behave much more sanely.

Do you have Time Machine backups of Mojave, before Catalina was installed on the Mac?
Is Windows an expendable installation?
Can the internal disk be wiped clean?

I have a MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016), 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7, 16 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3, Radeon Pro 460 4 GB, Intel HD Graphics 530 1536 MB and 1TB SSD.

Thanks!

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 14, 2020 9:35 AM in response to AlbertVonMoosseedorf

Before we go further, do you have an external disk, which can backup the 530Gb of Data and Programs. I do not recommend using Google drive as your sole backup method. A local portable disk can be of tremendous value when you do not have an internet connection and 4 days to wait for upload/download of files.

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Answer 4

Mar 14, 2020 8:52 AM in response to Loner T

I could have installed Catalina in a separate APFS Container, but I have read the Support Article from Apple https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208891 and thought if that is intended to do it this way it is a good idea, so I do not have to declare the amount of space and are more flexible. Until a few days ago I could boot either from Mojave, Catalina and also Bootcamp until Catalina has shot something on my disk. I believe installing Catalina in a separate container would not has made a difference. I have a MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016), 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7, 16 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3, Radeon Pro 460 4 GB, Intel HD Graphics 530 1536 MB and 1TB SSD.

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Answer 5

Mar 14, 2020 9:42 AM in response to Loner T

Yes of course, all my Data and Programs are backed up with Time Machine (separate Time Machine backup than the OS on different disks). But the sync for Google need's anyway at least 4 days, because Google Sync is very slow.

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Answer 6

Mar 15, 2020 2:36 AM in response to Loner T

I do not need to fight Catalina EFI updates and Mojave and Catalina behave much more sanely.

Could you please explain what you mean by this ?

I still try to understand the problem and try to solve it instead of working around it. In my experience unsolved problems will return from time to time if we just work around them.

And I would agree if you say Catalina has produced a lot of problems - thats true, but in this particular case I believe this problem was caused by the Boot Camp Assistant. Catalina itself was no problem to install in a volume in the same APFS container and it worked fine so far. Regarding Bootcamp it is maybe like with other unpopular tasks in a company, they will be delegated to a junior and the result is an unqualified solution.

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Answer 7

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 14, 2020 8:37 AM in response to AlbertVonMoosseedorf

Is there a specific reason that Catalina and Mojave use the same APFS container?
What is the year/model of your Mac (do not post the serial number)?

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Answer 8

Mar 14, 2020 9:18 AM in response to Loner T

Do you have Time Machine backups of Mojave, before Catalina was installed on the Mac?

Yes, of course, I also have a SuperDuper Clone of my Mojave. But besides Mojave (136GB) I have also some APFS Containers with Data and Programs (530GB) and to sync Google Drive (takes at least 4 day's). Catalina I could install new for the 4the time.

Is Windows an expendable installation?

Standard Windows installation (Win10_1909_German_x64.iso)

Can the internal disk be wiped clean?

I will crying

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 15, 2020 6:22 AM in response to AlbertVonMoosseedorf

EFI Updates used to be separate for Macs, unrelated to macOS updates, but Apple started bundling them together, to avoid separate firmware updates. The challenge is that the EFI updates are 'invisible' to the user. If there is an incompatibility between the macOS and EFI, you will start seeing unpredictable behavior.

About the security content of Mac EFI Security Update 2015-001 - Apple Support is a specific example of EFI update which is part of Security update. About EFI and SMC firmware updates for Intel-based Mac computers - Apple Support is an archived list of firmware valid of 2014 and older models. 2015 and later models started getting all such updates bundled with macOS.

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Install Bootcamp in mixed MacOS environment (Mojave, Catalina, Bootcamp)

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