bootcamp fails at reboot

Question

Level 1

6 points

bootcamp fails at reboot

I just bought a brand new Mac Mini (2018) that came with factory installed Catalina. I have tried repeatedly to install Windows via Boot Camp Assistant. But ultimately the Boot Camp Windows installation fails. Here is what I have done:

- I downloaded the ISO for Windows 10, 64 bit

- I turn off all external hard drives

- I run Boot Camp Assistant, with the Windows ISO filled in, and I select 162Gb for the Boot Camp Partition.

- Boot Camp downloads Installation files, and seems to go through the process of partitioning the system disk for the Boot Camp Partition.

- Bootcamp copies files to that partition

- I am then prompted for the administrator password, and provide that and hit return

- It appears that the system gets shut down from Catalina and starts the boot process to Windows

- After Flashing the Windows Logo a few times, the screen goes black, and nothing more happens.

- I am unable to do anything with that Boot Camp partition, and find that I can only re-run Boot Camp Assistant from Catalina, delete the Boot Camp Partition, then recreate a new Boot Camp Partition that fails in exactly the same way as the previous attempt.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get Windows Installed?

Mac mini, OS X 10.10

Posted on May 19, 2020 9:22 AM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

May 19, 2020 9:53 AM in response to Millsfield

Disconnect all external peripherals except Keyboard/Mouse/Monitor
Run SMC and NVRAM Reset
- How to reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support
- Reset NVRAM or PRAM on your Mac - Apple Support
Retry BC Assistant

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Answer 2

Millsfield Author

Level 1

6 points

May 20, 2020 7:02 AM in response to Loner T

Thank you so much! That fixed the problem completely! I wouldn't expect that I would have to go through those gymnastics on a brand spanking new Mac Mini. But apparently that was exactly what was needed!

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

May 20, 2020 4:26 PM in response to Millsfield

There are known issues with eGPUs and Bootcamp. The specific issue you point out, of booting Windows with the eGPU plugged in is known. Unfortunately, there is no work around. Also, eGPUs are not officially supported in Bootcamp.

See Use an external graphics processor with your Mac - Apple Support and specifically,

macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 and later don't support eGPUs in Windows using Boot Camp or when your Mac is in macOS Recovery or installing system updates.

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Answer 4

Millsfield Author

Level 1

6 points

May 20, 2020 4:11 PM in response to Loner T

As you instructed, I shut down the system, unplugged everything, Reset the SMC, and reset the NVRAM or Pram. I was able to install Windows, and installed all of the Apple Drivers and Windows updates with no problem. I rebooted a few times, and convinced myself that it was the SMC or NVRAM or Pram that was the culprit. But I was wrong!

After shutting down the working Windows System, I then plugged everything back in, and attempted to boot. The boot failed! I shut down the system and unplugged everything again and rebooted successfully. I then shut down the system, and plugged in one thunderbolt cable and successfully rebooted.

Then I plugged in another thunderbolt cable. And successfully rebooted again. I shut down the system one more time and then plugged in the last thunderbolt cable that was connected to an eGpu. The boot then failed once again! The third Thunderbolt cable was connected to a Razer Core X Chroma Aluminum External GPU enclosure, that had a Radeon RX 580 graphics card installed in it.

I shut down the system again, and unplugged the eGpu. The system rebooted fine. Once the system was up, I connected the eGpu thunderbolt cable, and the system not only stayed running, it recognized the eGpu and was able to make full use of it!

So the problem was actually in trying to boot the Mac Mini with the eGpu connected at boot time. Connecting the eGpu after the successful boot works great!

So, I am now convinced that your suggestion to unplug everything was the key to success, and that the SMC or NVRAM/PRAM resets were not the fix. But you were absolutely correct to instruct me to unplug everything! Thanks again!

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