Downloading windows support software from bootcamp assistant deletes windows efi bug?

Question

Level 1

8 points

Downloading windows support software from bootcamp assistant deletes windows efi bug?

hello,

i wanted to do a simple WindowsSupport download on bootcamp assistant and to install updated drivers on my existing bootcamp.

i selected downloads folder as the destination.

on finishing download, it starts spewing out thousands of repeating message about not enough privilege, and it will not close.

i reboot my macbook, and bootcamp entry is missing from the bootloader.

i checked the efi partition and all microsoft windows efi files were gone.

i was able to restore them by using bcdtool on windows install media. fortunately, bootcamp partition was unaffected. phew.

what gives? is this a bug?

i am using mac os catalina on macbook pro early 15

MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on Sep 4, 2020 10:20 PM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 7, 2020 1:28 PM in response to hoholee12

hoholee12 wrote:

hybrid mbr will not make windows efi bootable.

UEFI requires GPT-only partition scheme.
BIOS requires MBR or GPT+Hybrid MBR.

my current system is configured to have gpt with protective mbr

This will only support UEFI/EFI.

so basically i am currently using just what you are mentioning.

I assume you have GPT-only and EFI/UEFI.

also is this in any way related to this issue?

If BC Assistant deleted the Microsoft directory in the EFI Partition of the Mac, this is a bug.

BCA should not touch the EFI partition, unless you chose to Restore/Remove or Install options.

Does the Microsoft directory no longer exist in the EFI Partition currently?

If you used bcdboot or /rebuildBCD, you can choose to locate the EFI Part in either the Mac's EFI Partition or in C:, by using the /s qualifier of bcdboot (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/bcdboot-command-line-options-techref-di).

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Answer 2

hoholee12 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 7, 2020 1:33 PM in response to Loner T

yes. the bca will delete microsoft and boot folders with windows bootfiles in them. clean.

with that along with random repeating messages of 'not enough privilege' spamming every one fps is the reason why i have thought this might be a bug on bca program.

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 7, 2020 4:25 PM in response to hoholee12

If you do not want to use BCA, you can use Brigadier (https://github.com/timsutton/brigadier) and try it.

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Answer 4

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 7, 2020 7:05 AM in response to hoholee12

Can you run First Aid on the disk using Disk Utility?

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 7, 2020 12:05 PM in response to hoholee12

2012 and older Macs support GPT disk with a Hybrid MBR overlay and only support legacy BIOS.
Late 2013-2014 Macs support GPT/EFI/UEFI or GPT/MBR/BIOS and are transitional models.
2015 and later models support GPT/EFI/UEFI.

Your model is a 'cusp' model. The default on your model is GPT with Hybrid MBR overlay and legacy BIOS. However, you can also install GPT/EFI/UEFI, if you remove the MBR and manually choose EFI Boot from the installation media.