Stuck in a loop for boot camp download

What is the year/model of your Mac (do not post the serial number)? What is the current macOS version?

Did you try to remove the current installation?

In a very perverted way, I'm glad to have the "loop reset" companionship. Apple kept telling me it was a defective this or that. I don't believe it. I've been running Bootcamp in this configuration for years. Only when my SSD died and had to be replaced could I no longer install Win via Bootcamp - about the same time Catalina was released. (Hum.)

Please do keep me in "the loop" if you're able to solve this issue.

My apologies. Not trying to confuse issues. Will stick with my own thread. Sorry.

I had this same problem and could not find a solution. It evidently has something to do with types of SSDs and a change in Apples code. I don't understand all that, but after WEEKS of fruitlessly working with the Apple service center I gave up trying to get Windows to load on my Mac SSD. Instead, I opted for loading it on an external SSD I had. Afterwards, it occurred to me that this was a better solution all around, given the small size of the SSD MBPs come with. I offer an excellent YouTube I found that guided me through the process very painlessly. (If you solve the "repeated reset" problem in loading Win via Boot Assistant, I'd love to hear about it.)

(How to install Windows 10 "Boot Camp" on a Mac External Drive the EASY way! (2020 edition))

Hey! I am not trying to hijack your thread, but I do want to alert you and any possible solvers working on your issue to my similar experience.

I installed a 3rd pty 2TB SSD a couple of years ago in my MBP. Bootcamp installed without issue and I have daily used this configuration. Unfortunately, the SSD crashed. The supplier (OWC) confirmed it was a defective SSD and replaced it with "an updated version", a "2.0TB OWC Aura Pro X2 PCIe MBx gen2".

I took the replacement drive to my Apple Service Center and they installed it, loading Catalina, but leaving me to load Win 10 via Bootcamp. Unfortunately, I experienced the loop issue immediately. I reinstalled Catalina and re-downloaded a fresh ISO of Win 10. No help.

I took my MBP back to the Apple Service Center and for the next 5 weeks we played a game of them uninstalling and reinstalling these two operating systems time and time again.

Finally, they gave me back my MBP and said I must have a defective motherboard. Because of the cost of a replacement motherboard, they advised me to buy a new MBP. (Which I might have done, but I like my MBP with all its ports. *smile*)

In frustration (I'm sure you now know the feeling), I contacted support at OWC. The tech told me that Apple had changed something in their code that conflicted with some parameter on my new SSD. He assured me it only affected the install and that if I could get Bootcamp to load Win 10, it would operate just fine.

I have tried everything, but to no avail. So I finally loaded Win 10 on an external SSD. However, now I am having issues with the external Win SSD interacting with the internal SSD.

These are my MBP's particulars:

Why I tend to believe the conflict issue mentioned by the OWC tech is because the Apple Service Center told me that the reason they suspected a defect motherboard was because if they put my new SSD in a different MBP, everything installed just fine.

Hope this helps (both of us and all the others out there).

Jbvoigt wrote:

I installed a 3rd pty 2TB SSD a couple of years ago in my MBP. Bootcamp installed without issue and I have daily used this configuration. Unfortunately, the SSD crashed. The supplier (OWC) confirmed it was a defective SSD and replaced it with "an updated version", a "2.0TB OWC Aura Pro X2 PCIe MBx gen2".

I took the replacement drive to my Apple Service Center and they installed it, loading Catalina, but leaving me to load Win 10 via Bootcamp. Unfortunately, I experienced the loop issue immediately. I reinstalled Catalina and re-downloaded a fresh ISO of Win 10.

See Cannot install Windows 10 - Macbook Pro R… - Apple Community for reference. OWC SSDs do not support Bootcamp correctly. The Bootcamp installer uses a SSD driver which does not support third-party drives properly. This is documented in OWC's Knowledgebase - https://eshop.macsales.com/Service/Knowledgebase/Article/12/776/Aura-Pro-X2-SSDs-Boot-Camp-Compatibility.

Identify your MacBook Pro model - Apple Support shows MacBookPro11,1 to be your MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014) - Technical Specifications.

Ellespresso wrote:

i am on an iMac, bought this year in April. MacOS Catalina

We are confusing the Aura X2 issue with the 2020 iMac W10 installation error. They are unrelated. Installing on an external disk is also a different animal on each of them. The 2020 iMac has an Apple T2.

Jbvoigt's issue is related to the Aura X2.

Can you update macOS Catalina to 10.15.7? Once updated, try BC Assistant without any external device except Keyboard/Mouse. If you still get an error, post the output of

diskutil list

from macOS Terminal.

Remove the current Windows installation using BC Assistant (only). Reset SMC and NVRAM and try to re-install Windows.

Jbvoigt wrote:

My apologies. Not trying to confuse issues. Will stick with my own thread. Sorry.

No need to apologize. Glad you are trying to assist others. Any and all help is always welcome.