Windows 8.1 install fails on new 2013 Retina MacBook

I doubt there are many people out there who can help with this yet. I was able to pick up my 2013 Haswell Retina MacBook Pro from my local Apple store this morning (yay!), and so far everything has been stellar. However, I'm unable to install Windows 8.1 via Bootcamp. I have not tried Windows 8 or 7.


I've tried installing both via USB thumb drive, and via DVD on external SuperDrive, with the same results. I know that 2013 MacBook Airs have to install via UEFI so I've tried that as well. What I've tried:


Booting into UEFI:

- After creating the partition in Bootcamp, I boot holding OPTION

- At the boot selection screen I select "EFI BOOT"

- I go through all the motions, including formatting the BOOTCAMP partition

- After all the files have been copied, I get a message that "Windows cannot update the boot partition and that my progress won't be saved" (not the exact message).


Booting via BIOS:

- After creating the partition in Bootcamp, I boot holding OPTION

- At the boot selection screen I pick "WINDOWS"

- When I get to the partition selection/formatting screen it won't let me proceed, when I expand the error message it tells me that partition can't be used because it has a GPT partition table.


So, I'm stuck =( Any ideas?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 8:56 PM

Reply
602 replies

Nov 28, 2013 1:54 AM in response to mcarriere

@mcarriere Details work to get windows into an EFI boot. I did have to tweak some things ( to follow ) as it was not identical to my setup.


I had to adjust this part:


cd /d B:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\ (hit enter)

ren BCD BCD.bak (hit enter)

bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-US /s B: /f ALL (hit enter)


for me I had to do the following:


Create the folder /Microsoft/Boot on the B drive as it didn't already exists. I only had Apple showing ( wonder wether this could be the issue that BootCamp is no populating the boot area correctly with the Microsoft EFI )


I then had to move to my USB drive containing the Windows install:


cd D:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\


Then run:


xcopy *.* B:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\


Once that was done I could finish with the following:


ren BCD BCD.bak (hit enter)

bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-US /s B: /f ALL (hit enter)


I then followed the rest of the instructions an all was well. Ti check to see what boot type windows is using you can do the following:


Bring up the Run command ( Windows Key + R )


Type in msinfo32 and press Enter.


Highlight the System Summary ( if no already highlighted ).


Look for the BIOS Mode. It should read UEFI. If so then you're cooking on gas.



You'll notice if you scroll down that Hyper-V - Virtulization Enabled Firmware is set to No. This is the issue I'm having now as I need to use Hyper-V. It seem to resolve by first booting into OS X and then restarting into Windows. Some have also said installing Parallels Desktop also helps with the Hyper-V issue, but for me computer sleep after going into OS X and back seem to be working for the moment.


It's looking better but clearly Apple need to work on this as these issues shouldn't be happening on the top of the line MacBook.


Nov 28, 2013 2:52 PM in response to jdhiro

If anybody is interested, I managed to install Windows 8.1 EFI on an external thunderbolt SSD using a Haswell rMBP.


It all works via through the Windows 8.1 EFI bootloader and requires a fair amount of fiddling because I had to create an internal bootcamp partition and delete it afterwards, keeping the Bootloader intact, since Bootcamp won’t let you install on external drives.


The end result is fairly clean though and you should be able to reverse it all by deleting a single folder in the internal EFI partition.


I documented the whole process here:


http://www.perkussionswartung.com/windows-8-1-efi-external-drive-haswell-rmbp/

Nov 30, 2013 10:30 AM in response to jdhiro

Ok. Need MUCH help... before I take ALL of my computers to the range.


I have a new mac pro. I installed parallels, MS windows 8.0 and Office suite. EVERYTHING worked great.


THEN, I installed 8.1.


NOW, nothing for MS works. I click Outlook [or anything else] the icon opens on the bottom apple bar and sits there. Doing nothing.


I cannot open the windows 8.0 pro.... nothing!


I cannot del it using the apple launchpad to reinstall it.


I even put the win 8 pro disk in thinking it will do something.... nothing. No start up no nothing.


Help, please!


PS: I chated with the apple chat guy. Nothing he can do.

Nov 30, 2013 12:52 PM in response to jdhiro

I can't believe it, 8.1 pro just installed on my retina macbook pro 15 inch with 750m. A pure EFI installation, I do not know what happened, I thought I would try it for the millionth and one time and it just worked, the error message which I was expecting to come up, just didn't. The next screen after, where the error message normally comes up just said windows was restarting, I couldn't believe it, I don't know what happened, I can't explain it im sorry but I don't know why it suddenly just worked when it normally comes up with the error message. The only thing I had to do was hold down option each time it restarted and select windows so that it could finish the installation, I hope everyone else has the same luck I did, good luck guys and gals.

Dec 1, 2013 12:34 PM in response to Number88

I originally tried doing it initially just through disk utility, then in subsequent attemps through bootcamp assistant. 99% of the time neither worked, I tried workarounds such as exfat in disk utility and creating free space in disk utility. The last attempt which worked was just getting bootcamp assistant to partiton the hard drive (last option ONLY) as I already had a bootable USB. So then when it rebooted I held down option and went into mac osx , did a few tasks then set osx as the default startup os in system preferences. Then I turned it off, plugged in 8.1 pro bootable USB, went into EFI boot and then no error came up after install. That's about it really. I haven't done anything that others haven't done which is why I can't explain it.

Dec 1, 2013 12:54 PM in response to nickf619

nickf619


Please let me know how you did this step by step. This is what I have:


2010 Macbook pro 15inch


I upgraded to Mavericks and rebooted

I then downloaded bootcamp 5. (I do not know what to do with it. Do i just put the folder in my usb?)

I then format my 16GB Jump drive to MS-DOS format.

I then place the bootcamp 5 folder on the USB.

I then downloaded the latest windows suport from apple and placed that on the usb also.

I then open bootcamp asstistance and place my 64 Windows 8.1 pro disc in.

I Partition the harddrive and click install

Then I get an Error- " The disc can not be partitioned"


Please help as I purchased windows 8.1 fo $200 and now can not get it to work and after reading on this fourm it seems like everyone is having problems. If there is another way to do it please right a step by step for me as it will be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

Dec 1, 2013 4:22 PM in response to SaintNation

@saintnation


I'm assuming you have the macbook with built in drive and you also have the 8.1 DVD disc installation?

It seems your bootcamp assistant is not working, you could try partioning manually through disk utility, If you use disk utility make sure you format a new partition as exfat. Now once you have done this close all applications, then put in your windows disc then turn your macbook off. When you reboot hold down the option key, I believe you should get a option to boot windows and you should get the installer, make sure you choose to install windows on the new partition you have created and not the others, within the installer you will most likely have to format that partition again, then it should let you install, let me know how it goes?

Dec 1, 2013 8:16 PM in response to iamakingprawnUK

I followed your and mcarriere's instructions and successfully installed Windows 8. I'm trying to upgrade to Windows 8.1 now, but the upgrade fails each time. The message says, "The app wasn't installed -- view details." If I click on view details, I get a message that says, "Something happened and Windows 8.1 couldn't be installed. Please try again. Error code: 0x8007001f.


If I pull the error logs from the setup, I see the following:


2013-12-01 20:21:06, Error MOUPG CSetupHost::Execute(204): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:09, Error MOUPG CSetupManager::Execute(355): Result = 0x800705BB

2013-12-01 20:35:09, Error MOUPG CSetupHost::Execute(204): Result = 0x800705BB

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error SP SPGetCurrentOSGuid: BCD Open failed. Error: 0x0000001F[gle=0x00000002]

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error SP Cannot get the current OS GUID. Error: 0x8007001F[gle=0x00000002]

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CDlpTransformDU::ExecuteDriverInfoDU(1106): Result = 0x8007001F[gle=0x00000002]

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CDlpTransformDU::Execute(422): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CDlpTask::ExecuteTransform(3154): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CDlpTask::ExecuteTransforms(3327): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CDlpTask::Execute(1550): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CSetupManager::ExecuteTask(1158): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CSetupManager::ExecuteTask(1123): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CSetupManager::Execute(375): Result = 0x8007001F

2013-12-01 20:35:16, Error MOUPG CDlpTask::RestartTransform(2444): Result = 0xC1800107

2013-12-01 20:35:17, Error MOUPG CDlpTransformFinalize::LogMachineInfo(878): Result = 0x80070002[gle=0x000000cb]

2013-12-01 20:35:17, Error SP CSetupPlatform::ResurrectNewSystem: Failure: Win32Exception: \\?\C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\newsystem.dat: The system cannot find the file specified. [0x00000002] __cdecl UnBCL::FileStream::FileStream(const class UnBCL::String *,enum UnBCL::FileMode,enum UnBCL::FileAccess,enum UnBCL::FileShare,unsigned long)[gle=0x00000002]

2013-12-01 20:35:17, Error MOUPG Finalize: Error reporting downlevel time: [0x80070002]

2013-12-01 20:35:17, Error SP CSqmSession::SetSQMEndTime: Failed to set EndTime for datapoint with Id = 12576. Datapoint not found

2013-12-01 20:35:17, Error SP Failed to set SQM end time. hr = 0x80070490

2013-12-01 20:35:17, Error MOUPG Finalize: Error reporting finalize time: [0x80004005]

2013-12-01 20:35:21, Error MOUPG CSetupHost::Execute(204): Result = 0x8007001F


I'm suspicious that the SPGetCurrentOSGuid is because we converted the boot to an EFI installation. Any idea where I can get help so I can upgrade to Windows 8.1? This Bootcamp experience so far has been pretty painful.

Dec 2, 2013 10:02 AM in response to iamakingprawnUK

Solution:

mcarriere's response, on page 22 ( https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5474320?start=315&tstart=0 ), combined with iamakingprawnUK's response, on page 23 ( https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5474320?start=330&tstart=0 ) worked for me.


It's worth noting you may have to do cd /d D:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\ (note the added /d) to get over to the D drive instead of just cd D:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\


Observations:

I am now showing UEFI as my BIOS mode and I also don't seem to have any problems with Hyper-V


From what I can tell, this seems like a solid solution (see Caveats *, **)


@iamakingprawnUK, I believe you are right on about the issue being related to BootCamp not copying over the files from D:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\ (perhaps it is some sort of permissions issue)


Caveats:


* It's worth noting that this solution may not work for Windows 8.1 as a direct install or upgrade (see iampastwitsend's thread above)


** As many of us are painfully aware, not all Windows install disks were created equally even if they're for the "same" version. Like mcarriere, I am using a Windows 8 Enterpise x64 (not 8.1) ISO that I downloaded from MSDN. I am on a new MacBook Pro Retina 15.4" w/ 2.3 ghz processor, NVidia GeForce GT 750M, 16 GB RAM, etc... (standard model that is available in stores).


Questions:


Anyone have any luck with an 8.1 upgrade after a succesful 8.0 install?

Dec 3, 2013 12:00 PM in response to iampastwitsend

@iampastwitsend


please provide some more info, if you would not mind, so we can keep track of scenarios that are succesful and scenarios that are not and correlate these to the different variables at play here..


  • What version of Windows 8 are you using (Pro/Enterprise/etc.., x64/x86)?
  • Did you upgrade through the Windows Store or did you upgrade from a Windows 8.1 DVD (this is required with MSDN subscriptions)?


Thanks!

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Windows 8.1 install fails on new 2013 Retina MacBook

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