jdhiro
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: 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

by Nvtsallo,Solvedanswer
Nvtsallo Nvtsallo
Level 1 (21 points)
iPhone
A:

Ok I have win 8.1 installed and running fine. I just bought a 15" base MBPR haswell. Here is what I did

1. setup and update mavericks and reboot

2. open boot camp assistant and only check the lower 2 options

3. insert a usb flash drive (for boot camp driver install

4. plug in a usg dvd drive with a retail copy of windows 8 or 8 professional

5 select how big you want your partition. I recommend at least 80gb but just a suggestion based on needs.

6 when its done creating the windows boot camp usb eject the usb drive before you allow it to restart to install windows.

7. when it is at the install screen you will see a message saying that partition 0s4 is unable to install windows. highlight that windows partition and click delete then highlight it and select format.

8 click next to proceed with install

9 when in win 8 run the boot camp installer and all windows 8 updates. restart

10 go to the windows store and select the windows 8.1 update and click install

11 after a restart you are at 8.1 Done. Enjoy.

Thats my experience and I did it in just a few hours tonight.

Posted on Oct 25, 2013 8:22 PM

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jdhiro

Q: Windows 8.1 install fails on new 2013 Retina MacBook

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  • by zydongcn,

    zydongcn zydongcn Nov 7, 2013 4:23 PM in response to jdhiro
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 7, 2013 4:23 PM in response to jdhiro

    Really? I wonder whether the new EFI support win 8.1 too.

    Who has tried that yet?

  • by jarvil,

    jarvil jarvil Nov 7, 2013 4:34 PM in response to chanlee007
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 7, 2013 4:34 PM in response to chanlee007

    Trying it now....

  • by zydongcn,

    zydongcn zydongcn Nov 7, 2013 4:35 PM in response to jarvil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 7, 2013 4:35 PM in response to jarvil

    I trust you buddy!

  • by jarvil,

    jarvil jarvil Nov 7, 2013 5:39 PM in response to jarvil
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 7, 2013 5:39 PM in response to jarvil

    jarvil wrote:

     

    Trying it now....

     

    EFI update does not fix the problem. I am wondering if the install is meant to be in BIOS mode and not EFI mode.

     

    Anyone know for sure?

  • by jarvil,

    jarvil jarvil Nov 7, 2013 7:22 PM in response to jarvil
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 7, 2013 7:22 PM in response to jarvil

    Never mind... removed by author

  • by Dalbalgo,

    Dalbalgo Dalbalgo Nov 9, 2013 12:10 PM in response to jdhiro
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 9, 2013 12:10 PM in response to jdhiro

    I just got the install to work by first installing windows 7 ultimate using boot camp to make the bootable usb flash drive and just letting boot camp do its thing. After windows 7 was installed I downloaded windows 8.1 from microsoft and upgraded from the desktop application. Everything works now. I think its through the EFI but I'm not savvy enough to actually confirm that.

  • by brosh,

    brosh brosh Nov 9, 2013 4:37 PM in response to jdhiro
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 9, 2013 4:37 PM in response to jdhiro

    I'm in the same boat.  Late 2013 MBP15 stacked.  I finally got windows 8.1 installed using this method.  I then downloaded the game SWTOR and got it installed.  But the game app will not open for me.  Won't even budge. 

     

    Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to fix this?

  • by yui.a,

    yui.a yui.a Nov 10, 2013 2:28 AM in response to brosh
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2013 2:28 AM in response to brosh

    It boggles me why people would hop on Apple forums asking for an answer to another issue altogether.

     

    This might help you out: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=6923749#post6923749

  • by classified11,

    classified11 classified11 Nov 10, 2013 7:40 AM in response to yui.a
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2013 7:40 AM in response to yui.a

    Has someone tested to install Windows 8 after the EFI Update (EFI Update 1.2)?

  • by brosh,

    brosh brosh Nov 10, 2013 7:48 AM in response to yui.a
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2013 7:48 AM in response to yui.a

    Thank you for the link.  Greatly appreciated.  My apologies.  I did not mean to offend you.  It was not my intention to offend you by thinking it might be bootcamp/driver related.  With all new things, bugs don't become apparent until released to public and i appologize.  I do appeciate the link though.

  • by Byiu,

    Byiu Byiu Nov 10, 2013 5:11 PM in response to Dalbalgo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2013 5:11 PM in response to Dalbalgo

    Successfully install Windows 8.1 on Mavericks (MBPR 2013)

    I also wanted to confirm it will work if you install Windows 7 pro first, then install Windows 8.1 pro.  I was trying to install Windows 8.1 pro 64-bits (DVD) on the latest 15" MBPR yesterday for 4 attempts. But all the methods in this forum fail. The only way out (in my case) is to install Windows 7 pro first, then install Windows 8.1 pro.

     

    Here are the steps:

    1. Use a blank USB drive and format it as MS-FAT format.  Then I use boot camp assistant and select "download Windows support software" and "install Windows 7 or later".  Insert Windows 7 pro DVD in the external Super drive and plugged in.  Has the USB drive inserted and let OSX download the files on it, then divide the HD space for Windows and Mac.

    2. It will boot into Windows installation page. Highlight partition 4 (boot camp) and select "format" when it gets to Windows asks which partition to install Windows 7 pro. Then press "Next".

    3. After Windows 7 Pro successfully installed, boot the MBPR in the OSX and insert Windows 8.1 pro DVD in the Super Drive and restart the laptop (it will boot as Windows)

     

    4. It will automatically bring you to the Windows 8.1 pro installation and make sure the USB drive (contains the Windows support software) plug-in during the installation.  When it finish, Windows 8.1 pro will restart again.  Install anti-versus right the way.

     

    5. It should take approx 2+hours for the whole installation.

     

    I think this is only a temporary solution for those who wants to install Windows 8.1 on 2013 MBPR or Mavericks OSX. There are bugs on Mavericks regarding on the supporting Windows 8.1.  For example, I noticed the screen brightness is not the same level on the Windows 8.1 vs OSX. The screen is dime on the Windows side with 100%.  For sure, Windows 8.1 doesn't fully recognize the partition using boot camp.  Install Wins7 then Wins 8 might be the only way out for now in my case.

  • by jarvil,

    jarvil jarvil Nov 10, 2013 5:57 PM in response to classified11
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 10, 2013 5:57 PM in response to classified11

    No,

     

    It does not fix the problem. Probably have to wait for 10.9.1

  • by jarvil,

    jarvil jarvil Nov 10, 2013 6:00 PM in response to Byiu
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 10, 2013 6:00 PM in response to Byiu

    Byiu wrote:

     

    Successfully install Windows 8.1 on Mavericks (MBPR 2013)

    I also wanted to confirm it will work if you install Windows 7 pro first, then install Windows 8.1 pro.  I was trying to install Windows 8.1 pro 64-bits (DVD) on the latest 15" MBPR yesterday for 4 attempts..

     

    Actually the BIOS method outlined in the "Incoming Links" on the right of this page (scroll up) works for Windows 8.1. There is no working EFI method I am aware of at this time.

  • by jarvil,

    jarvil jarvil Nov 10, 2013 6:37 PM in response to jdhiro
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 10, 2013 6:37 PM in response to jdhiro

    Hmm, I read that Windows 8 only supports a maximum of 4 partitions on the boot drive. Maybe that is the problem. You see the EFI parition is one, then the Mac Extended partition is the second, then the Recovery partition is the third. So there is only space left for one more partition and we know that Windows wants to create two. (You will only see one partition in Disk Utility because it hides them under the one entity called Macintosh HD. To really see them you need to do this http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20081463-263/manage-all-partitions-with-dis k-utility-in-os-x/)

     

    I just wonder if I delete the recovery partition and shrink the "Macintosh HD" down to the reduced size will Windows 8 now install because it is able to create its two partitions?  Or is Windows trying to update Mac'sEFI partition with its boot files and fails because of course it cannot.

     

    Makes me think...

  • by Hawaiianteg,

    Hawaiianteg Hawaiianteg Nov 11, 2013 10:04 AM in response to jarvil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 11, 2013 10:04 AM in response to jarvil

    I had multiple issues as well.

     

    When I first tried to install 8.1 full as a fresh boot camp install it would error out and say that the required files were not there to install.

     

    Then I would try it again and it would then get close to finishing and say it cant change the boot order and fail.

     

    Apple please fix as soon as possible.

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