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Level 1

4 points

Can't install Windows 8 x64 on late 2013 MBP with1TB SSD

Just got my new MBP and I'm trying to install Windows 8 using Bootcamp. I've tried using the DVD (with the thumb drive bootstrapper created by Bootcamp) and also an image written to the thumb drive by Bootcamp. In both cases, the install seems to go fine -- files copied, files "readied" (whatever that means) and so forth, all the way to 100%. Right after this step, though, the installation quits with the popup error message:

"Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed."

The installation quits right there, and tells me "The installation was canceled" and "Any changes to your computer won't be saved." Then it reboots.

I have tried repairing the installation using a Windows 8 repair disk, and I've tried (using the command prompt from the repair disk) to fix the MBR. Nothing works.

My best guess is that the x64 drivers for this model are not working properly, but I really have no idea. Searching the 'net has yielded nothing helpful. I suppose I'll have to bring it in to the Genius Bar, but I'd really rather save that couple of hours if I can avoid it.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9), Late 2013, 2.6 GHz, 1TB SSD

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 9:24 PM

120 replies

Oct 27, 2013 9:24 AM in response to skipsizemore

I find comfort in knowing I'm not the only one experiencing this at the moment.

Late 2013 Macbook Pro/Haswell/15in/2.6Ghz/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/Mavericks

I've tried installing it with the CD (Windows 8) and with an ISO for windows 8.1 - I'm getting the same error.

skipsizemore Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 27, 2013 10:12 AM in response to skipsizemore

SOLVED!

I haven't gotten anything useful back from Apple yet, but I found something on another thread that seemed worth a try. I managed to install Windows 8.0 x64 without any third-party tools or other foolishness. Here are my steps:

1. Use Bootcamp to create EFI-bootable USB drive with the Windows ISO file.

2. Uninstall any previous installations of Bootcamp, restoring the partition table to one big Apple partitition.

3. Use Disk Utility in OS X to create empty space of the size I want my Windows partitition to be.

4. Reboot the machine to the USB drive.

5. Using the Windows Advanced partition options, create a new partition in the empty space. Windows will also create a small (128 MB or so) partition alongside it.

6. Format the new partition using the Windows Advanced partition options.

7. Proceed with installation onto that NTFS partition as before.

8. Windows 8 installs!

9. After installation, run the setup.exe inside the Bootcamp folder on the USB drive. This will install all the necessary device drivers.

So, apparently, the problem is the partition created by Bootcamp. Maybe Windows setup wants to create its little extra partition but can't because the disk is fully allocated. I'm not sure, but I am happy to have it working.

I hope that this will work for the rest of you!

Oct 27, 2013 12:38 PM in response to skipsizemore

Skip...you're the man

Oct 27, 2013 12:49 PM in response to skipsizemore

I tried deleting the Boot Camp partition (and leaving it as empty space), then booting from the Windows 8 DVD ("EFI Boot") and letting the Win8 installer create its own partition there. Still no luck.

jarvil

Level 1

15 points

Oct 27, 2013 1:10 PM in response to overmac

Install instructions here.

Re: How to install Windows 8.1 on Haswell MBP

bdguy

Level 1

4 points

Nov 2, 2013 10:57 AM in response to MarcAyo18

Yes. Similar issue with Win7 - get to the point of formatting partition to NTFS and Windows7 installation (via USB Optical drive) stalls. Also have 1TB drive. Wondering if anyone has this issue with the 512 drive. Oddly, on the 1TB machine, when I use disk utilities on the full (unpartitioned) drive, it will not run all the way through the drive. Need to run twice to get a 'green' conclusion. Erase history in the verify box, and oddity repeats. Run verify in succession without erasing and continue to get green. Nothing like this happens on my 2010 MBP. May be bootcamp issue, but also something in hardware given the odd behavior of disk utilities.

Nov 2, 2013 11:08 AM in response to bdguy

It took some time to get the partitioning right - if it goes wrong, its best to boot into windows installer, and delete (not format) the partions including the one created by windows as a reserve; boot back into OS X and use disk utilitys to extend the partition back to the full extent of the drive and try again.

I followed the instructions linked by skipsizemore and it worked fine (the second time round after I actually included the support software in bootcamp!)

spignot2

Level 1

0 points

Nov 2, 2013 3:43 PM in response to skipsizemore

Late 2013 15", fully built, and I was having the same problem. I tried all of these solutions, and nothing was working, including:

Straight bootcamp install, formatting the partition in the windows installer

Deleting and recreating a new partition in the windows installer (including the creation of the 128 MB partition)

Erasing the bootcamp partition in Disk Utility and creating the partition in windows installer

Erasing the bootcamp partition in Disk Utility and reformatting NTFS using Tuxera

I could not get anything to work, so I tried one last time with a straight bootcamp install, with the formatting in the windows installer, but moving the USB I was booting off of from the RIGHT USB port to the LEFT USB port, and it installed perfectly the first time without any issues. I'm not sure if this is a solution, or if I was just lucky, but if nothing else works, you may want to try it.

Dan9802

Level 1

0 points

Nov 2, 2013 4:36 PM in response to skipsizemore

Victory! This worked like a charm. Thanks Skip!

Late 2013 15" MBP w/ Retina and NVIDIA.

Windows 8.1 Pro ISO.

Windows looks gorgeous on this machine.

Number88

Level 3

806 points

Nov 2, 2013 10:29 PM in response to Dan9802

I'm interested in a couple of points.

Firstly I understood that the Windows installer usb created by Bootcamp can not offer the EFI boot option when booted from. None of my BC created installers do.

Secondly, once Bootcamp has partitioned the drive (whether you use that particulur partition or not) a hybrid mbr is created. This in itself should stop the Windows installer from offering the EFI boot option as it should detect that hybrid mbr.

So my main question would be, how are you booting the Windows installer in EFI boot mode (if it was made via the Bootcamp process)?

Dan9802

Level 1

0 points

Nov 2, 2013 10:42 PM in response to Number88

First time around I created a USB install stick from a PC, which did not give me an EFI boot option (only Windows boot).

So I started over, and at that point, I simply copied a fresh Windows 8.1 Pro ISO to my MacBook Pro desktop, and then let Bootcamp erase my install stick and create a new one with the fresh ISO.

In terms of the partition, it was simply empty space, rather than a true partition (per the solution above). I let the Windows EFI installer format the empty space for me. In other words, the only thing I used Bootcamp for was to create the Windows USB and add the drivers.

Number88

Level 3

806 points

Nov 2, 2013 10:53 PM in response to Dan9802

I see, thanks.

So Bootcamp didn't create your Windows partition. Therefore the hybrid mbr was not created and the installer could offer the EFI boot option.

In other cases above this does not appear to be the case and it makes me wonder whether in newer MBP's Boot Camp now does something differently.

Cheers!

Nov 3, 2013 6:22 AM in response to skipsizemore

i get the same error like before:

"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed GPT disks"

Have somone an idea?

DYKWIA

Level 1

0 points

Nov 3, 2013 8:48 AM in response to classified11

Still not working for me unfortunately.

skipsizemore Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 3, 2013 9:21 AM in response to classified11

I have never seen Windows say that it has to be installed on a GPT, although I have seen the opposite error. I expect that if you use the Windows Installer advanced options to re-create the partition and format it, it will make what it needs.

As for getting the EFI boot option, it showed up for me every time. I created the USB boot disk by using the Disk Utilities in OS X to first create an image of my Windows 8 DVD, then using Bootcamp to create the bootable USB. I disconnected the DVD drive and booted with the USB stick in the right-hand port, and it offered me EFI as an option.

Can't install Windows 8 x64 on late 2013 MBP with1TB SSD