ok first want to say THAN FDSOLVED!

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!

ok first want to say THANK you!!! I have spent almost a week frustrated by this issue. My solution was AGAIN slightly different. !

(Copied from initial post):

"...

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 partition.

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

4. Reboot the machine to the USB drive

..."

(here is where my experience may help some users. My MacPro early 2011 w/ hybrid SSD 1TB  would show black screen reading "add boot disk then hit any key...(which one is the any key??)" My solution of course holding option/alt key when booting (*** soon as you hear the startup 'PING' and before the first grey screen) then selection "efi boot" THEN I did not partition/delete/ do anything at the screen that shows all partitions, you should have a blank unpartitioned space (that you set up in part 3). Select the "unpartitioned space" and then simply click next! GAAAAH finally...then continue with your install. Oh and I used windows 8.1 Pro from 123MyIT.com. 

I hope this helps some of you out there! This was a ridiculous waste of time.

If you just reset the PRAM after getting that error then it would be able to update the boot config.

Reset PRAM: on reboot hold option + command + p + r

then re choose efi boot after holding option

I had the same issue and called Apple. This is what they did to fix the problem. I have Macbook Pro 15" OS X Yosemite, and was trying to install Windows 8.1 pro. I could get to "finalizing" in the process of installing Windows, and it failed with an error message "Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed."

1. Unplug the power code. Shut down the computer.

2. Press shift Control-Option keys and power button at the same time. (I think they did part of this--Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) - Apple Support)

3. Turn off your mac again. Then turn on your mac and immediately press and hold the option-command-P-R keys. Continue holding the keys down till your mac restarts, and hear the start up sound for the second time. (I think they did this--OS X Mavericks: Reset your computer’s PRAM)

4. Open disk utility. Choose Mac HD on the left, and run "verify disk", run it for the second Mac HD on the list (indented under Mac HD on the top) as well. (Here, there seemed no problem on my HD, so I didn't run "repair disk" but you might have to do it if your disk has a problem)

5. Also run "repair disk permissions" on both Mac HD. Restart your computer.

6. Plug the power code in, and go through all the installation process again. The error message didn't show up and I was able to install Windows 8.1 pro.

Sorry, ignore "2" and jump to step "3".

MBP (MID2012) SOLVED WORKING GOOD ALL.....BUT SOUND IS NOT WORKING

ANY SOLUTION...................................................??

Did you run setup.exe in Boot Camp folder in windows? It looks like I cannot insert a link, but there is a Youtube vide called

How to Install Windows 7, 8, 8.1 on OSX Yosemite Part 2 (BootCamp)

and it will show you how to do it? May be it helps?

Guys

I have tried every variation in this thread and its not working for my new Macbook Pro retina.

What can I do? I am very stressed out and have waste now 2 days of my life which I wont get back.

Please help me.

I have also tried holding options + cmd + r + p, tried verifying and repairing disk all partitions in Disk Utils, still not working.

BOOTCAMP is very poorly developed software.

What specific step in this https://help.apple.com/bootcamp/mac/5.0/help/#/bcmp173b3bf2 do you have a failure? Most BC issues are related to environmental problems.

I Had this problem on my 2013 Mac Pro, attempting to install Winders 8.1.

I found doing a PRAM reset fixed it.

AFter the the failed install, reboot holding down the Alt/Option key, the Command key, and the 'P' and 'R' keys All at the same time. You should hear two tart up chimes within ten or fifteen seconds of each other.

Boot out into the Mac OS if it doesn't automatically do so. Open the Bootcamp app, and remove the windows partition. Re-Start your Mac.

Start-up again within the Mac OS, and once again load the Bootcamp app. Un-tick the option to create a USB installer and the option to download the required windows software - you should already have this on a USB stick, but if you don't, you will need to follow these steps.

As the option for 'creating' a partition is still ticked, and making sure you have the USB with the windows OS and Bootcamp software plugged in to your computer, click next. The computer will restart and start installing Windows.

FInally, you need to make sure no thunderbolt accessories are plugged into your computer. This doesn't need to actually happen until after you are asked to enter a serial number, so if your keyboard is running off a Thunderbolt hub, disconnect it after entering the serial but before clicking next (Making sure you still have a working mouse!).

I have spent 3 days trying to get my 2011 MBP to get Windows 8.1 install and failed with all methods.

I then came across this post:

The ultimate way to install Windows 8.x in (U)EFI mode on Apple systems

By doing download and performing the GPT fdisk tasks, this made the original instructions in this thread work for me (I didnt have to assign a drive letter as it says)

Thanks buddy. You really helped. Your advice aligns with a Youtube vid, but they use bootcamp (then delete the 'BOOTCAMP' at installation time) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPRAJVw6n8c

Just amazes me that we give Apple 1000s of dollars and they're too lazy to get their **** together and plebs like me have to rely on awesome individuals like you to get the thing running.

Thanks Skip,

This works perfectly on a mid 2010 MBP. 

This wouldn't work for me initially. Tried lots of suggestions in this thread. The important bit turned out to be the PRAM reset. Then OP's solution worked just fine.

Skip,

You are the man!!!  great help.  Thanks very much.  a problem i have struggled with for weeks was resolved.