How to install Windows 8.1 on Haswell MBP

This doesnt work on my 2013 macbook air 11". shame. it was no problem on my macbook pro 2013

You are the MAN Jarvil. I've been trying for two days in every way you can imagine to get 8.1 on my New iMac 21.5 LATE 2013 model. Extremely happy!!!

OHHHHH MY GOSH

Listen here carefuly. Solved it in a very smple fix.

i was using my previous legit USB drive of 8.1 windows.

i was not letting an ISO file in boot camp manager to be processed. i let it to process my ISO, which i re downloaded. and now i have windows 8.1 in my macbook aişr 2013. wow. such hedache. but solution was already there.

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder to double check this KBase article - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5373

It's important to follow the steps to create a new installer as this appears to slipstream drivers into the Windows install DVD for these newer machines which then allows your to select the Bootcamp partition created using the Bootcamp Assistant. I've verified this with Apple Techncial Support.

Hi guys,

If you have this problem i.e. you can't install win8 by USB, you have to burn a DVD win8.iso, I did it and it worked.

I tryed many times by USB but at the end the best solution was to burn a DVD with win8.iso, make sure to burn the dvd by a software which can burn iso files.

Good luck

Francesco D'Urso

This solution worked for me. A lot less complicated and works with EFI on my late 2013 retina haswell macbook pro

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

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5491283?answerId=24987018022#24987018022

I know the solution doesn't sound like it'll work but I'm now a believer.

- Delete Boot Camp partition in Boot Camp assistant

- Verify there is only 1 partition on the internal SSD (Macintosh HD)

- Shut down

- PRAM reset http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14222

- Open Disk Utility

- Repair Disk Permissions twice (on Macintosh HD)

- Run Boot Camp assistant as normal

Set up Windows

After creating a user account it took a very long time to set up windows but if you leave it, the Boot Camp support software file installer will open.

jarvil wrote:

Oh hang on... 10.9.2 update may have fixed things... maybe I should try this again.

Strange, I pretty much tried everything and that solution worked. Now I'm not sure if 10.9.2 installed itself during the process, I'll have to check when I get home but I'm pretty sure I was still running 10.9.1.

Here is everything I did:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5491283?answerId=24980831022#24980831022

Solution doesn't work.

I get the popup for "Boot Camp Assistant helper tool" but still get the same error "Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed"

Steps in order

SMC Reset

PRAM Reset

Boot to Internet Recovery

Repartition internal SSD

Reinstall OS X Mavericks 10.9.1

Install all Apple software updates

Run Boot Camp Assistant - All options ticked

*Disc image created on an iMac using disk utility, DVD/CD Master from a "Windows 8.1 Pro x64 Eng Intl for OEM" disk, creating IRM_CCSA_X64FRE_EN-GB_DV5.cdr

Prompted to enter password to install Helper Tool

Mac restarted automatically, paused on gray screen for a while then booted back to OS X

2nd Attempt: Deleted Boot Camp partition using Boot Camp Assistant

Re-created Boot Camp partition using boot Camp Assistant

Now rebooted automatically installer

Followed procedure and ended at "Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed"

Same issue as before going through the trouble of erasing and installing.

One thing of note, both times I first attempted to install Boot Camp on a new OS X install, it restarted, paused on the gray screen then booted back to OS X

Every subsequent attempt booted to the Windows installer but then resulted in the error.

This is on a late 2013 - 15" Macbook Pro Retina - 2.3GHz - 512GB SSD - ME294LL/A

I'm going to borrow a friends Apple USB SuperDrive to see if that makes a difference but I'm not hopeful.

I've been waiting long enough for Apple to officially support Windows 8.1 via Boot Camp and am disappointed I now have to wait for Apple to fix this issue.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5491283?answerId=24990123022#24990123022

Steps I did this morning:

Deleted Boot Camp partition in Boot Camp assistant

Verified in Disk Utility that there is only 1 partition

Renamed my Windows 8.1 image from IRM_CCSA_X64FRE_EN-GB_DV5.cdr to IRM_CCSA_X64FRE_EN-GB_DV5.iso

Ran Boot Camp assistant with all options checked, re-created the installer USB

Before proceeding with partition of Macintosh HD, opened Disk Utility and Repaired Disk permissions twice

Continued with installing via Boot Camp

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

I exhausting all options I tried turbostars solution with a grain of salt thinking I'd already covered it with my previous steps

Solution (steps I did in addition and probably unnecessary)

Delete Boot Camp partition in Boot Camp Assistant

Verifid 1 partition using Disk Utility (Macintosh HD)

Restart and PRAM

Boot straight to OS X Recovery

Open Disk Utility

Repair Disk permissions twice (didn't appear to do any further permissions repairs since my previous failed install)

Repaired Disk - Macintosh HD

Repaired DIsk - SSD

Restarted to OSX

Ran Boot Camp assistant, not bothering to re-create the install USB

Auto restarted to Windows 8.1 installer

Completed install without error

I now have a working Windows 8.1 install with EFI on my 15" Haswell retina Macbook Pro

Jarvil do you know if it is posible to keep the partition/installation created using your original workaround? I don't particulary feel like re-installing all the software in Windows. Or is a clean installation the only way?

This solution worked for me also. Late 2013 15" MBP w/dual graphics. thanks ianday

javil - i'm the one that gave that solution to ianday and can confirm that if you follow all the steps exactly, it works without fail. we hit various walls on MBAs, MBPs and MPs, someone at macrumors found the PRAM reset alone worked half the time, and we found that repairing permissions plus the PRAM reset got us to working 100% of the time

After the first bootcamp assistant installation failed at "Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed." . I googled around and tried this doesn't-sound-promising PRAM reset and repair permission way. Amazingly it really works and give me a smooth installation of win 8.1 over bootcamp. Thanks a million on sharing this!

MacBook Pro retina 15" late 2013

OSX 10.9.2

Windows 8.1 pro

you're welcome

ftxpress wrote:

I googled around and tried this doesn't-sound-promising PRAM reset and repair permission way. Amazingly it really works and give me a smooth installation of win 8.1 over bootcamp. Thanks a million on sharing this!

MacBook Pro retina 15" late 2013

OSX 10.9.2

Windows 8.1 pro