How to install Windows 8.1 on Haswell MBP

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jarvil Author

Level 1

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How to install Windows 8.1 on Haswell MBP

How do you get Windows 8.1 to do a clean install on a Haswell based rMBP?

OS X Mavericks (10.9), 2.6Ghz 16GB 1TB

Posted on Oct 27, 2013 3:55 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 1, 2017 6:10 PM in response to jarvil

I tried a method that was almost exactly like this. We restarted into macOS and used Disk Utility to erase the partition that Boot Camp Assistant made, added a new one. Named it Boot Camp, selected the format as exFAT. Then we booted into the windows USB. Tried to format the Boot Camp partition and got the same GTP partition style error. The partition is 56GB which is one more GB than required. 2014 MacBook Pro. Fully updated macOS Sierra on it.

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Answer 2

Geo-Bar

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Oct 27, 2013 4:00 AM in response to jarvil

Use the boot camp assistant, this will guide you through what you have to do.

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Answer 3

jarvil Author

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15 points

Oct 27, 2013 4:21 AM in response to jarvil

Create USB stick using Apple Bootcamp Assistant. This procedure only works with it.
When it Bootamp assitant reboots your machine you need to interrupt the installation.
When you hear the startup sound, hold option until it presents you with login options.
Select your Macintosh HD to boot back into OSX.
Run Disk Utility, select the Macintosh then choose the partitions tab.
The BOOTCAMP partition should be at the bottom. Select this partition by clicking on it. Ensure it is the highlighted partition then press minus to remove it.
Click apply on the bottom right to make the changes.
Now press plus to add a new partition which will likely be names Macintosh HD2
Select this new partition then you can define the settings on the right.
Rename this to BOOTCAMP.
Change the type to ExFAT.
Now click apply on the again to make the changes.
Reboot you Mac, press option again during the boot and this time select the Windows device with the USB logo on it. Its orange.
Now it will start the install process. When it gets to the list of partition you should see four of them. You want the last one. It will say it cannot install on this.
Make sure the fourth partition is selected then click format. When it is done the error message should be gone and you should be able to continue.
During install it will suggest turning on auto updates. I recommend you turn this off until the bootcamp drivers are installed. When it is finished prepping the install it will reboot.
Each time it reboots you will need to intervene by pressing option but from now on select the Windows device with the picture of the hard drive. It is a silver color
It will reboot two or three times during the install. Each time you will need press option during boot to reselect the Windows device on the hard drive.
At the end of the installation it will prompt you to install the Apple Bootcamp Drivers.

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Answer 4

jarvil Author

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Oct 27, 2013 4:17 AM in response to Geo-Bar

Geo-Bar wrote:

Use the boot camp assistant, this will guide you through what you have to do.

The Bootcamp assistant fails to install Windows 8.x on rMBP Haswell's.

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Answer 5

jarvil Author

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15 points

Oct 27, 2013 5:04 AM in response to jarvil

Solution is comes from a question by jdhiro in https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5474320?answerId=23545784022#23545784022 and the solution provided by maskedferret in the same thread. This is a more detailed breakdown of that solution in a hopefully easier to follow step by step manner.

Tested on Mac Book Professional Retina late 2013 (Haswell chipset) running Maverick (10.9). Operating System Installed was Windows 8.1 Professional 64bit OEM. Retail will work as well.

This solution is a workaround based on Apple's bootcamp drivers version 5.0.5411.

Caveats: Windows seems to only recognise the existance of the GeForce 750M. This means it is only using dedicated graphics. The effect is a short battery life.

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Answer 6

Ed78704

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Oct 27, 2013 8:56 AM in response to jarvil

I followed these instructions and it worked without issue with my new MacBook Pro Retina purchased two weeks ago.

I copied the 8.1 ISO file to my desktop and then created the install USB from there.

Thanks!

Ed

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Answer 7

Oct 28, 2013 7:44 AM in response to jarvil

I believe this isn't the best solution because you're installing via BIOS, not EFI, which means your Windows installation will only see your GeForce 750M (if you're on the MBP model that has it) and not be able to intelligently switch between that and the Iris Pro for energy savings.

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Answer 8

RogerPPR

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Oct 29, 2013 6:20 AM in response to jarvil

Hi Jarvil

I am not a computer savy person and I have this frustrating condition with my brand new rMBP that I could not install windows in a way that my devices work.

I read your detailled explanation and followed it and...It works! With Windows 8.1 in a brand new rMBP purchased yesterday. Points to ponder: follow the procedure exactly as described by Jarvil and be aware during the restarts to be there to press the option buttom. Also the deselection of the auto updates and wait a long time for the windows final setup. Right now I have boothcamp and all the drivers active! Thanks! Windows in Retina display looks gorgeous!

Roger

Message was edited by: RogerPPR

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Answer 9

jarvil Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 29, 2013 7:47 PM in response to Brian Kendig

Brian Kendig wrote:

I believe this isn't the best solution because you're installing via BIOS, not EFI, which means your Windows installation will only see your GeForce 750M (if you're on the MBP model that has it) and not be able to intelligently switch between that and the Iris Pro for energy savings.

Your perfectly correct but when you cant get an EFI installation working at all then this is your next best option. I will likely reinstall my system when Apple release bootcamp drivers that support windows 8.1. There are a whole host of things that would be better with properly supported drivers but for now this works.

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Answer 10

Oct 30, 2013 8:43 AM in response to jarvil

I was able to install Windows 7 no problem using a USB device then use the same USB device to upgrade it to 8.0 then go to 8.1 through the store.

Even so, it seems to only recognize the GeForce 750M. There are no other graphics drivers within device manager. I think for now that it may not properly support switching through boot camp or any other means so it may be best to get Windows working in whatever way you can until that's fixed.

Good Luck everyone!

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Answer 11

Apric

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Oct 31, 2013 7:29 PM in response to jarvil

Does this method ensure that Windows does an EFI install, and what is the rough boot time?

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Answer 12

Astolph

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Oct 31, 2013 8:16 PM in response to jarvil

So I tried this and got the same result I did by just letting Bootcamp do it's thing.

Windows 8 setup works perfectly fine: keyboard and mouse work without any issues, and I have no problems getting the thing installed.

However, when the installation is complete and I load into Windows to Personalize my PC... that's when the keyboard and mouse decide not to work.

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Answer 13

jarvil Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 31, 2013 9:16 PM in response to Apric

Apric wrote:

Does this method ensure that Windows does an EFI install, and what is the rough boot time?

It it not an EFI install method. This is for those people who cannot get EFI install working.

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Answer 14

Nov 1, 2013 10:23 AM in response to jarvil

jarvil,

If I install Windows 7 instead of 8 would you expect me to require the same MBR workaround?

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Answer 15

ch33rful

Level 1

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Nov 1, 2013 11:29 AM in response to jarvil

The simplest answer to this problem is to manually install Windows using Microsoft tools. I have a brand-new MBPr, 15", 512gb flash, 16gb, with the nVidia discrete graphics, running Mac OS X 10.9 (build

13A3017). Here's what I did (you'll need two USB flash drives for this procedure):

1) Obtain the Windows 8.1 ISO from MSDN or other source;

2) Obtain the free Microsoft Windows 7 USB tool: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

NOTE: Although it indicates Windows 7, it works with any version of Win7 or Win8, including Win8.1. Follow the instructions to create your Windows 8.1 bootable USB drive.

3) In Mac OS X, run the boot camp assistant to create the USB flash installation drive per normal, including partitioning the disk for Boot Camp, etc. Just go through the motions as if you're going to install via Boot Camp, including downloading the Windows Support files.

4) When done with that, the Mac will reboot in order to start the Boot Camp installation... you will need to swap out the USB drives at this point, removing the Boot Camp USB and inserting the "Win7 USB"-created boot drive. Don't worry if you miss the boot cycle, you can just reboot holding the option key and be sure to select the Windows boot device (orange).

5) Now the Windows installation will begin using Microsoft Windows instead of Boot Camp method, and complete normally using the partition you created in Step 3. Several reboots later (be sure to hold option every time it reboots so you can select the new Windows boot device (not the orange one anymore) you will have Windows installed.

6) Go through the motions creating your Windows account, etc, and when you get to the desktop, insert the Boot Camp USB and navigate to the BootCamp folder. Here are the setup files with drivers, etc. Just click "setup.exe" to run your BootCamp support installation.

7) Done.

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