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User profile for user: Fawcet
Fawcet Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Disk Utility unable to partition as FAT32

Hello,


I am trying to set up bootcamp on my Late 2013 13" MBP running Yosemite 10.10.1 (14B25). I went and purchased a 16GB flash drive and directly followed the instructions laid out here. I have a family copy (3 activation codes) of Windows 7 Home Premium. I used the 64bit. After formatting my USB to FAT32, and mounting the W7 ISO, I followed and completed all instructions listed above


Upon rebooting into windows, I selected my partition labeled "BOOTCAMP" and tried to continue. I was prompted with "Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup log files for more information." from the Windows installer. After coming across this thread, I removed anything plugged in (outside of the USB w/ W7 ISO) and tried again. No luck. Lastly, I tried moving the USB from the left to the right, no luck. I then tried to reformat the USB ISO as prompted by the Installer, and that didn't work. (I assume this would have wiped the drive - probably a dumb idea)

I restarted and booted into OSX. I assumed that my best bet would be to restart everything and try again. I removed the partition from my Microsoft HD, and went to erase my USB drive. Upon trying to reformat it as I had before, I realized there is no option for FAT32 in Disk Utility. I have attached an image of this. I am not sure what happened here. I have reformatted the drive by Erasing and Partitioning it multiple different times. Still not option for FAT32. I have been sure to have selected Master Boot Record.

I assume I now can't try again until I am able to reformat the USB into FAT32 so I can again mount my ISO and go from there.

Any guidance? What are my options here?

User uploaded file

Base 13" MacBook Pro (Mid 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.6), Time Machine on external 1TB Western Digital 2.0 USB

Posted on Dec 17, 2014 1:04 AM

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18 replies
User profile for user: Fawcet
Fawcet Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Dec 17, 2014 3:15 AM in response to Fawcet

I Did as iW00 suggested and that worked fine for me. However my troubles haven't ended there. Once booted into Windows I began the install process being very careful to follow the directions carefully. I eventually ended up back on the page "Where do you want to install Windows?". I clicked on the "Drive Options (advanced)" and then clicked on the now visible "format" option. After formatting the partition was renamed "disk 0 partition 4". When I click Next an erroR message shows reading "Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup log files for more information."

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User profile for user: Leopardus
Leopardus
User level: Level 4
1,303 points

Dec 17, 2014 4:35 AM in response to Fawcet

Confirm that you did this?


  1. When prompted to select an ISO image, click Choose, then select the ISO image you created.
  2. Click Open.
  3. When prompted to save Windows drivers by the assistant, select the flash drive you connected as your destination disk.
  4. Click Continue.
  5. A warning message appears letting you know that the next step erases and reformats the flash drive. Click Continue to erase the flash drive.
  6. A task status dialog appears with a progress bar. Do not disturb your computer during this process. Boot Camp Assistant creates Windows install media on the USB flash drive, and downloads and copies related Windows drivers to the same drive.
  7. Next, a prompt appears asking for a password to install the Boot Camp Assistant helper tool. Type in your administrator password and click Add Helper.
  8. Follow the onscreen instructions to partition your drive and to install Windows.
    - If you're asked where you want to install Windows 7 or Windows 8, select the BOOTCAMP partition, click Advanced, then click Format.
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User profile for user: Fawcet
Fawcet Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Dec 17, 2014 4:44 AM in response to Leopardus

Yes, I did all of that as listed. My only idea after hours of trying to figure this out... I saw one thread where someone made a mention of needing to use a USB 2.0 instead of 3.0. (Of course someone after that said that this wasn't true) This is my only idea at this point. I will look for a USB 2.0 tomorrow I guess if no other ideas are found / suggested.


This is the USB which I purchased... so it's possible this is the problem I suppose (I feel like i'm really reaching here)User uploaded file

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User profile for user: iW00
iW00
User level: Level 6
8,488 points

Dec 17, 2014 3:00 PM in response to Fawcet

Fawcet wrote:


I Did as iW00 suggested and that worked fine for me. However my troubles haven't ended there. Once booted into Windows I began the install process being very careful to follow the directions carefully. I eventually ended up back on the page "Where do you want to install Windows?". I clicked on the "Drive Options (advanced)" and then clicked on the now visible "format" option. After formatting the partition was renamed "disk 0 partition 4". When I click Next an erroR message shows reading "Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup log files for more information."

You will have to start the Boot Camp process again but first...


Before you do bellow steps, please make sure that you have a valid backup of your data: Mac Basics: Time Machine backs up your Mac - Apple Support


If your internal HDD/SSD is still partitioned fo Boot Camp, run Boot Camp Assistant application again and when prompted to remove Boot Camp partition, do that so.


Next,turn off/shutdown your mac and boot to single user mode: Mac OS X: How to start up in single-user or verbose mode - Apple Support


When in single user mode, run bellow commands 1-by-1 (as per Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck - Apple Support):

  1. Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line.
    Note: If your computer is unresponsive, force it to power off by holding down the power button for several seconds. Then press the power button again to start up the computer.
  2. At the command-line prompt type:
    /sbin/fsck -fy

    Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found:
    ** The volume (name_of_volume) appears to be OK

    If fsck finds issues and alters, repairs, or fixes anything, it displays this message:
    ***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****

    If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
  3. When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type 
    reboot
    at the prompt and then press Return.

Your computer should now start up normally and allow you to log in.

After reboot, use Boot Camp Assistant application again and follow instructions step by step as per PDF document: http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1583/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_ 10.7.pdf

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User profile for user: iW00
iW00
User level: Level 6
8,488 points

Dec 17, 2014 3:44 PM in response to Fawcet

Fawcet wrote:


Yes, I did all of that as listed. My only idea after hours of trying to figure this out... I saw one thread where someone made a mention of needing to use a USB 2.0 instead of 3.0. (Of course someone after that said that this wasn't true) This is my only idea at this point. I will look for a USB 2.0 tomorrow I guess if no other ideas are found / suggested.


This is the USB which I purchased... so it's possible this is the problem I suppose (I feel like i'm really reaching here)

Your USB flash drive has nothing to do with error message which you are getting:

When I click Next an erroR message shows reading "Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup log files for more information."
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User profile for user: Fawcet
Fawcet Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Dec 17, 2014 4:48 PM in response to iW00

Okay, well I went to remove the Windows partition from bootcamp. This was the result.User uploaded file


I instead opened Disk Utility, and removed the Windows partition from there. I now shut off the computer, and rebooted holding Command and S (in an attempt to boot into single user mode). This didn't seem to work and I tried a combination of; command and then S, hold command and click S... every combination. No response from any of these methods. After I released the keys, it boots into a screen looking like this after 30 seconds: Note no keys at all were responsive on this screen and I had to hold the power down to reboot.


User uploaded file

When turning back on (and letting it turn on without holding any keys) the computer boots to this same screen as pictured above. After 30 seconds of being completely black, I am forced to turn it off by holding the power button and then when turning back on I have to hold option and then select the Macintosh HD in order for anything to happen outside of the black screen.

.User uploaded file

This is getting super frustrating. I have no idea how these things are continually happening. I did this on a different computer about 3 years ago without a problem and now I feel like I am a step short of bricking this thing, and I haven't strayed from any of the instructions at all.

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User profile for user: Leopardus
Leopardus
User level: Level 4
1,303 points

Dec 18, 2014 1:05 AM in response to Fawcet

Confirm that this is what you have been doing?



Selecting an Operating System During Startup

You can select which operating system to use during startup by holding down the Option key. This displays icons for all available startup disks, and lets you override the default setting for the startup disk in Startup Disk preferences (Mac OS X) or the Boot Camp control panel (Windows) without changing that setting.

To select an operating system during startup:

  1. 1 Restart your computer and hold down the Option key until disk icons appear onscreen.
  2. 2 Select the startup disk with the operating system you want to use, and then click the arrow beneath the icon.



11



12



Removing Windows from Your Computer

How you remove Windows from your computer depends on whether you installed Windows on a second disk partition or on a single-volume disk.

If you installed Windows on a second disk partition: Using Boot Camp Assistant as described below, remove Windows by deleting the Windows partition and restoring the disk to a single-partition Mac OS X volume.

If your computer has multiple disks and you installed Windows on a disk that has only one partition: Start up in Mac OS X and use Disk Utility, in the Utilities folder, to reformat it as a Mac OS X volume.

To delete Windows and the Windows partition:

  1. 1 Start up in Mac OS X.
  2. 2 Quit all open applications and log out any other users on your computer.
  3. 3 Open Boot Camp Assistant.
  4. 4 Select “Remove Windows 7,” and then click Continue.
  5. 5 Do one of the following:

    • Â If your computer has a single internal disk, click Restore.

    • Â If your computer has multiple internal disks, select the disk with Windows on it,

      and then select “Restore to a single Mac OS partition” and click Continue.

      If yes, we now have to get you to get the MBP to boot and that is relatively easy, provided that you have followed all the right steps.


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User profile for user: Leopardus
Leopardus
User level: Level 4
1,303 points

Dec 18, 2014 1:13 AM in response to Leopardus

You can try booting into Recovery Mode, by holding Option-Command-R keys depressed during startup until you see the apple logo. It will boot to the recovery for the system that you've got on the machine. Thus Yosemite. This will lead to the Menu where you can choose to reinstall the latest version of the OS. Disk Utility will still work to repair and manage your drive and the very same hold true for Time Machine Backup restoration.

Try booting to Internet Recovery, by holding the Option-Command-R keys at startup. This is similar to Recovery Mode, except that it will load a recovery for the OS release that came with your Mac, instead of the current one you are running. For instance, if your Mac came with OS X Mavericks but you upgraded to Yosemite, then while the normal recovery mode (invoked by holding Command-R at startup) will reinstall OS X Yosemite, if you boot with Option-Command-R held to get to Internet Recovery, this will load tools for reinstalling Mavericks. Despite this, Disk Utility will still work to repair and manage your drive, and the same goes for Time Machine backup restorations.

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Disk Utility unable to partition as FAT32

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