bootcampNightmare

Q: bootcamp windows 8.1 pro installation failed: "windows could not update the computer's Boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed".

stuck at this step, attempted 7 times no avail. Applecare gave me a link to ms knowledge base: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931697 which is irrelevent and cant be applied.

 

microsoft has left me with no solution either. I have a legit copy of win pro 8.1 and a brand new macbook pro 15" top of the range machine.

 

I am considering running a parallels version, last resort... Not happy about this option as I wanted every ounce of 16GB RAM and core i7 available to either machines - only possible via bootcamp...

 

I hope someone can guide me with a solution as the giants( apple and microsoft) have decided to toss me about.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1), Bootcamp Version 5.1.2 (497)

Posted on Dec 31, 2014 1:55 AM

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Q: bootcamp windows 8.1 pro installation failed: "windows could not update the computer's Boot configuration. Installation cannot pro ... more

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  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Dec 31, 2014 4:51 AM in response to bootcampNightmare
    Level 10 (187,981 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 31, 2014 4:51 AM in response to bootcampNightmare

    Try also posting here:

    Boot Camp

  • by The hatter,

    The hatter The hatter Dec 31, 2014 6:22 AM in response to bootcampNightmare
    Level 9 (60,935 points)
    Dec 31, 2014 6:22 AM in response to bootcampNightmare

    You'll need to help everyone by providing more details.

     

    You had a pre-existing Windows partition and system; you upgraded to Yosemite; you are attempting to use Windows 8.1? 7?

     

    Even the folk in Boot Camp forum need more, and will ask if you printed or at least followed the instructions on how to install Windows using Boot Camp Assistant. The support page and FAQ are here:

     

    http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Dec 31, 2014 8:36 PM in response to bootcampNightmare
    Level 7 (23,613 points)
    Safari
    Dec 31, 2014 8:36 PM in response to bootcampNightmare

    It seems that you have a combination of BCD update and an EFI boot issue.

     

    Can you post the output of following two Terminal commands? Enter your password when prompted.

     

    sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

    sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

  • by Nineandnine,Helpful

    Nineandnine Nineandnine Jan 20, 2015 12:02 PM in response to bootcampNightmare
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 20, 2015 12:02 PM in response to bootcampNightmare

    I was totally frustrated with the same problem.  After trying lots of solutions that failed over and over, I found that resetting the PRAM and trying again worked beautifully for my mid-2014 macbook pro running yosemite:

     

    Here are the steps as listed on :  http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/112435/how-to-install-windows-8-1-on-ha swell-mac

     

    __________

    1. Create a USB install like normal using Boot Camp Assistant (include the Apple support software)
    2. Partition your drive for OSX and the new BOOTCAMP partition
    3. Let it automatically reboot, follow the normal procedures to format the new BOOTCAMP partition, and get to the "finishing" step during the Windows installation. You will get the error
    4. At this point, when you press OK it will automatically restart after 10+ seconds. When that happens, quickly hold ALT+COMMAND+P+R. You will see your screen flicker and you will hear the bootup sound twice, which means you reset the PRAM successfully
    5. Your OSX install should now boot instead of the failed Windows install
    6. Open Boot Camp Assistant again. Remove the Window partition that was created and restore OSX back to the partition size it had at the beginning of these steps
    7. Go through the Boot Camp Assistant once more to create the BOOTCAMP partition. You do NOT have to recreate the USB, so just uncheck and skip those steps
    8. Let it automatically reboot and follow the same Windows installation steps as before. You should not get the error the second time.

     

    _____

     

    If for step number 4, your computer doesn't automatically reboot after a bit, manually do it by hitting the power button and hold down ALT+COMMAND+P+R.

     

    Hope this helps you out.

  • by NendzaE,

    NendzaE NendzaE Jan 27, 2015 5:38 AM in response to Nineandnine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 5:38 AM in response to Nineandnine

    YOU ROCK!!!  OMG after 6 hours of trying lots of different things your solution fixed my problem.  This is my FIRST experience with a Mac and hopefully things will get better.  So funny that everyone says that Microsoft is so hard to install and use and that MAC is soooo easy!  Well, I am not sold on that fact (yet!)

     

    Anyway, thank you thank you thank you.  I really appreciate the time that you took to post that information

  • by jdoerck,

    jdoerck jdoerck Feb 4, 2015 8:58 PM in response to Nineandnine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 4, 2015 8:58 PM in response to Nineandnine

    Confirmed.

     

    2014 MacBook Pro

    2.5 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with 6MB L3 cache

    512 GB flash storage

     

    Thanks so much!

  • by matrixenzo,

    matrixenzo matrixenzo Feb 12, 2015 7:39 PM in response to Nineandnine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2015 7:39 PM in response to Nineandnine

    Unfortunately this did not work for me. I am running an OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G SSD in main bay. Before I even get to installing Windows I must access 'Diskpart' - **** + f10 to change the drive to GPT. From there refreshing the drive list will then allow me to install, but at the very end before first reboot I get the issue the op is having. Following your suggestion above just results in the same error.

     

    ~e

  • by Joseles,

    Joseles Joseles Mar 20, 2015 10:22 PM in response to bootcampNightmare
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 20, 2015 10:22 PM in response to bootcampNightmare

    Hi all,

     

    I ran into a similar issue trying to install windows 8.1 on the latest 13 MacBook pro (the forcetouch trackpad one) and i also got caught in a loop of errors between EFI being formatted incorrectly as ntfs instead of fat32 as well as an error that said I had an MBR table.

     

    I Succeeded eventually by following this tutorial which installs windows from the MacBook pro's native EFI and requires diskpart commands;

    http://thetecherra.com/2012/12/11/tutorial-install-windows-8-on-a-mac-via-native -efi/

     

    I Actually followed the steps starting from the steps where you install windows so I didnt even wipe my os x clean!(I was lucky or something).

     

    additionally, I left unallocated space for windows before beginning and I used gdisk to create/fix my disc's protective MBR before i followed the tutorial above from the instructions to install windows.. windows booted and installed on my macbook without a problem and I did not have the black screen problem so I didn't need to follow the remainder of his tutorial to fix the black screen. I found gdisk / creating the protective MBR tip from this forum;

    http://superuser.com/questions/508026/windows-detects-gpt-disk-as-mbr-in-efi-boo t/508454#508454


    i installed the boot camp drivers from the USB bootcamp had made when I tried and failed to use boot camp assistant.


    Everything works elegantly down to the Intel iris graphics on multiple screens and I do agree that windows looks great with a retina display. almost better than os x if windows wasnt as simple to navigate as OS X.

     

    cheers, I hope this saves someone a few headaches as I spent several evenings trying to get windows installed. a tip I would offer before attempting is to definitely backup your drive,(I lucked out) and to calculate your windows partition size accurately in MB  beforehand so that you use your entire disk and give diskpart the appropriate size so you don't end up with free space your  windows partition could have enjoyed.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Mar 21, 2015 4:36 AM in response to Joseles
    Level 7 (23,613 points)
    Safari
    Mar 21, 2015 4:36 AM in response to Joseles

    Did you fix your Audio issues as the Techerra article mentions?

  • by Joseles,

    Joseles Joseles Mar 21, 2015 5:36 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 21, 2015 5:36 AM in response to Loner T

    the audio worked as well. I didnt do any thing other than install the boot camp drivers when windows booted

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Mar 21, 2015 6:00 AM in response to Joseles
    Level 7 (23,613 points)
    Safari
    Mar 21, 2015 6:00 AM in response to Joseles

    All Macs after Late 2013 which are UEFI compliant, it is not an issue. Use DU to create a partition, and boot from Windows media and choose EFI Boot. Install BC drivers after the installation.

     

    The TechErra method does not work on older Macs or partially works.

  • by lisdavid89,

    lisdavid89 lisdavid89 Apr 14, 2015 5:11 PM in response to Nineandnine
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Apr 14, 2015 5:11 PM in response to Nineandnine

    Works like a charm, especially for those with newer Apple computers and a fresh Mac OS.

  • by smb304,

    smb304 smb304 Apr 23, 2015 1:47 PM in response to Nineandnine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 1:47 PM in response to Nineandnine

    I got an error to install drivers as windows was installing. Where do I find those drivers.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Apr 23, 2015 7:16 PM in response to smb304
    Level 7 (23,613 points)
    Safari
    Apr 23, 2015 7:16 PM in response to smb304

    smb304 wrote:

     

    I got an error to install drivers as windows was installing. Where do I find those drivers.

    System requirements to install Windows on your Mac via Boot Camp - Apple Support..

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