Installing Windows via bootcamp

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Installing Windows via bootcamp

I have tried 2 times to install Windows 8 to my Mac Pro 6.1 and both times it has failed I have watched and read a plethora of info on the subject and I'm very familiar with the process which I have done in the past on a Mac Pro 1.1 flawlessly on on to an external drive. Now it seems with this new Mac Pro 6.1 and can't install Windows 8 or install it to an external drive either. So I am at a loss. I have contacted applecare and have yet to find a solution it's going on over a year since I purchased my new Mac Pro 6.1 is this issue ever going to be fixed?

Mac Pro (Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), Installing Windows 8 via bootcamp

Posted on Apr 16, 2015 1:31 PM

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Answer 1

The hatter

Level 9

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Apr 16, 2015 1:33 PM in response to FredEFuego

Internal only. You can move it via Paragon CampTune or Hard Disk Manager or others to a Thunderbolt drive later.

Only 8.1 is supported. There are work arounds to getting earlier versions - or use to be back in early 2014 - to get Windows 7.

I assume you visited the Boot Camp forum and support.

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

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Answer 2

Apr 16, 2015 1:34 PM in response to FredEFuego

can you describe at what stage do you fail to install?

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Answer 3

FredEFuego Author

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Apr 16, 2015 1:41 PM in response to DheemanF04

It was in the partition and install on the windows side I gave it 40GB on the Mac side of the partition for the Windows OS then it said it wasn't enough on the Windows side in the initial install section and that the target drive wasn't big enough. Luckily I had everything on the Mac side backed up via Time Machine. I lost all access to the 40GB I allocated for the Windows OS install on the Mac side and had to reformat and reinstall OS X from a thumb drive and restore from my backup on both occasions. I didn't write down step by step what I did but I should have after my first trying since it failed. And yes I had the version of bootcamp I need for the system I have and all the appropriate drivers I needed for the windows side of things.

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Answer 4

Apr 16, 2015 1:52 PM in response to FredEFuego

did you increase the size allocated for windows the second time. use >50GB

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Answer 5

Apr 16, 2015 2:09 PM in response to DheemanF04

Use only Boot Camp Assistant or Mac-side tools The hatter recommends-- NOT any Windows-native tools -- to manipulate drive partitions or drive sizes. Windows does not acknowledge that it might be a guest and might have to be gentle with the Partition Map.

Otherwise Windows WILL clobber the Partition Map and wipe out your Mac OS X Installation.

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Answer 6

The hatter

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60,990 points

Apr 16, 2015 2:22 PM in response to FredEFuego

Clone OS X with http://www.bombing.com

Use CampTuneX or BCA only

If you have 64GB RAM you would need 50GB + 64GB or reduce RAM down to less. 89GB partition usually works.

Apple lists system requirements and version of Windows:-)

I would use Windows 10 Tech Preview or 8.1

Disconnect all drives except the target, the ISO image or Windows install media.

Print the manual from BCA or link on BootCamp support page

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Answer 7

Apr 16, 2015 3:37 PM in response to The hatter

I think The hatter's link got spell-corrected. Try this one instead:

https://www.bombich.com/

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Answer 8

Loner T

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Apr 16, 2015 6:32 PM in response to FredEFuego

1. Please ensure you are using a USB2 flash disk when BCA is started to build your installer. USB3 will not work, because Windows does not include USB3 drivers.

2. Your Cylinder Mac is capable of EFI-based Windows (it is Intel UEFI 2.0 compliant). Your really do not need BC Assistant, but you do need BC drivers for Apple-specific hardware. Partitioning can be directly done via DU for this to work, the format is Free Space.

3. If you are using Yosemite, it converts your disk to a CS volume. BCA in Yosemite has bugs when removing Windows, which can leave the disk space used by Windows dangling. BCA also fails in Yosemite while partitioning for the legacy BIOS installation (aka Hybrid MBR method).

4. On UEFI-compliant Macs, installing via CSM-BIOS makes the switching to and booting of Windows slower, because there is an additional layer between the firmware and the OS. On older Macs (prior to Late 2013), EFI is not supported.

5. W7 has quite a few bugs when working with EFI machines, but W8.1 does much better.

6. If you use W8+, do not enable sleep or use it. It causes device drivers to malfunction, because W8+ does not retain driver contexts properly. W7 is also similar.

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Answer 9

FredEFuego Author

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Apr 16, 2015 6:37 PM in response to Loner T

So like I thought the my new Mac Pro cylinder is pretty much trash that sounds like a huge amount problems and work arounds and fixes my only Mac Pro 1.1 never had this many issues.

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Answer 10

FredEFuego Author

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Apr 16, 2015 6:43 PM in response to The hatter

I used 40gb the 1st time and 60gb the second time and the exact some thing happened the same way on both occasions. I am just going to take it to the Apple store and have them show me how to do correctly and when it fails I will laugh in their faces make myself a custom Windows PC then problem solved. Thanks for the help anyways.

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Answer 11

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Apr 16, 2015 6:46 PM in response to FredEFuego

No, it is not trash (or dustbin, as it is derisively called). The advantage with older MPs is the greater flexibility for storage and PCIe stuff. You can install Windows without any issues, provided you strictly follow the installation procedure. My list was not intended to scare you or dissuade you from doing what you need to do, but just caveats based on experiences.

If you are unable to get the space back into your internal SSD, I can give you Terminal commands, to fix such issues.

MP 6.1 will allow external Windows installation, if you use a TB external disk, so the functionality does exit, not as friendly as the MP 1.1. Hatter's suggestions will also allow you to move Windows to external disks.

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Answer 12

FredEFuego Author

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Apr 16, 2015 7:00 PM in response to Loner T

I did all the research and did it step by step per Apples directions to install Window's 8.1 64bit Ultimate Edition via bootcamp using this info so yeah thats the official step by step instructions.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1721?locale=en_US

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468

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Answer 13

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Apr 16, 2015 7:55 PM in response to FredEFuego

Can you verify that the USB you used is a USB2.0 device?

Can you post the output of following Terminal commands?

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

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Answer 14

FredEFuego Author

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Apr 16, 2015 8:12 PM in response to Loner T

My dude I have an old USB thumb drive from before USB 3.0 was even mainstream maybe from it was even out. I have my Associates in Science for Computer Information Systems and it's not rocket science not to be rude my dude.

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Answer 15

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Apr 16, 2015 8:18 PM in response to FredEFuego

I am checking off boxes in the checklist of problem areas which people fall into. This is not a reflection of any person's skill and knowledge level. 😉

Please post the output of the following Terminal commands.

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

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