Installing Windows 8.1 using Bootcamp

Question

Installing Windows 8.1 using Bootcamp

I am a Windows user with many years worth of experience & have just purchased a new 2015 MacBook Pro, model A1398. I m using the latest version of Yosemite with all updates as of 5th July 2015.

I am now attempting to install a copy of Windows 8.1 using Bootcamp. I am following several different Youtube videos as well as the available written instructions. I can create a copy of Windows 8.1 on a USB drive, along with various support files etc. I can partition the hard drive on my MacBook Pro but then it starts to install Windows, at least that's what I think it's doing. My screen goes blank, as though something is loading & then I get presented with 2 logins. One is my usual Mac OS X login & the 2nd one is 'Guest'; this is not mentioned anywhere! What should I do next?

I have tried any number of different options, none of which seem to make any difference. If I select my usual login, I login, OS X seems to restart & then I am back to the beginning; I do not get presented with any specific Windows options. If I select Guest, I then login as a 'Guest' with minimal privileges & when I go to select my usual network I cannot find it. Since I cannot find any documentation relating to this anywhere, I am somewhat stuck.

I am getting a little but frustrated to be honest, after being a Windows user for many years. At least when Windows does something, which it often does, I know how to fix it but when a Mac does something, I have no idea. I've been thinking about converting over to Mac's for many years & now that I have I just need to get Windows installed so that I can use it for some work software. If I can't get it sorted I'll have to buy a work PC as well, which I don't want to have to do.

Any help that you can provide would be very much appreciated.

Kind Regards

Phil

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Jul 5, 2015 7:14 PM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 6, 2015 4:09 AM in response to AppleBeginner2001

1. Ditch the YouTube videos. There is no need to complicate a simple process.

2. Start here

a. How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support

b. These are helpful. Boot Camp 5.1: Frequently asked questions - Apple Support and https://help.apple.com/bootcamp/mac/5.0/help/

3. Use a USB2 flash drive, not USB3. Disconnect all USB hubs, external storage, etc., during installation.

4. Post back on this discussion any issues you run into during installation.

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Answer 2

Jul 6, 2015 6:12 PM in response to Loner T

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014)

Ok, so i bought Window 7 DVD. I will create an ISO on my HP PC and transfer it to a USB 2 Flash. I would take the USB drive and download the ISO to the desktop of my Macbook Pro. Then i will have to reformat the USB 2 Flash into a FAT32 file system. After i do all of this then i select the Boot Camp program and follow the steps outline in the a. How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support

Right?

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 6, 2015 6:18 PM in response to Lifesurfer84

If you have an external Optical drive, you can do this directly on the Mac. You can also copy the ISO from the HP PC to Mac over the network (wired is ideal). BCA will prompt for you for a USB2 and the ISO location on the Mac and integrate them, and if you check the Install option, it will also start the installation.

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Answer 4

Jul 8, 2015 5:35 PM in response to Loner T

Hi Loner,

How do i do this? (You can also copy the ISO from the HP PC to Mac over the network (wired is ideal).

Make a back-up of my Mac via Timashare

Create ISO file of Windows 7 on my HP PC

Transfer the Windows 7 ISO via USB. (do i erase the USB after i have uploaded into the Mac?)

Initiate Boot Camp and allow it to download the drivers, etc unto the USB

Follow the Windows 7 set-up.

(when do i remove the USB off the MAC?)

Download the Boot camp drivers on Windows 7 so Apple graphics, sounds ,etc can function.

Finished?

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 8, 2015 5:53 PM in response to Lifesurfer84

Lifesurfer84 wrote:

How do i do this? (You can also copy the ISO from the HP PC to Mac over the network (wired is ideal).

Share your HP Windows drive over the network. Connect to it from the Mac, and copy this as a normal file.

Make a back-up of my Mac via Timashare

Create ISO file of Windows 7 on my HP PC

Transfer the Windows 7 ISO via USB. (do i erase the USB after i have uploaded into the Mac?)

Initiate Boot Camp and allow it to download the drivers, etc unto the USB

Follow the Windows 7 set-up.

(when do i remove the USB off the MAC?)

Download the Boot camp drivers on Windows 7 so Apple graphics, sounds ,etc can function.

Finished?

1. What is Timashare?

2. Yes.

3. Yes. (You can erase the USB once you have the ISO on your Mac).

4. Yes. Run Applications -> Utilities -> Boot Camp Assistant . (It will erase you USB, as necessary).

5. Yes. (The USB is required till Windows is fully installed and you have created your account).

6. By default step 4 will download the drivers to the USB and integrate the ISO together in a USB installer. These will get installed automatically as part of the the Windows installation. If it fails, you can use the USB to repair the drivers by running setup.exe in the Bootcamp folder on the USB.

7. Yes.

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Answer 6

Jul 8, 2015 5:58 PM in response to Loner T

Sorry, i meant Timeshare.

Thanks for your help. I will do this on Friday. I will let you know how it goes.

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Answer 7

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 8, 2015 6:01 PM in response to Lifesurfer84

Please post back when you get started and have any questions. Make sure you have a USB2 flash drive. Do not use a USB3 flash drive, it will not work.

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Answer 8

Jul 8, 2015 6:04 PM in response to Loner T

i purchased a PNY ATTACHE 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive - Black/White Chevron, Capless Design, OS: PC/MAC - P-FD32GCOMW-GE

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 8, 2015 6:41 PM in response to Lifesurfer84

If you run into issues with this, try a SanDisk, which is my current USB of choice.

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Answer 10

Jul 10, 2015 6:54 PM in response to Loner T

everything works. Do i need to keep that USB 2 as is or can i erase it and use it for other stuff?

Also, how am i able to switch back to the Imac OS?

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Answer 11

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 11, 2015 5:04 AM in response to Lifesurfer84

Make a copy (or a disk image using Disk Utility) of the USB and store it on your Mac, in case you need it in the future. Once you have a backup, you can erase and re-use the USB. This can be used to Repair windows in the future.

Please see Boot Camp: Set the default operating system on how to switch between OSX and Windows. You can also power cycle and hold Alt/Option to choose the startup OS.

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Answer 12

Jul 13, 2015 5:40 AM in response to Loner T

Ok. I have an issue with the sound card. It plays the sound of the Windows OS and Skype but it doesn't play the audio for the internet or Itunes, etc. I downloaded the drivers of bootcamp from the USB and installed them but it still doesn't work. What should i do?

Update - I figured it out. The laptop had defaulted to the incorrect sound card.

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