Bootcamp goes to black screen when trying to install Windows 8.1

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Bootcamp goes to black screen when trying to install Windows 8.1

I had Window 8.1 set up previously and upgraded to Windows 10. Windows 10 could not open my LaCie SSD connected by Thunderbolt. Since all my games were on that drive, I needed to go back to 8.1. There was no way to do that without wiping out the bootcamp partition and starting all over with my Windows 8.1 disk. So I did that. However, after I went through the process of setting up a new partition, downloading the bootcamp helper programs, the Mac restarts and goes to a black screen.

This happens when I turn my Windows disk into an ISO. And it happens when I repartitioned and started from the DVD by holding the option key. I've made now 3 or 4 attempts.

If I try to load from the EFI boot drive that shows up when I hold down the option key, I get the first few screens of the Windows setup, but the program is unable to re-format my BOOTCAMP partition.

iMac MBP, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Jul 31, 2015 3:14 PM

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Answer 1

icapricorn Author

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Jul 31, 2015 3:21 PM in response to icapricorn

I have a late 2012 iMac i7 3.4GHZ Intel Core. Fusion hard drive. Memory 32 GM and I'm running Yosemitie 10.10.4

I have read through this forum and see that running certain commands in the terminal might help the support team diagnose the problem.

But when I try to post my result I get an invalid characters error

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

I have no clue what to change.

Here is the first command

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *121.3 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 121.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Boot OS X 134.2 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk1

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 797.3 GB disk1s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.1 MB disk1s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP 202.0 GB disk1s4

/dev/disk2

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD *909.8 GB disk2

Logical Volume on disk0s2, disk1s2

0AE66921-7A61-4A7E-979A-760E09CA45A0

Unencrypted Fusion Drive

/dev/disk3

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *4.0 GB disk3

1: Apple_HFS PEEWEE 4.0 GB disk3s1

/dev/disk4

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *2.0 TB disk4

1: Apple_HFS Delphi 2.0 TB disk4s1

/dev/disk5

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *15.6 GB disk5

1: DOS_FAT_32 BOOTHELP 15.6 GB disk5s1

/dev/disk6

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *4.0 TB disk6

1: Apple_HFS Miami 4.0 TB disk6s1

/dev/disk7

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *4.0 TB disk7

1: EFI EFI 314.6 MB disk7s1

2: Apple_HFS Elysian Fields 4.0 TB disk7s2

/dev/disk8

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: IRM_CCSA_X64FRE_EN-... *3.9 GB disk8

/dev/disk9

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: IRM_CCSA_X64FRE_EN-... *3.9 GB disk9

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Answer 2

Jul 31, 2015 3:21 PM in response to icapricorn

https://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?facet=content&type=discussion&q=bootca mp%20black%20screen&sort=relevanceDesc&s…

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Answer 3

Loner T

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59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 3:25 PM in response to icapricorn

Disconnect all external storage and try BCA.

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Answer 4

icapricorn Author

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Jul 31, 2015 3:25 PM in response to Loner T

I have a late 2012 iMac i7 3.4GHZ Intel Core. Fusion hard drive. Memory 32 GM and I'm running Yosemitie 10.10.4

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Answer 5

Loner T

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Jul 31, 2015 3:26 PM in response to icapricorn

Can you disconnect all external storage and try to install Windows using BCA?

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Answer 6

icapricorn Author

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Jul 31, 2015 3:29 PM in response to Loner T

What is BCA. I certainly can disconnect all the external drives.

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Answer 7

Loner T

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Jul 31, 2015 3:29 PM in response to icapricorn

BCA = Bootcamp Assistant.

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Answer 8

icapricorn Author

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Jul 31, 2015 3:35 PM in response to Loner T

I'll give it a try.

Just to be clear.
All external drives disconnected, including the bootcamp helper thumbdrive.

Then delete the paritition I created previously

Create a new partition

Load from Windows 8.1 DVD

Is that correct?

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Answer 9

Loner T

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Jul 31, 2015 3:44 PM in response to icapricorn

Leave the BCA-created Usb connected. You do not need to delete the current partition. Use BCA Install option.

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Answer 10

icapricorn Author

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Jul 31, 2015 3:53 PM in response to Loner T

The install option? The 3rd option tells me to Remove Windows. The first option tells me to create an install ISO. (I'd prefer to use the Windows DVD, btw)

I can't see how I can install through BCA without first deleting the partition.

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Answer 11

Loner T

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Jul 31, 2015 4:42 PM in response to icapricorn

You can directly boot from the DVD using the Alt/Option key and select the DVD. Choose the existing BC partition when prompted, format and install Windows.

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Answer 12

icapricorn Author

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Jul 31, 2015 4:58 PM in response to Loner T

Thank you. I've done that while I was waiting. I got a black screen and the message BOOTMGR not found.

However, I find BOOTMGR is on the root directory of the DVD. I'm now going through the whole ISO + help files on my 16gb USB 2 thumb, which takes forever. And then will do a new partition.

Bootcamp worked without breaking a sweat when I first loaded Windows 8.1 when it first came out. Perhaps the Mac OS was Mavericks.

It seems every time Apple updates, something falls away.

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Answer 13

icapricorn Author

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Jul 31, 2015 7:00 PM in response to icapricorn

Thank you, Loner T!

This finally worked! Here's what I did.

I disconnected all external drives

I created a new ISO install + help files install USB drive, using Bootcamp Assistant (aka BCA) (I suppose my first attempt at this was a bad copy)
I created a new Windows partition, using, of course, BCA.

And this time it worked.

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Answer 14

Loner T

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59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 7:09 PM in response to icapricorn

Glad to see it finally working. 🙂

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