Mac Pro 2010 can't load Win7 install DVD with PCIe SSD on board

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Mac Pro 2010 can't load Win7 install DVD with PCIe SSD on board

I installed a Kingston HyperX Predator 240G PCIe SSD in Mac Pro (2010 mid, 2x2.4G Quad-Core Intel Xeon, OS X Yosemite 10.10.5). It is recognized as a external HDD. The speed test results are great, write > 600MB, read > 1200MB.

So I try to move the Mac/Win OS in the old INTEL SSD to the new PCIe SSD. But I failed again and again these two days trying to install Windows 7 by Boot Camp.

I reinstall the Mac OS X by original install DVD into the PCIe SSD and upgrade to the latest version of Snow Leopard 10.6.8. The PCIe SSD is recognized as internal HDD. So I run Boot Camp... reboot... and see a Prohibitory symbol (a circle with a slash symbol) flashing with an Apple logo. The Win7 install DVD cannot be loaded.

So Upgrade to Yosemite, the PCIe SSD change to external HDD again. Boot Camp don't allow to install Windows in an external HDD. So I choose to install in the old INTEL SSD. Boot Camp reboot... and black screen with a cross cursor on the top left. The Win7 install DVD cannot be loaded too.

I reboot with the old INTEL SSD and run Boot Camp, reboot... the Win7 install DVD cannot be loaded and Win7 in INTEL SSD starts up. So I delete the Win7 in INTEL SSD and run Boot Camp again, black screen with a cross cursor again 😟

I hold the Option/Alt to choose boot from DVD... black screen with "no bootable device" notice. Failed too.

Is the Win7 install DVD damage? I remove the PCIe SSD, and run Boot Camp again, reboot... the Win7 installation loaded.

It seams the EFI of Mac Pro 2010 conflict the PCIe SSD and Win7 install DVD booting? What can I do now? I really want to use that PCIe SSD to run Mac and Windows OS.

Please help! Thank you very much!

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Sep 18, 2015 2:08 AM

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Answer 1

GhonaZ

Level 3

572 points

Sep 18, 2015 2:39 AM in response to fsxiejy

PCIe considered external and bootcamp won't install

I have read about this problem before in the above mentioned thread. Perhaps Loner T can help you out.

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Answer 2

fsxiejy Author

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Sep 18, 2015 6:45 AM in response to GhonaZ

Thank you GhonaZ!

But the question is unsolved in that thread...

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 18, 2015 7:16 AM in response to fsxiejy

fsxiejy wrote:

Thank you GhonaZ!

But the question is unsolved in that thread...

Did you see this post on the referenced thread...

I do have another disk that I can install windows on. The OWC mercury EXTREME works just fine for installing windows when I insert it into the SATA bus ports.

On a MP, please remove all disks that will no participate in the Windows installation. You can see How to install Windows 7 on extra Internal Disk on how it was done on a MacPro.

Can you connect your PCIe drive and post the output of the following commands from OSX Terminal?

diskutil list

diskutil info diskN (N should point to your PCIe SSD from the output of the first command).

In Applications -> Utilities -> Console logs, search for Bootcamp and look for messages where BCA will check for SATA and PCI disks.

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Answer 4

fsxiejy Author

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Sep 18, 2015 6:53 PM in response to Loner T

diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *240.1 GB disk0

1: DOS_FAT_32 UNTITLED 240.1 GB disk0s1

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *120.0 GB disk1

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_HFS Mac Pro 119.2 GB disk1s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk1s4

/dev/disk2

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk2

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk2s1

2: Apple_HFS Mac Data 999.9 GB disk2s2

/dev/disk3

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GSP1RMCULXFRER_CN_DVD *3.4 GB disk3

diskutil info disk0

Device Identifier: disk0

Device Node: /dev/disk0

Part of Whole: disk0

Device / Media Name: Kingston SHPM2280P2H/240G Media

Volume Name: Not applicable (no file system)

Mounted: Not applicable (no file system)

File System: None

Content (IOContent): FDisk_partition_scheme

OS Can Be Installed: No

Media Type: Generic

Protocol: SATA

SMART Status: Verified

Total Size: 240.1 GB (240057409536 Bytes) (exactly 468862128 512-Byte-Units)

Volume Free Space: Not applicable (no file system)

Device Block Size: 512 Bytes

Read-Only Media: No

Read-Only Volume: Not applicable (no file system)

Ejectable: Yes

Whole: Yes

Internal: No

Solid State: Yes

OS 9 Drivers: No

Low Level Format: Not supported

I remove all HD except PCIe SSD and try to boot Win7 DVD, but failed again. Waiting for your kindly help! Thank you Loner T very much!

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 18, 2015 7:11 PM in response to fsxiejy

1. Please check Applications -> Utilities -> Console and look for any Bootcamp related messages.

2. As you can see, OS X sees it as a SATA drive. BCA should also see it.

Protocol: SATA

3. Has disk2 been connected when you have attempted Windows installation? If yes, please remove it from the MP and try again.

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Answer 6

fsxiejy Author

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Sep 18, 2015 7:20 PM in response to Loner T

There is no "Bay Name" of this SSD.

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Answer 7

fsxiejy Author

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Sep 18, 2015 7:33 PM in response to Loner T

Maybe there are the failure records again and again...

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Answer 8

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 18, 2015 8:18 PM in response to fsxiejy

Please remove the Western Digital 1TB disk before you attempt to install Windows. The only disks in the MP should be the 120GB Intel and the 240GB Kingston SSDs. All the other messages are expected and normal. There are no SATA or PCI related messages that I can see.

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Answer 9

fsxiejy Author

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Sep 19, 2015 12:13 AM in response to Loner T

There are two SSDs in MB, 120GB Intel in Bay 1 and 240GB Kingston in PCIe. Because 240GB is recognized as external, Boot Camp don't display it. The only way to start Boot Camp is set a new partition in 120GB for Windows, and load the Windows 7 DVD, and next... BP reboot... reading DVD and white blank screen... black screen with a cross cursor on the top left and DVD stop running.

If I take off the 240GB in PCIe, and do the procedure exactly again... reboot... Win 7 installation starts up...

😢😢😢

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Answer 10

fsxiejy Author

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Sep 19, 2015 12:35 AM in response to Loner T

I do have another disk that I can install windows on. The OWC mercury EXTREME works just fine for installing windows when I insert it into the SATA bus ports.

Does it mean that SSD can only install windows in SATA ports instead of PCIe ports?

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Answer 11

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 19, 2015 5:58 AM in response to fsxiejy

You will need to ask the Kingston Tech Support if they support PCIe booting. You can install on PCI or SATA. I have Windows 7 on a PCIe disk. Can the Kingston be connected to the SATA connector on the MP? When we checked disk information, it was SATA.

This a Kingston-specific issue, not a PCIe issue. OWC PCIe drives support Bootcamp.

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Answer 12

fsxiejy Author

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Sep 20, 2015 8:14 PM in response to Loner T

I think it is mostly a Kingston-specific issue. I return the Kingston and down to SATA SSD (Samsung SSD 850 PRO, speed test < 300MB). And install Windows in minutes.

Thank you very much again! Best wish for you!

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Answer 13

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 21, 2015 4:20 AM in response to fsxiejy

Thanks for posting back. The speed difference is significant and the loss is due to the Samsung SATA implementation.

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