Q: Installing Windows through Bootcamp without USB on El Capitan

Question

iMacApplpro7

Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Installing Windows through Bootcamp without USB on El Capitan

Hi,

I have heard that I can install Windows through Bootcamp on OS X El Capitan without a USB drive if I have the right Mac model. I have a MacBook Pro 13-inch Late 2013 Retina Display and various different websites state that my particular model of Mac would support doing this. However, when I load Bootcamp Assistant (ver. 6.0.0) I get the original screen that tells me to create a bootable USB flash drive. I have tried unchecking the boxes that say create a bootable installation media and just left the option to install Windows checked, but when I do this a popup says that no media could be found and that I had to create a USB bootable disk.

Could I just confirm; is my Mac (MacBook Pro 13-inch Late 2013 Retina Display) able to install Windows through Bootcamp without the need for a separate USB drive?

Many thanks.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11), Late 2013, 13-inch, MacBookPro11,1

Posted on Oct 16, 2015 10:39 AM

I have this question too

Solved

Loner T

Level 7 (24,800 points)

Safari

A:

You need a USB Installer on the Late 2013 models. 2015 models use EFI installation and use OSX Reserved instead.

Posted on Oct 16, 2015 10:50 AM

Q: Installing Windows through Bootcamp without USB on El Capitan

All replies

Helpful answers

by iMacApplpro7,

iMacApplpro7 Oct 16, 2015 2:25 PM in response to Loner T
Level 1 (0 points)

Oct 16, 2015 2:25 PM in response to Loner T

Hi Loner T,

Thanks for your quick reply! I did not know that the Late 2013 MacBook couldn't use the OSXRESERVED method in Bootcamp whereas the 2015 could.

Many thanks again.
Reply options

Link to this post

by Loner T,

Loner T Oct 16, 2015 2:29 PM in response to iMacApplpro7
Level 7 (24,800 points)

Safari

Oct 16, 2015 2:29 PM in response to iMacApplpro7

OSX Reserved == USB2 flash drive in earlier models. The 2013 model supports both legacy BIOS and EFI installations. Because BIOS/MBR is supported (for example Windows 7), an extra GPT entry causes problems for the MBR. To avoid this extra partition, the USB acts as OSX Reserved. In 2015 models, only EFI is supported (which is one of the many the reasons for dropping support for W7), so an extra GPT entry has very little impact, because there is no MBR, and the disk is GPT-only.
Reply options

Link to this post

by iMacApplpro7,

iMacApplpro7 Oct 17, 2015 4:03 AM in response to Loner T
Level 1 (0 points)

Oct 17, 2015 4:03 AM in response to Loner T

So does that mean I wouldn't be able to install Windows 7 on a 2015 model MacBook?
Reply options

Link to this post

by Loner T,

Loner T Oct 17, 2015 6:50 AM in response to iMacApplpro7
Level 7 (24,800 points)

Safari

Oct 17, 2015 6:50 AM in response to iMacApplpro7

iMacApplpro7 wrote:

So does that mean I wouldn't be able to install Windows 7 on a 2015 model MacBook?

Please verify using Install Windows 7 and earlier on your Mac using Boot Camp - Apple Support . There are non-Bootcamp Virtualization solutions, if you do need Windows 7.
Reply options

Link to this post

Accepted Answer · Oct 16, 2015 10:50 AM

Loner T

Level 7 (24,800 points)

Safari

Oct 16, 2015 10:50 AM in response to iMacApplpro7

You need a USB Installer on the Late 2013 models. 2015 models use EFI installation and use OSX Reserved instead.

Q: Installing Windows through Bootcamp without USB on El Capitan

All replies Helpful answers

by Loner T,Solvedanswer

by iMacApplpro7,

by Loner T,

by iMacApplpro7,

by Loner T,

All replies

Helpful answers