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Level 1

1 points

'no signed device drivers' can be found on windows bootcamp installation

I'm pretty good with problem solving this sort of thing, but this one's got me stumped. I just bought a new MBP, and I'm installing Bootcamp on it, and no matter what, I'm stopped at the point of installing drivers on the Bootcamp drive during Windows installation with the message "no device drivers were found. make sure the installation media contains the correct drivers." I've tried multiple flash drives, multiple Windows iso images (8.1 and 10), directly downloaded from Microsoft, and from Apple's linked pages. I've tried formatting the virtual Bootcamp drive to MSDOS, I've tried resetting PRAM, I've tried using alternative methods to creating the USB install disk, I've downloaded fresh drivers from an Apple support page, I've even tried again in a different USB port. I've done everything anyone on any forum has ever said about this, and I've still got nothing. I must have attempted this installation around 15 times now, and I've run out of options here. I'm running El Capitan on a Mid-2014 15" MBP, and it says Bootcamp 6.0 should be able to install this without a USB disk, but I'm not given that option. If there's ANYthing besides new a iso, new flash drive, new Bootcamp, new partition format, or new USB creation method, I would love to hear your suggestion, no I need to hear your suggestion because I needed to use this Windows program four days ago.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014), OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Nov 17, 2015 6:47 PM

37 replies

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 18, 2015 4:08 PM in response to Loner T

had no issues removing the Bootcamp partition (after your previous suggestion, and again when removing it before resetting PRAM). Should there have been?

I'm using BIOS (the drive that says Windows, not EFI Boot at the "select a drive" menu?)

here's the terminal output for sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *251.0 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD 174.3 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data 75.8 GB disk0s4

/dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS (my HD name) +174.0 GB disk1

Logical Volume on disk0s2

7D57E7D0-E011-4E69-B1D3-C7E2AAD790E6

Unencrypted

/dev/disk2 (external, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *16.0 GB disk2

1: DOS_FAT_32 WININSTALL 16.0 GB disk2s1

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0s4

Password:

fdisk: /dev/disk0s4: Resource busy

also, to confirm, I am running El Capitan.

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Nov 18, 2015 5:29 PM in response to vulgarwizard

Can you post the output of

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

(you used disk0s4 earlier 😉 ).

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 18, 2015 5:34 PM in response to Loner T

we've crossed into the territory where I don't know what I'm looking at anymore haha

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

Password:

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 30515/255/63 [490234752 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 490234751] <Unknown ID>

2: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

3: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

4: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

what does this mean?

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Nov 18, 2015 6:03 PM in response to vulgarwizard

If you are using Windows (not EFI Boot), then the output of the Fdisk command is incorrect or BCA failed. If you use EFI boot, then this Fdisk is correct. This may be the root cause of your issues.

We should create a MBR and test of W8.1 will get further in installation.

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 18, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Loner T

well if both Windows and EFI Boot are giving me the same issue (which I just double checked) then would that make it correct? I just tried booting onto EFI Boot and the "no device drivers..." error persists.

Well, you know I'm out of options, so I guess let's do it. I have an 8.1 .iso, should I recreate a Windows install USB in BCA with it?

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Nov 18, 2015 6:59 PM in response to vulgarwizard

No, once a USB installer has been created, it should continue to work. Can you download GPT Fdisk - http://sourceforge.net/projects/gptfdisk/ ?

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 18, 2015 7:14 PM in response to Loner T

alright, done. What am I doing with this?

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Nov 18, 2015 7:25 PM in response to vulgarwizard

We are going to create a Hybrid MBR that 'maps' the current GPT to a MBR so Windows will see the disk as an MBR disk and try to install in BIOS mode.

Disable El Capitan SIP (System Integrity Protection)

1. Boot into Local Recovery (Command+R) during power up.

2. Run Utilities -> Terminal.

3. Type csrutil disable and press return/enter.

4. Boot normally.

5. Type csrutil status in OSX Terminal and verify that is it disabled. If still enabled, repeat.

Rebuild MBR to match the new GPT information thus resetting the Hybrid MBR. Use defaults for other questions (like partition codes). The only values that need modifications are the Boot flags and step 10. Accept all other defaults that Gdisk offers. Please see thesample Q&A as an example. These steps can be repeated if you make a mistake before you get to Step 12, otherwise start from Step 1 for these steps. Step 6 has numbers which are typed with a space between the numbers. Please see the sample Q&A before you execute these steps.

Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0
P (Print list of parts)
R (Recover)
O (print current Hybrid MBR)
H (chooses Hybrid)
Partitions numbers to be hybridized: 2 3 4
Y (Good for GRUB question)
N (part 2 boot flag)
N (part 3 boot flag)
N (part 4 boot flag - we do not have Windows installed yet)
O (print current Hybrid MBR)
W (Write the new MBR)
Y (Yes! write the new MBR)
Reboot

Now try to install W8.1 from your USB Installer and using the Windows icon from the USB.

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 18, 2015 9:25 PM in response to Loner T

alright, so I followed the terminal process, and got a success message and rebooted. The drive I've been doing this all from has been Windows 10, so I tried with that, and got the same "no signed drivers...." message. So I created a new USB drive with 8.1 on it, and that gave the same thing. There's no difference.

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Nov 19, 2015 9:56 AM in response to vulgarwizard

Can you post the output of the GPT and Fdisk commands?

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 19, 2015 10:45 AM in response to Loner T

here's what I got from the terminal:

sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: protective

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.

Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 490234752 sectors, 233.8 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 8004E14C-384E-459E-85C0-A6DF34841402

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 490234718

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 2429 sectors (1.2 MiB)

Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 340908743 162.4 GiB AF05 Customer

3 340908744 342178279 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

4 342179840 490233855 70.6 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP

Command (? for help): r

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 490234752 sectors (233.8 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x17C45D2E

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 490234751 primary 0xEE

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h

WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,

just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will

be untouched.

Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be

added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): n

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB): n

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07): n

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 490234752 sectors (233.8 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x17C45D2E

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 340908743 primary 0x01

3 340908744 342178279 primary 0x01

4 342179840 490233855 primary 0x01

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): w

Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING

PARTITIONS!!

Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y

OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/rdisk0.

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.

You should reboot or remove the drive.

The operation has completed successfully.

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Nov 19, 2015 12:16 PM in response to vulgarwizard

You will need to repeat the steps.

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): n

This cannot be 'n'. Just press Enter/Return and continue to the next question.

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 19, 2015 1:21 PM in response to Loner T

I'm presented with the prompt: "set bootable flag? (Y/N)" if I just press enter. the next question after that is: "your option? (Y/N)"

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Nov 19, 2015 2:01 PM in response to vulgarwizard

All questions like the following need 'n'. The two questions (MBR Code and Bootability) are separate.

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

vulgarwizard Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 19, 2015 5:41 PM in response to Loner T

okay so here's the output now:

sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

Password:

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: hybrid

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present

Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.

Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 490234752 sectors, 233.8 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 8004E14C-384E-459E-85C0-A6DF34841402

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 490234718

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 2429 sectors (1.2 MiB)

Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 340908743 162.4 GiB AF05 Customer

3 340908744 342178279 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

4 342179840 490233855 70.6 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP

Command (? for help): r

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 490234752 sectors (233.8 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x17C45D2E

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 340908743 primary 0xAF

3 340908744 342178279 primary 0xAB

4 342179840 490233855 primary 0x07

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h

WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,

just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will

be untouched.

Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be

added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 490234752 sectors (233.8 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x17C45D2E

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 340908743 primary 0xAF

3 340908744 342178279 primary 0xAB

4 342179840 490233855 primary 0x07

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): w

Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING

PARTITIONS!!

Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y

OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/rdisk0.

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.

You should reboot or remove the drive.

The operation has completed successfully.

Attempting to install Windows 8.1 as usual, still unable to find those drivers.

P.S. I went to the Genius Bar and the Microsoft store today. Stumped both of them.

'no signed device drivers' can be found on windows bootcamp installation