Bootcamp didn't finish -- how can i continue install of windows on new partition?

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Bootcamp didn't finish -- how can i continue install of windows on new partition?

Hi thanks for reading me.

I have kicked off bootcamp, it created the partition, and started windows 8.1 instal.

It asked for the drive location, so i chose my USB hard drive (read on here that was possible) - as SSD space is such a premium.

I was told that the drive format was not GUD FAT, so i aborted the installation.

I have used disk utility to reformat the external drive.

How do I get the windows partition to now run the instal process again?

I tried the OPTION on boot up, but the new partition doesn't show yet.

Any help would be really appreciated.

~ Paul

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Feb 10, 2016 10:25 AM

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Answer 1

JimmyCMPIT

Level 7

29,217 points

Feb 10, 2016 11:14 AM in response to paulbrowning

the windows 8 partition needs to be greater than 30 GB

after that please review the material from Apple Computer

How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support

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Answer 2

paulbrowning Author

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Feb 11, 2016 1:18 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

Hi Jimmy,

Thank you for your help.

Yes my partition had 32GB. On my mac

As I mentioned in the article, it did start the windows install.

It was only when trying to set the windows location to a USB HDD that the format type showed the error. So I canceled the windows install.

I have now formatted the USB HDD to FAT32 using disk utility.

The problem i have is: how do I now get the windows partition to restart the windows installation?

Many thanks,

~ Paul

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Feb 11, 2016 6:24 AM in response to paulbrowning

Please be aware that installing Windows on an external disk is not supported, unless you a Windows Enterprise Windows-to-Go license. Macs will not support such external installs. This a road full of pitfalls.

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Answer 4

paulbrowning Author

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Feb 11, 2016 6:55 AM in response to Loner T

Hi Loner,

Thank you, i appreicate your honesty 🙂

I did read on a post that it was possible, and with SSD space at a premium I was hoping to offload the heavy files there.

But I take your point, and will give primary drive a go.

The question is really centred on how i can kick-start the installation of Windows now that my primary drive (Mac main SSD) has been partitioned. How can i get it to start the installation of windows again?

When I run bootcamp app again the only option is to un-partition the drive.

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Feb 11, 2016 11:23 AM in response to paulbrowning

paulbrowning wrote:

The question is really centred on how i can kick-start the installation of Windows now that my primary drive (Mac main SSD) has been partitioned. How can i get it to start the installation of windows again?

When I run bootcamp app again the only option is to un-partition the drive.

This is the behavior on 2015 Macs, which build the installer internally on the disk. It uses a partition called OSXRESERVED. Based on your observations, my inference is that you have a 2015 model.

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Answer 6

paulbrowning Author

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Feb 11, 2016 11:43 AM in response to Loner T

Hiya

Yes 2015 macbook pro.

Under disk utility I don't see the partition OSXRESERVED. So i can't access it.

I guess my only option is to remove the partition with bootcamp, and try again?

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Answer 7

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Feb 11, 2016 11:46 AM in response to paulbrowning

paulbrowning wrote:

I guess my only option is to remove the partition with bootcamp, and try again?

Unfortunately, yes. It is relatively painless though. 😉

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Answer 8

paulbrowning Author

Level 1

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Feb 11, 2016 12:16 PM in response to Loner T

Oh dear..... Oh dear oh dear.

I have run bootcamp, and it tells me it can't partition the disk back.

It advises me to run disk utility and try again.

I boot and run disk utility. Run the first aid on all the drives.

Reboot.

Ran bootcamp and get the same error.

:-( oh no.

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Feb 11, 2016 12:41 PM in response to paulbrowning

Can you post the output of the following commands...

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

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Answer 10

paulbrowning Author

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Feb 11, 2016 2:06 PM in response to Loner T

MacBook-Pro:~ Paul$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.3 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD 459.4 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data 32.1 GB disk0s4

/dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD +459.0 GB disk1

Logical Volume on disk0s2

718153C9-E45C-4D8B-BA3A-0FE5DEAA1D8C

Unlocked Encrypted

MacBook-Pro:~ Paul$ diskutil cs list

CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)

|

+-- Logical Volume Group BA505F54-9967-4941-87E8-46117F75918B

=========================================================

Name: Macintosh HD

Status: Online

Size: 459362963456 B (459.4 GB)

Free Space: 10653696 B (10.7 MB)

|

+-< Physical Volume EC4CFF1A-3069-4530-A16B-394EAEBB3A68

| ----------------------------------------------------

| Index: 0

| Disk: disk0s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 459362963456 B (459.4 GB)

|

+-> Logical Volume Family 3D067CCE-3290-4E38-8FC0-B878D9E9484B

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

Encryption Type: AES-XTS

Encryption Status: Unlocked

Conversion Status: Complete

High Level Queries: Fully Secure

| Passphrase Required

| Accepts New Users

| Has Visible Users

| Has Volume Key

|

+-> Logical Volume 718153C9-E45C-4D8B-BA3A-0FE5DEAA1D8C

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

Disk: disk1

Status: Online

Size (Total): 458999988224 B (459.0 GB)

Revertible: Yes (unlock and decryption required)

LV Name: Macintosh HD

Volume Name: Macintosh HD

Content Hint: Apple_HFS

MacBook-Pro:~ Paul$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

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Answer 11

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Feb 11, 2016 2:38 PM in response to paulbrowning

The following steps are more time-consuming, but less labour intensive. There are more esoteric Terminal gymnastics possible, but I recommend the simpler steps.

1. Backup OSX and all your files - Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support .

2. Boot into Internet Recovery (Command+Opt+R) - OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support .

3. Click on Utilties -> Disk Utility and Erase your internal whole disk.

4. Restore OSX and your files - Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support .

This requires a separate external disk which can accommodate TM backup - Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Support .

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Answer 12

IanD1953

Level 1

42 points

Feb 11, 2016 4:10 PM in response to paulbrowning

I installed a new SSD recently which included doing a new Windows installation using Boot Camp and during this I had no problem restarting the Windows installation process after several attempts. The first thing it will do if you have previously created a Boot Camp partition is to ask permission to remove it (i.e. un-partition the drive). It will then let you create a new Boot Camp partition and start the installation again.

If I understand you correctly you created a Boot Camp partition on your main drive but when it came to the Windows installation you decided to select an external drive instead of selecting the new Boot Camp partition. Even if you had selected the Boot Camp partition you would have still got the same message about the partition needing to be FAT formatted. At this point you are under control of the Microsoft installer and it has the capability to format the disc partition. The disc formatting function is hidden away but it is there. You should not stop the installation to go to the Apple disc utility.

If you can, I suggest you restart the Windows installation process again this time allowing it to un-partition the drive. It will then ask you to create a new partition. Given that you have formatted the external drive it shouldn’t ask you to format it again.

By the way I don’t see how using the external drive will help your disc space problem, you will still be left with an empty Boot Camp partition on your main drive.

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Answer 13

IanD1953

Level 1

42 points

Feb 11, 2016 4:44 PM in response to paulbrowning

Did you try deleting the Windows partition using disc utility? If you select the main disc (top left) you should be able to see all the partitions. If you then select the Windows partition you should be able click the minus sign to remove it.

I suggest backing up with Time Machine before you do anything else.

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