Windows 10 Install on Mid 2010 Macbook Pro 6,1 (17" 2.66)

Question

I am trying to install Windows 10 on my Macbook.My Macbook is:Macbook Pro, Mid 2010 6,1 2.66ghz8gb Ram (standard)500gb hdd (standard) Samsung 850 Evo 500gb SSDOSX El Capitan 10.11.2I am trying to install windows from the Windows 10 ISO available from the Microsoft website.(https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10ISO)My first issue was that I could not create a bootable USB using bootcamp on my model MacBook.I followed this guide to modify the info.plist file and create a bootable USB with bootcamp. (http://tsentas.net/create-a-windows-7-or-later-version-install-disk-missing-on-e l-capitan/)I got to the point where I select the BOOTCAMP partition I&#x27;d like to install to, however received the error:"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks."I fixed the GPT/MBR issue using this guide: http://superuser.com/questions/508026/windows-detects-gpt-disk-as-mbr-in-efi-boo tThen the windows installation told me that my hard disk was failing, I attempted to continue the installation anyway, however that failed. I checked disk utility and sure enough my disks S.M.A.R.T. status was &#x27;failing&#x27;.. So I upgraded to a Samsung SSD (Can&#x27;t believe I didn&#x27;t do this earlier.. so much faster)Where I&#x27;m at: The installation now progresses past drive selection and copying files. However, I get the error right at the end:"Windows could not update the computer&#x27;s boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed."I have tried deleting, reformatting the partition in the windows installation. Also re-partitioning through bootcamp and resetting the PRAM which I see has worked for others. (restarting and holding CMD + OPTION + P + R)However I am now stuck.PLEASE HELP. This is driving me crazy.Thanks in advance.

jackmcginn · Answer

So I was trying to do this when...for some reason this 16mb slice has appeared and i cannot remove the other partition without removing it first, ( - is greyed out)however I get an error when I try and just remove the 16mb section

Loner T · Answer

You have just seen the tip of the iceberg. You are installing an EFI OS a non-UEFI compliant Mac. Can you run a SMC Reset - Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support and try again? Most likely, it is unable to create/update the BCD. Be aware that you will run into driver issues or hardware may not be visible when using EFI boot.A better method is to install W7/W8+ and then upgrade in-place to W10. If you bought a W10 license, this may not be a worthwhile option.

jackmcginn · Answer

Thanks for the fast reply Loner,I managed to get through the next stage of the install, I did things in this order.Bootcamp Partition -&gt; SIP Disable -&gt; GDISK Gpt Fix -&gt; PRAM Reset -&gt; Boot to Windows USB installer -&gt; Format Partition in windows installer - NEXT.The first stage completes, and the computer restarts to continue the installation.I click through the steps, and it doesn&#x27;t matter if I select custom options or the standard, I click through and the computer restarts to the same point in the installation process. any ideas?

Loner T · Answer

Your Mac will better support MBR installation. For EFI installations, I usually use a Free Space partition and let the Windows Installer create the System and NTFS partitions by itself. Do you want to try the Free Space method?

jackmcginn · Answer

Is it likely to net a different result to simply formatting the bootcamp partition during the windows installation?I assume you wouldn&#x27;t mention it otherwise but yes, I&#x27;m willing to try anything hahaThanks again for your help

Loner T · Answer

1. Use BCA to remove the current partition and Restore your disk to a single partition.2. Create a Free Space part using Disk Utility.3. Run your installer and point to this Free Space partition. If you get any errors, please post the exact error messages.

jackmcginn · Answer

diskutil list: /dev/disk0 (internal, physical):   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1   2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD            499.2 GB   disk0s2   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s4sudo got -vv -r show /dev/disk0:   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1   2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD            499.2 GB   disk0s2   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s4Jack-McGinns-MacBook-Pro:~ Jack_McGinn$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0Password:gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize&#x3D;500107862016; sectorsize&#x3D;512; blocks&#x3D;976773168gpt show: /dev/disk0: PMBR at sector 0gpt show: /dev/disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 976773167      start       size  index  contents          0          1         PMBR          1          1         Pri GPT header          2         32         Pri GPT table         34          6                  40     409600      1  GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B     409640  975093952      2  GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC  975503592    1269536      3  GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC  976773128          7           976773135         32         Sec GPT table  976773167          1         Sec GPT header

jackmcginn · Answer

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1   2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD            463.9 GB   disk0s2   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s3   4:                  Apple_HFS Untitled                35.2 GB    disk0s4

Loner T · Answer

35Gb may not be enough for Windows. I suggest about 60-80GB. You can resize the current partition (or type a size in DU) before you run the following commands. Once you have the correct size, run the following command in Terminaldiskutil eraseVolume free FREE disk0s4This will return an error because a Free Space part has no disk. Post the output of sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0to confirm that you have free space.

jackmcginn · Answer

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1   2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD            440.6 GB   disk0s2   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s3   4:                  Apple_HFS Untitled                58.5 GB    disk0s4diskutil eraseVolume free FREE disk0s4Started erase on disk0s4 UntitledUnmounting diskFinished erase on disk0sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0Password:gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize&#x3D;500107862016; sectorsize&#x3D;512; blocks&#x3D;976773168gpt show: /dev/disk0: PMBR at sector 0gpt show: /dev/disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 976773167      start       size  index  contents          0          1         PMBR          1          1         Pri GPT header          2         32         Pri GPT table         34          6                  40     409600      1  GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B     409640  860594624      2  GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC  861004264    1269536      3  GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC  862273800  114499335           976773135         32         Sec GPT table  976773167          1         Sec GPT header

jackmcginn · Answer

Those partitions couldn&#x27;t be cleared with bootcamp.I restarted and reset PRAMThen held option to boot from usbI selected those partitions from the windows installer and deleted them.I thought, screw it. and tried to install from the now blank space.and.. it worked. 🙂 It can boot into windows. My next hurdle is that the bootcamp drivers get hung up on the NVIDIA driver, and it restarts. Is there a work-around for getting the drivers installed on an earlier mac?

Loner T · Answer

The original Free Space intent was also to let the Windows Installer format it and split it into MSR and MSD. You should have two entries in the original Free Space. For Drivers, you can install the KeyBoard, Trackpad, Mouse and standard installers. You will run into Audio and GPU issues. You want to use the BC drivers and install them with compatibility mode and admin rights. Check for hidden devices in Device Manager.

Mark Prewitt · Answer

I have spent the last 3-4 days upgrading and crashing.I used a variety of methods and got an ISO burned to a  DVD to get the OS installed, but then got into an infinite loop of BSOD&#x27;s with the dreaded Bad_pool_header, and there is no way that I can find to upgrade the existing boot camp drivers, I am stuck on 3.3, as no newer one will install as they all say they aren&#x27;t for this model mac.So I have rolled back to windows 7 pro for now that works flawlessly.If you get it to work, I&#x27;d be very interested.  I couldn&#x27;t do a clean install.. which might have helped as I had 200 gb of apps and programs I was trying to move with me.mark

jackmcginn · Answer

I tried again.Got a memory error.Did PRAM ResetSMC ResetStuck in the loop again, click through network selection, customisation options, restarts to the network selection.

jackmcginn · Answer

No free space option in Disk Utility?