Boot Camp 6: How to skip Windows Support Software download

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Level 1

5 points

Boot Camp 6: How to skip Windows Support Software download

It seems, from the screenshots I saw, that the option to skip the download of support software is gone in BC 6.

I'm trying to install Windows 10. I have the Windows ISO and I already downloaded the AppleBcUpdate.exe file (the support software file) somewhere else than Boot Camp because that is unusually slow.

How to combine the ISO and the support file into a working installation?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Mar 14, 2016 6:12 PM

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Answer 1

Apple Citrus Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 15, 2016 9:41 PM in response to Loner T

I actually installed Windows 10 pretty much normally and it all worked. I extracted the ISO to a flash drive and booted that, gone through the routine install, unpacked the WindowsSupport.dmg file stolen from BCA using 7-Zip and then used Bootcamp.exe to install everything.

I can also boot OS X by pressing alt during boot.

Thank you Loner for your help.

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 15, 2016 6:04 AM in response to Apple Citrus

Instead of all these gyrations, please try...

The file should be stored in /Library/Application\ Support/Bootcamp.

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 14, 2016 6:50 PM in response to Apple Citrus

If this is a 2015 Mac, unfortunately, you cannot combine them. Your Mac also needs a PreBoot environment, which AppleBcUpdate.exe does not provide. The PE environment provides appropriate drivers to allow the Windows installer to function.

If you download takes too long, please use a wired connection, if at all possible.

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Answer 4

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 15, 2016 3:42 PM in response to Apple Citrus

If you saw a partition error, can you boot in Internet Recovery and run the repairDisk? If you are still getting errors there is an alternative method using EFI boot which does not require BCA, but does require installing BC6 drivers after Windows 8/10 is installed.

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Answer 5

Apple Citrus Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 15, 2016 3:07 AM in response to Loner T

I think the PITA description is an underestimation. After the support software was finally finished (about 6 hours) BC fails to partition the startup disk. So I partition it as one OSX Journaled partition (using the disk utility), back to BC it asks me to repartition it as 2 partitions (one for os x and the other for windows), then it starts the support software download all over again. This is sick.

Is there anyway to keep that downloaded support software from being deleted or overwritten by BC itself?

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Answer 6

Apple Citrus Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 15, 2016 5:41 AM in response to Loner T

I agree it's a bad UI. All the buttons seem to screw me one way or another. For example, after clicking Continue on the first screen, I can only stop the download to start over again later. I can't pause it or something.

I wanted to know where BC saves the software file. I tried lsof | grep -i softwareupdated (softwareupdated is the process in Activity Monitor that is actively downloading in the network tab right now) but nothing comes out. I hate to download the update for a third time and want to keep it.

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Answer 7

Apple Citrus Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 15, 2016 9:12 AM in response to Loner T

When the download was finished, BC was stuck at "Saving windows support software..." window for some time. In the meantime I found WindowsSupport.dmg (1.63GB) file in the location you suggested (/Library/Application\ Support/Bootcamp) so I copied it over somewhere else.

Then I clicked the Stop button (the only button that's there) after which BC was stuck again at "Rolling back created partitions...". So I stopped that too.

Starting the whole process over, now that WindowsSupport.dmg is downloaded, BC erases it and wants to download it again.

I close BC and put the file back in place after BC deletes it, starting again seems no change in sight.

I'm sure now that BC is screwed up and nothing about it works. Should I raise this with Apple or what?. I don't know how to install Windows alongside OS X otherwise.

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Answer 8

Apple Citrus Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 15, 2016 9:33 AM in response to Loner T

It seems now that BCA was not really stuck when it was saying "Saving Windows support software" but rather waiting for one of my full screen apps to close. The app opened a confirmation dialog so that probably stopped it.

Should I start over again, re-downloading the file I have already?

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Answer 9

Apple Citrus Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 15, 2016 3:23 PM in response to Loner T

Well, after downloading the drivers, for the 3RD TIME, the process stopped for "Error formatting installation disk" or something like that.

Of course, the driver file is there and will be re-downloaded when I click the "Continue" trap button.

Why not checking the formatting requirements before downloading the ****, if some lazy developer out there forgot, or was directed not to, write "if exists(download_file): then don't download it".

This ***** hard enough. I want to dump OS X just to take a personal revenge.

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Answer 10

Nov 27, 2016 3:49 PM in response to Apple Citrus

Can you please fix whatever it is that causes the Windows Support Software to download so slowly? I'm fed up of reading use a wired connection where possible - I've got plenty of Cat5 cables but *YOU* seem to have stopped putting an ethernet port on my MBP!

Also, if I've already downloaded the software once, why does Bootcamp Assistant need to spend another age downloading it again? It's great that you tell me I should make sure my computer is connected to a power supply; it'd be nice if you could tell me that it's because the software takes an unacceptable time to download! Oh, and while you're at it, you could advise me to make sure FileVault is turned off so I don't have to go through this horrendous experience again, after installation fails post re-partitioning on the first attempt. Which would be less of an issue if you changed Bootcamp Assistant to check if the necessary software has already been downloaded.

I've come to expect better of you over the past decade and more, Apple.

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Answer 11

Apple Citrus Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 14, 2016 6:59 PM in response to Loner T

Yes, it's an early 2015 model.

So you're saying I'm stuck with Boot Camp to download the support software. Nuff said.

Thank you.

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Answer 12

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 14, 2016 7:02 PM in response to Apple Citrus

Unfortunately yes. But a wired connection will help quite a bit. 😉. The BC6 assistant on 2015 Macs is a real PITA.

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Answer 13

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Mar 15, 2016 5:23 AM in response to Apple Citrus

I have complained several times about the ELC BC on 2015s being a bad UI. They should go back to the old two-step design where creating the installer is independent of the actual installation.

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