Can't Install Windows 10 in Boot Camp OSX 10.11.8

Question

Can't Install Windows 10 in Boot Camp OSX 10.11.8

I'm wondering if a solution has been worked out for installing Windows 10 64 bit in Boot Camp yet. I have a fusion 3TB hard drive that I partitioned (1TB for Windows 10) via Boot Camp. When I boot the computer into the Windows installer (on the thumb drive) and choose the partition to install Windows 10 to, I get a message that the partition is formatted in GPT not NTFS. I click the format button but it loops back to that error message about GPT.

I can't get any further than this.

I exited and rebooted the mac to OSX, went into the regular partitioning program and formatted the windows partition in NTFS manually thinking that it would solve the problem.

When I rebooted to the thumb drive and restarted the Windows installation, I got the same error (WRONG FORMAT).

I have read about the terminal mode solutions using Linux commands but hey, Boot Camp should take care of this without all of that extra work that could potentially break the Fusion drive am I correct ?

Or is this a Microsoft problem because that format function isn't working in the Windows installer program ?

If anybody can shed some light on this, I would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

Jon

iMac, OSX 10.11.8

Posted on Jul 26, 2016 7:45 PM

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Answer 1

JimmyCMPIT

Level 7

29,306 points

Jul 28, 2016 4:58 AM in response to Jon From Canada Eh

see this document

Use Windows 10 on your Mac with Boot Camp - Apple Support

10.11.8?

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Answer 2

Leanne_68

Community Specialist

Jul 28, 2016 4:57 AM in response to Jon From Canada Eh

Hello Jon,

Thank you for being part of the Apple Community!

It is my understanding you are experiencing some issues installing Windows 10 thru Boot Camp. I have a couple programs that require Windows so I know how nice it is to have windows on my Mac.

There are a couple of things you want to be sure of before starting Boot Camp. First, be sure that the Windows 10 ISO file is located on the desktop of the Mac. This needs to come from Microsoft Windows installation media, not an OEM version. A download from Microsoft should work fine, as long as it is an ISO file. Make sure it is a full installation version, not an upgrade. Also be sure that the USB thumb drive you are using is at least 16 GB's. This thumb drive will be erased so be sure there is nothing on it that you need.

These articles from Apple Support should help walk you thru the process:

Use Windows 10 on your Mac with Boot Camp

How to install Windows using Boot Camp

Have a great day!

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 27, 2016 10:57 AM in response to Jon From Canada Eh

BC Assistant may have failed to properly partition the Fusion drive. Can you post the output of the following OSX Terminal commands?

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

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Answer 4

Jul 27, 2016 11:24 AM in response to Leanne_68

Thanks for responding Starr. I do have the Windows 10 64 bit full install ISO on the desktop (downloaded from Microsoft). I successfully created the bootable thumb drive with the ISO and the partitioning was successful (1TB out of the 3TB Fusion drive). It's just when booted the computer and chose to boot from the Windows thumb drive and started the installation that I had problems.

I entered the key code for my copy of Win 10 and then the screen came up and asked me which partition I wanted to install Windows to. I chose the correct partition but I got the error message about it being in the wrong format (NTFS required). There is the format button on the screen. I clicked it and it gave me the warning about erasing the data on the partition like I would expect. When I clicked on it, it looped back to the message about the partition being formatted in GPT. In other words, it would have continued the installation but the partition is not formatted with NTFS.

Everything up to that point was done by the book.

Your thoughts ?

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Answer 5

Jul 27, 2016 11:26 AM in response to Loner T

I will do that and post the results Loner. Thanks.

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Answer 6

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 27, 2016 11:48 AM in response to Jon From Canada Eh

W10 can be installed using BIOS/MBR or EFI/GPT. On a Fusion drive, if the MBR is not created or BCA partitions the HDD part of the Fusion drive using disk beyond the 2TB mark, the subsequent MBR is invalid.

Assuming your HDD is disk1, please post the output of

sudo fdisk /dev/disk1

in addition to the other commands I requested.

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Answer 7

Jul 28, 2016 4:56 AM in response to Loner T

Hi Loner,

We can call off the dogs on this one. Just before I was about to generate output to send to you, I thought I'd give Boot Camp one more shot. I succeeded and I will share the solution however I'm kind of embarrassed (sort of).

When I got down to choosing the partition for installation, I was double clicking on the partition and I would get the format error message. At that point --business as usual-- I would click the format option. It would loop back to the format error message (as described).

This time, I just highlighted the desired partition (no double click) and went straight to the format button.

Voila ! It worked ! In my opinion, this is a bug in the installation program (thank you very much Microsoft 😟).

Thanks to you and everyone else that took the time to respond to my post. It's greatly appreciated !

Jon

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Answer 8

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 28, 2016 5:57 AM in response to Jon From Canada Eh

Please remember to back up OS X and Windows. Also, create a Windows System Restore point.

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Answer 9

Jul 28, 2016 10:15 AM in response to Loner T

You betcha. I always do. Again thanks.

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