Bootcamp not create windows partition in OS 10.13

Question

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Bootcamp not create windows partition in OS 10.13

I cannot get Bootcamp to do the windows partititon.

iMac late 2013, OS 10.13, internal 3gb disk

I hope somebody has some ideas I am out. in general I find it really odd that erase does not seem to erase all.

Thanks in advance.

Here is the history:

Bootcamp was installed in an earlier Mac OS 10 something. In Bootcamp I started with Win 7 and upgraded to win 10 while it was installed.

Sometime after upgrading the OS to 10.13 I could not boot the Mac system. I erased the drive. I found an odd core volume with 800gb reserved, got rid of that. Things looked a bit odd in the recovery HD using terminal which has BASH showing about 20 drives. I could not get rid of them or really touch them. Bootcamp would not create the windows partition saying there had to be one partition.
I erased the drive again. The mystery drives are still there including two that look like partitions. After recovering data from time machine and the disk utility shows the single HD partition. Terminal inside the OS shows a normal look too. Again Bootcamp will not create the windows partition. So here I am.

This is what terminal shows when logged into OS 10.13 It looks pretty normal.

Jd$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *3.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS HD 2.6 TB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 384.8 GB disk0s5

Jd$

This is what terminal shows when using the recovery disk

-bash-3.2# diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *3.0 TB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 3.0 TB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Boot OS X 134.2 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_partition_scheme *1.2 GB disk1

1: Apple_partition_map 30.7 KB disk1s1

2: Apple_HFS Mac OS X Base System 1.2 GB disk1s2

/dev/disk2

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *524.3 KB disk2

/dev/disk3

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *524.3 KB disk3

/dev/disk4

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *524.3 KB disk4

/dev/disk5

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *524.3 KB disk5

/dev/disk6

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *524.3 KB disk6

/dev/disk7

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *6.3 MB disk7

/dev/disk8

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *2.1 MB disk8

/dev/disk9

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *1.0 MB disk9

/dev/disk10

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *524.3 KB disk10

/dev/disk11

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme untitled *524.3 KB disk11

1: Apple_HFS 483.3 KB disk11s1

/dev/disk12

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme untitled *1.0 MB disk12

1: Apple_HFS 1.0 MB disk12s1

/dev/disk13

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS HD *3.0 TB disk13

-bash-3.2#

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *1.0 MB disk9

/dev/disk10

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled *524.3 KB disk10

/dev/disk11

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme untitled *524.3 KB disk11

1: Apple_HFS 483.3 KB disk11s1

/dev/disk12

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme untitled *1.0 MB disk12

1: Apple_HFS 1.0 MB disk12s1

/dev/disk13

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS HD *3.0 TB disk13

-bash-3.2# diskutil cs list

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), macOS High Sierra (10.13)

Posted on Oct 24, 2017 3:58 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 28, 2017 1:18 PM in response to Jasper404

Disconnect all external storage (and all hubs) and reset SMC/NVRAM and retry BCA. If need be, we can create a CS LV/LVG and use resizeStack or splitPartition and test it.

Reply

Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 24, 2017 6:11 PM in response to Jasper404

If you only erased a partition using the restore, it may explain the large Recovery HD. Try the command line erase and post the output, but you will need to do this in Internet Recovery.

Reply

Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 24, 2017 4:32 PM in response to Jasper404

What you see in Recovery are the files used to boot via Internet Recovery. Your local Recovery HD seems to be corrupt.

Your 3TB disk requires special handling when it comes to installing Windows using legacy BIOS. EFI does not require it. Your late 2013 iMac defaults to legacy BIOS, even though it supports both types.

The Recovery HD being 384+ GB indicates a High Sierra bug when BC/Windows is removed, it does not correctly coalesce the disk space.

Recovery showing a CoreStorage volume, while normal showing HFS+ is also not correct.

Can you post the output of

diskutil cs list

Reply

Answer 4

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2017 5:10 PM in response to Loner T

Hi,

The volume was seen after the erase I used 'diskutil cs delete UUID' to get rid of it.

I fully agree that this is very odd, but after two erases, either the HS is just bad or erase is not doing all erases?

Here is the current terminal output.

jd$ diskutil cs list

No CoreStorage logical volume groups found

Jd$

Reply

Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 28, 2017 2:06 PM in response to Jasper404

On a 2013 Mac with a 3tb disk, there are two partitioning schemes.

A 'sandwich' layout with Windows partition in the 'middle' so that it starts within the first 2TB boundary.

The second is a 1tb+ Windows partition.

These two schemes support legacy BIOS installation.

Reply

Answer 6

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 24, 2017 6:19 PM in response to Jasper404

Can you run the eraseDisk and post the output before you start the Restore?

Reply

Answer 7

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2017 5:18 PM in response to Loner T

Yes MacOS seems to be normal. After both erases, I reloaded with time machine and all seem to work.

I was wondering if that upgrade I made to WIN 10 from WIN 7 left some remnant of drives. There was a note from Apple that said something like that around WIN 8 time. They said to unmount a drive that was seen in DisuUtility (app)

I see none of them in the APP nor in terminal while in MacOS.

Reply

Answer 8

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 28, 2017 12:45 PM in response to Loner T

Running Boot Camp Application is the problem.

The first thing it tries to do is create the boot camp partition. That fails with the message.

following shows in BCA popup window when trying to install windows

"The Startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition.

The startup disk must be formatted as a single Mac OS Extended(Journaled) volume or already partitioned by boot camp assistant for installing windows."

You cannot make your own dos fat (tried) and BCA won't touch the drive.

Reply

Answer 9

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 28, 2017 1:49 PM in response to Loner T

there were no external drives, other then the flash install one of 10.13

I have already reset PRAM and SCM

Earlier when this started there is a post that the cause was a CS LVG. I deleted it per those instructions.

I don't see how creating one would help. Keep in mind I did erase and try 10.12 which also would not run BCA

Reply

Answer 10

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 24, 2017 5:13 PM in response to Jasper404

Does macOS boot normally?

Reply

Answer 11

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2017 6:14 PM in response to Loner T

Thanks, I will try it and report back. loading from Time Machine takes about 8 hours so I will post probably tomorrow.

Reply

Answer 12

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Oct 24, 2017 6:28 PM in response to Jasper404

No worries. Post back, when you can.

Reply

Answer 13

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2017 5:33 PM in response to Loner T

I noticed that large Recovery HD too.

The time machine was on going in OS 10.13 until the boot problem that started the whole thing. I guess it is possible it is connected. I have a much older backup I could used, or I could erase and pretend to start over with a new everything. Odd though before the time machine recovery is when I had the bash terminal list, and similar output in the OS terminal. I had flash drive with os 10.13 I used and initially thought that was the large recovery, but it is not mounted.

Is it possible that new disk stuff Apple put in there for SSDs which is not supposed to affect me since I have no fusion drive is doing something?

I guess one thing would be to erase no time machine and see if that worked. I have no good ideas.

Reply

Answer 14

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2017 6:24 PM in response to Loner T

So I could erase the HD, load os 10.13 and not do the time machine recovery. I have a os 10.13 usb drive, so that part will not take too long. I will not be able to start for a little bit (scheduling issue).

Reply

Answer 15

Jasper404 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 28, 2017 12:04 PM in response to Loner T

I have been doing a bunch of stuff.

1. I did try the diskutil erase below is what the list looked like

2. After reinstalling the OS same bootcamp message. It is odd that the terminal run from inside the OS shows a different story. It shows none of those phantom drives.

3. I built a flash install with Sierra 10.12 and used it to erase and install that version. Same diskutil list showed. Also found out a 10.12 cannot read the time machine backup that a 10.13 made.

4. I built a new ID in the 10.12 OS and boot camp has same error.

5. Went back to 10.13 same problem, but there have been no more odd volumes as seen in diskutil cs list

6. Tried to turn off csrutil disable which had no effect with boot camp.

I am still suspicious of those phantom dirives

Below is the diskutil list after an erase using terminal.

Below that is what diskutil shows from a terminal start from inside the OS

From the recovery terminal

Finished erase on disk0

-bash-3.2# diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *3.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS HD 3.0 TB disk0s2

/dev/disk2 (external, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *32.1 GB disk2

1: Apple_HFS Install macOS Sierra 32.1 GB disk2s1

/dev/disk3 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme +5.9 GB disk3

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk3s1

2: Apple_HFS OS X Install ESD 5.5 GB disk3s2

/dev/disk4 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme +2.1 GB disk4

1: Apple_HFS OS X Base System 2.0 GB disk4s1

/dev/disk6 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +5.2 MB disk6

/dev/disk7 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk7

/dev/disk8 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk8

/dev/disk9 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk9

/dev/disk10 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +2.1 MB disk10

/dev/disk11 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk11

/dev/disk12 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk12

/dev/disk13 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +6.3 MB disk13

/dev/disk14 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +2.1 MB disk14

/dev/disk15 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +1.0 MB disk15

/dev/disk16 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +2.1 MB disk16

/dev/disk17 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk17

/dev/disk18 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk18

/dev/disk19 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +1.0 MB disk19

/dev/disk20 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +6.3 MB disk20

/dev/disk21 (disk image):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: untitled +524.3 KB disk21

-bash-3.2#

From the terminal inside the OS

diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *3.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS HD 3.0 TB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

Reply