bootcamp windows installation unable to complete

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Level 1

9 points

bootcamp windows installation unable to complete

Hi there, I have been trying to install windows on my MacBook pro for the entire week but without success. Details below:

MacBook Pro Retina Mid 2012

MacOS High Sierra Version 10.13.3 (started from Yosemite but still didn't work so upgraded to high sierra)

Windows 10_1709 English 64bit ISO (tried 1607 originally but didn't work as well)

Started with bootcamp, created boot USB key w/ Win 10 1709 English 64bit ISO in High Sierra, splitting my 240GB SSD into 50/50. Rebooted into Windows installation, and installing Windows 10 Pro. but getting the first error:

After that, went back to disk utility and erased the bootcamp drive (2nd partition) with Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

Went back into windows installation, got another error (forgot to take photo of that) but I selected the space in partition 4, hit delete (partition), and then I could install Windows into partition 3.

After the files are copied and a reboot, got this first blue screen error:

It rebooted and ran into a reboot error loop, starting with this dialog box:

Went online and saw I can do the Shift+F10 (+fn) key trick to bring up the DOS dialog screen, but my Mac would go freeze and then give me the same blue screen again.

I tried multiple times with different variations, googled and checking this discussion board with some of the methods Loner T provided, but never seemed to get to Windows 😟

Hope someone could lend a hand! 🙂 Thanks!

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *251.0 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_APFS Container disk1 125.0 GB disk0s2

3: Microsoft Reserved 16.8 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data 125.8 GB disk0s4

/dev/disk1 (synthesized):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: APFS Container Scheme - +125.0 GB disk1

Physical Store disk0s2

1: APFS Volume Mac 80.9 GB disk1s1

2: APFS Volume Preboot 41.3 MB disk1s2

3: APFS Volume Recovery 507.2 MB disk1s3

4: APFS Volume VM 1.1 GB disk1s4

/dev/disk2 (external, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *15.5 GB disk2

1: DOS_FAT_32 WININSTALL 15.5 GB disk2s1

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Feb 8, 2018 11:44 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 9, 2018 9:06 PM in response to ieee1294

2012 Macs do nto support EFI Boot correctly. Erasing BC/Windows partition is not recommended, as you can see the disk space is not coalesced back into the macOS side and if an EFI installation was attempted on your specific model, it leaves a Microsoft directory in the EFI partition, which should have been removed if BCA was used, instead of DU.

This should work in your case as well.

Run (only once) in Terminal

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC1 disk0s3

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC2 disk0s4

diskutil mergePartitions jhfs+ BCMP disk0s3 disk0s4

diskutil list

If you only see disk0s3, then

diskutil eraseVolume fat32 BOOTCAMP disk0s3

and now run BC Assistant and click on Restore/Remove.

Once you have cleanly removed BC/Windows, try to run a standard installation using a USB2 flash drive, Windows ISO without using any interruptions (Alt/Option key). If you still get a GPT vs MBR error, post back, and we can correct it.

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 9, 2018 9:57 AM in response to ieee1294

You should see two icons from the USB, Windows and EFI Boot. Choose Windows (legacy Installer), not EFI Boot. Your USB may not support bootability or the Mac requires an SMC and NVRAM Reset due to partial/failed installations.

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Answer 3

ieee1294 Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 9, 2018 9:08 PM in response to Loner T

I did that with the same USB - had the same issue.

But then I tried another USB stick, selected Windows partition on boot and it worked. Both are the same brand and it's weird that the one I used didn't work all along. Thanks for letting me know 2012 doesn't support EFI.

Case closed 🙂 Have a great weekend Loner T and thanks for all your help!

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Answer 4

axavii21

Level 1

8 points

Feb 23, 2018 11:53 AM in response to ieee1294

Hello everyone, I wanted to share my findings with those who are struggling with Bootcamp and Windows 10.

So here is what I went through:

Installed Windows 10 version 1709 through Boot camp and reached the same result as everyone else. The computer restarted unexpectedly...

So I booted back into macOS, removed the BC partition, reset the NVRAM and SMC, and tried again. Reached the same result.

This time, I installed Windows 10 version 1511 and alas, the installation went through perfectly. Windows recognizes all of my devices and I am able to boot into macOS or Windows with ease. From there I installed all the updates through the "Windows Update" and am now running Windows 10 Version 1709.

I took some pics, I will upload them soon.

I am running macOS High Sierra 10.13.3

MacBook Pro Retina w/ Touch ID 2016

First two attempts using Windows 10 Pro 64bit v1709; then switched to Windows 10 Pro 64bit v1511.

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 9, 2018 4:05 PM in response to ieee1294

Can you rebuild the USB with 1607 release and test the same procedure - Alt/Option followed by the selecting Windows icon?

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Answer 6

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 9, 2018 10:20 AM in response to ieee1294

Use Alt/Option to see the BCA-created USB and choose the Windows icon.

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Answer 7

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 9, 2018 3:02 PM in response to ieee1294

Do you have a dual-GPU 2012 Retina or an Intel GPU-only one?

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Answer 8

ieee1294 Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 9, 2018 9:05 AM in response to Loner T

Thanks Loner T!

So I used the list of terminal commands you provided and removed Bootcamp (windows) partition. I suppose after I remove the partition I'm not adding it back. So I used the same USB flash drive I created from bootcamp before to boot. If I don't use the option key after the Mac boot up chime, the boot sequence bypasses any boot media and boot straight to MacOS.

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Answer 9

ieee1294 Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 9, 2018 9:54 AM in response to Loner T

Thanks!

I think I'm back to square one now.

I did a reboot first, went into boot camp assistant and picked only "Remove windows 7 or later version" and split the partitions in 1/2s. It automatically restarted and boot into a black screen saying "No bootable device - insert boot disk and press any key". (I had my USB stick I created from my previous boot camp inserted)

Which means the only way for me to boot into the USB stick at this time is to hold the option key at the bootup chime. I selected the EFI Boot option. And once I get into the windows installation I'm getting the exact same error as my first photo [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. Windows cannot be installed to this hard drive space. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS]

I understand you said mac 2012 versions don't support EFI boot correctly, so what should I do differently to get pass this error? Thanks.

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Answer 10

ieee1294 Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 9, 2018 10:12 AM in response to Loner T

Thanks Loner T.

I shut down my Mac, did an SMC reset for 10 seconds. After that, I did the NVRAM reset (heard 2 chimes) and held option key and selected Windows when I booted in. It froze a while after I picked that but then gave me a screen giving me the same error "No bootable device - insert boot disk and press any key".

It's weird because I created this USB before for with boot camp + windows ISO, and it successfully went into Windows installation, so I think there shouldn't be a problem with USB boot ability. But I can try creating another one again.

When I'm in the Windows boot option, is it expecting a Windows bootable USB stick (that I create from a Windows PC) or is it expecting a bootcamp bootable USB with the bootcamp support drivers?

Thanks for all the support you have in this discussion community 🙂

Cheers,

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