IMac – How to modify Boot Camp Assistant so it can use bootable USB

bootcampimacusbwindows

I own a 2011 21,5" iMac, and I need to install Windows to run some software that is Windows only.

I have done this in the past by altering Bootcamp assistent so it can use bootable USB drives, which is not natively supported on the 2011 iMac. (as explained here)

Now lately I reinstalled my iMac, so I wanted to modify Boot Camp again. As it turns out Apple 'fixed' this workaround by making bootcamps internal files not editable anymore.

So after I realized I couldn't use a USB drive, I tried using a bootable DVD, this didn't work, since Boot Camp gave me the message that "There is no bootable USB drive installed".
In other words, Boot camp thinks it needs a bootable usb drive, when those aren't supported on my model.

So my question; does anyone know a way to work around this 'fix'?

Best Answer

Boot Camp Assistant.app - among other apps in the Utilities folder - is protected by System Integrity Protection as outlined here.

By disabling SIP you will be able to edit the info.plist again.

So boot to Recovery Mode by pressing cmdR while booting.

  • Open Terminal.app (menubar -> Utilites -> Terminal)
  • Enter csrutil disable
  • Reboot your Mac
  • Edit the file /Applications/Utilities/Boot Camp Assistant.app/Contents/Info.plist
  • Reboot again to Recovery Mode and enable SIP again: csrutil enable
  • Reboot your Mac

You should also be able to edit the file directly after booting to Recovery Mode without disabling SIP:

/Volumes/name_of_main_volume/usr/bin/nano /Volumes/name_of_main_volume/Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/Info.plist

You'd have to make notes how and what to add though because you may have no real internet access.

Even if you can create a USB Windows installer, this does not necessarily mean that you can boot your Mac to Windows using this flash drive.

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