Apple does not support Boot Camp Assistant installations of Windows 10 on 2011 and earlier iMac models. The exact list of supported Mac models is given below.
The following Mac models support 64-bit versions of Windows 10 when installed using Boot Camp.
If you have one of the models listed below, then you should not use the accepted answer to install Widows 10.
- MacBook Pro (2012 and later)
- MacBook Air (2012 and later)
- MacBook (2015 and later)
- iMac (2012 and later)
- Mac mini (2012 and later)
- Mac mini Server (Late 2012)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
I have read where others have successfully used the Boot Camp Assistant to create a Windows flash drive installer. This was accomplished by first editing a .plist
file contained within the Boot Camp Assistant software. I have the following problems with doing this.
- The Boot Camp Assistant software has to be hacked in order to create the Windows installer.
- The resulting flash drive installer defaults to a Windows installation that uses the EFI boot method. Apple did not officially start supporting this method of booting Windows until the 2012 model year. I have always assumed the Windows Support Software, supplied by Apple for my Mac, was designed only for the legacy BIOS boot method of installation.
I have no problems EFI booting the USB Windows installer, but I still want to install Windows to use the BIOS boot method.
Here is what I wish to accomplish.
- Install Windows 10 Pro 64 bit. I have downloaded the latest Windows 10 (Version 1709, OS Build 16299.15) iso file.
- Install Windows 10 into a newly formatted volume. I do not want to first install an earlier version of Windows and then upgrade to Window 10.
- Boot Windows using the legacy BIOS boot method.
- Use only one partition on the first internal drive (
disk0
) for the Windows files. The single internal disk in my Mac uses a 512 byte sector size. - Install Windows using the latest version of macOS. Currently, this would be High Sierra (macOS 10.13.2).
I would desire to preform the installation without any of the following.
- No third party software
- No optical (DVD) drive
- No Boot Camp Assistant
- Without disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP).
I would prefer not having to boot to macOS Recovery via the internet, built-in recovery or an USB flash drive macOS installer. But, since macOS Recovery is not a third party tool, I am not opposed to its use.
Best Answer
Installing Windows 10 without DVD or Third Party Tools
This answer applies to Mac models where the following is true.
The Windows specifications are given below.
The macOS is version 10.13.2 (High Sierra).
Below, are the basic steps needed to install Windows 10 for an BIOS boot, when the USB flash drive Windows Installer boots in EFI mode.
I have made the following assumptions.
Apple has not supplied the drivers for a 64 bit Windows 10 installation. It is a common misconception that the latest Windows Support Software from Apple should always be used to install Windows 10. This is wrong. Microsoft Windows is designed to use legacy drivers when current drivers are not available or nonexistant. You should use the latest Windows Support Software that apple has released for your model Mac. I assume this is what you get when the latest Boot Camp Assistant application available for your Mac is used to download the Windows Support Software.
Windows will be installed on the primary internal drive. In other words, the drive with the disk identifier of
disk0
.Below are the installation steps.
Download the latest Windows Support Software for your Mac. For the 2011 iMac, this software can be found at Boot Camp Support Software 5.1.5621. On my Mac, these files were downloaded to the
~/Downloads/BootCamp5
directory. This software can also be use with the Mac models given below.Create a ExFAT formatted volume labeled "BOOTCAMP" on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th partition of the primary disk. If this volume already exists, then erase the contents.
Make sure the drive is using the GPT/MBR hybrid partitioning scheme. See my answer to the question "How to convert a drive from the GPT format to the hybrid GPT/MBR format when using High Sierra (macOS 10.13.2)" for a procedure that accomplishes this task.
Use the Disk Utility application to erase a 16 GB or larger flash drive. Choose the parameters shown in the image below.
Mount the Windows iso file and copy the contents to the "BOOTCAMP" volume. In my case, the label "ESD-ISO" was used to identify the Windows iso. To perform the copy operation, you will need the enter the
cp
command from a Terminal application window. Below are the commands I usually enter. If necessary, make the appropriate modifications.Copy the Windows Support Software to the "BOOTCAMP" volume. Below is the command I usually enter. If necessary, make the appropriate modifications.
Use the command shown below to rename the
AutoUnattend.xml
file.Copy the contents of the "BOOTCAMP" volume to the "WINSTALL" volume. Below is the command to use.
Disable the ability to EFI boot from the "BOOTCAMP" volume. This can be accomplished by entering the command shown below. This will rename the folder containing the EFI boot files.
Next, you need to boot from the flash drive. Hold down the option key immediately after restarting your Mac. Release the option key when the Startup Manager window appears. Select the icon labeled "EFI boot". Next, select the arrow below the "EFI boot" label.
Open a Windows Command Prompt window by pressing shift+F10. The result should be similar to the image shown below.
Use the commands
diskpart
andbootsect
to make the "BOOTCAMP" volume BIOS bootable. The commands you need to enter are given below.You should see output similar to what is shown below. If there is a
*
character in theGpt
column for theDisk 0
entry, then you have not successfully converted the internal drive to use the GPT/MBR hybrid partitioning scheme, as described in step 3. If there is a*
character in theGpt
column for theDisk 1
entry, then you did not select "Master Boot Record" as the scheme in step 4.If no
*
characters appear in theGpt
column, then proceed and enter the command given below.From the output of the command
list volume
, determine the number (###) for the volume with the Label "BOOTCAMP". Also, determine the drive letter (Ltr) for this volume. In this example, I will assume the number is1
and the letter isC
. Your number and letter could be different. The next command selects this volume. If you determined a different number for the "BOOTCAMP" volume, then make the appropriate substitution.The next sequence of commands mark the volume active (bootable) and then quit
diskpart
.The next command writes the boot code to the MBR and the "BOOTCAMP" volume. If you determined a different drive letter for the "BOOTCAMP" volume, then make the appropriate substitution.
Enter the command shown below to quit the Windows Command Prompt window.
Press Escape or click the X button to close the Windows installer. If the popup shown below appears, then click on the
Yes
button. Wait for your Mac to reboot.You need to finish the installation of Windows 10. Hold down the option key immediately after your Mac turns on. Release the option key when the Startup Manager window appears. Select the icon labeled "Windows". Next, hold down the control key while choosing the circular arrow below the "Windows" label.
Once the installer opens, open a Windows Command Prompt window by pressing shift+F10.
Restart the Windows installation. The commands you need to enter are given below.
From the output of the command
list volume
, determine the drive letter (Ltr) for the volume with the Label "WINSTALL". In this example, I will assume the letter isD
. Your letter could be different. The next command quitsdiskpart
.Enter the command below to start the Windows installation. Again, if the drive letter, for the "WINSTALL" volume, is not
D
, then make the appropriate substitute when entering the command below.When asked: "Where do you want to install Windows?", proceed as follows. First select the "BOOTCAMP" partition. Next, click on the "Format" button. Finally, click on the "Next" button.
Proceed until you reach the screen where you are prompted for your region. For the 1709 version (OS build 16299.15) of Windows 10, your the screen will appear as shown below.
For other versions of Windows 10, the screen could appear different. As an example, the screen, for the 1507 version (OS build 10240) of Windows 10, would appear as shown below.
Next, press the control+shift+F3 keys to restart Windows 10 in Audit mode. If you are using a wireless keyboard, then you may have to utilize the On-Screen Keyboard. See
Ease of Access
on the lower left of the screen.When desktop shown below appears, the Windows Support Software installer should automatically launch. If this does not occur, use the Windows File Explorer to open the Windows Support Software application named "Setup". This application can be found in the "BootCamp" folder on the "WINSTALL" drive. After the installer application completes, allow the computer to restart.
You will return to the Administrator's desktop. If you are using a wireless keyboard, check to see if the keyboard is paired with the Mac. If not, then add the wireless keyboard to the existing Bluetooth devices.
If you prohibited your Mac access to the internet in an earlier step, you will now want to allow access. In other words, plug in the ethernet cable or connect by Wi-Fi.
Run the Apple Software Update application and install all updates.
(Optional) Download and install Windows updates. You may want to skip this step for now if you believe the updates will be large in number and/or size. However, skipping this step may result in some hardware drivers not being updated.
From the Windows Start menu, select to restart the Mac. You will return to the Administrator's desktop. If the "System Preparation Tool" window is not displayed, then open the
sysprep
application found in theC:\Windows\System32\Sysprep
folder. In this window, select "Shutdown" under the "Shutdown options", as shown below.Next, select "OK" to shutdown the Mac. At this point, you have completed the installation of Windows 10.
Next time you turn on your Mac, Windows will start in the "Out of the Box Experience" mode. This is basically the way a newly purchased PC starts up, when Windows 10 is already installed.
If asked, I can clarify any of the above steps.
Additional Notes
When the window below appeared, I clicked on the
Go
button.Next, I check off
Enable AMD Video Quality features in supported video player applications
, as shown below.Finally, I clicked on the
Apply
button, then closed the window.The Device Manager window is shown below. Here, there appears to be problem with a Bluetooth HID device. I am not sure, but I believe this device is not needed.
This same device appears under on the "Bluetooth & other devices" under "Settings", as shown below.
I clicked on the device to make the
Remove device
button appear, as shown below.I removed the device.
This next problem did not occur when I installed Windows 10 using the above instructions, but has occurred during previous Windows 10 installations. While answering questions, the message below appeared with the error code
OOBEIDPS
.According to the Microsoft website Windows OOBE fails when you start a new Windows-based computer for the first time, the solution is to do the following.
Actually, you may have to try more than once.