Installing Windows 8.1 and Bootcamp on 2013 nMP 6,1

adr1974 said:

Installed 8.1 last night on my 6 core D500. Initially, ran into some issues. Specifically, couldn't get bootcamp to format the partition. I then removed ALL external drives (2 LaCie thunderbolt drives) and tried again. Success. Installed without a problem. After successful installation, I then used WinClone to move Bootcamp to a LaCie Rugged thunderbolt SSD. I then unplugged the rugged and removed the internal partition. Booted into 8.1 using the external drive, and all worked perfectly. Plugged the other external drives back in, and when i boot into windows, i get a "CACHE_MANAGER" error after about 30 seconds or so. Remove the two external drives and boot using JUST the external SSD, and everything works perfectly. Guess that's why external drives aren't officially supported...

Click to expand...

I have seen that error several times as well, and eliminated it by removing the Apple file-system drivers from the registry using instructions found on this forum. I had no further issues since on any of the machines which exhibited that crash.

I don't have the instructions with me right now, but if you don't find them I will post them when I get home.


-howard


I found it ...

How to remove AppleHFS & AppleMNT Drivers:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13449458/



.

Thanks Howard -- will give it a shot later tonight. Would be nice to not have to disconnect all my drives every time I want to boot into BC.

I found a solution of bootcamp installation issue

Summary
Using bootcamp is the easiest way to install Win8/8.1 to NMP.
However, many people encountered the same problem that windows installer fails at the end of 1st installation phase, like "cannot update boot configuration" error.

I experienced both success and found a solution of this issue.

1. If you install windows using bootcamp, do it right at first trial, then you will succeed.
2. If you run bootcamp more than twice, create-partition, delete particion and re-create it, you will encounter the error "cannot update boot configuration".
Once you get into this situation, any trial will not succeed. You encounter the same error again and again.

3. If you once get into this situation, the solution is clearing NVRAM and PRAM of nMP.
Here's apples procedure how to do it.
About NVRAM and PRAM
Then you can reset nMP as first state, and can install windows successfully.

Note: Reseting NVRAM and PRAM will not loosing much. Speaker volumes, screen's default resolution etc. Please see the link.

Why
I came to this conclusion from my trial.
My 1st installation went well. I was able to install windows 8.1 professional successfully.
After that, I encounters Winnows issue and decided to re-install. At this point, I did not think that I encounter the error "can't update boot configuration", because my first install went well. However, after deleting windows partition and recreate it by bootcamp assistant, I encountered the error. After this every trial failed.
I also tried installation to external drive, but encountered same error.

I though some information related to boot configuration became bad or different from the initial state of Mac Pro.

I found partition error on nMP's main SSD, which was probably caused by failed installation by disk utility. I though this was the reason. Even after I fixed it using recovery tool, the same error happened.

I almost gave up. When I was looking for another information at Apple's support site, I found this NVRAM/PRAM reset procedure.
The document say as follows.

Information stored in NVRAM / PRAM includes:
Speaker volume
Screen resolution
Startup disk selection
Recent kernel panic information, if any
If you experience issues related to these functions, you may need to reset the NVRAM or PRAM.

Click to expand...

I thought this was worth try.
After reseting this, my nMP back to the initial state, and installed windows again successfully.

Later, I'll summarise the right procedure to install Windows by bootcamp assistant.
Regards,

Has the NVRAM/PRAM reset worked for anyone else?

kfscoll said:

Has the NVRAM/PRAM reset worked for anyone else?

Click to expand...

I hope so and I am quite certain this simple reset will solve Windows installation problem for every one.
Because, after my first success of installation and first failure, I encountered exactly same error that everyone reported.
This simple reset made my nMP allow to install Windows as my first success.

I also want to tell that this reset also solve the problem when installing windows to external drive without bootcamp assistant.

While I was struggling with bootcamp install, I tried this method many times but encountered same error.
But after reseting NVRAM/PRAM, install to external disk also went successfully.
Now I have two bootcamp windows installation in internal and external drive.
Both work fine.
I need to decide which one I use.

Nope

Ram reset didn't work.

I have a Japanese nMP so I was hoping (based on Yoshida-san's name) that he also had a Japanese nMP so it would work. I have the exact same system.

Didn't work.

One more thing I tried - I tried installing Windows via Boot Camp as soon as I turned on my nMP. Before I loaded any data on. So it was as clean as possible. And it didn't work. Same error as everyone.

After just about every configuration (Win 8, 8.1, DVD drives, USB keys, Tuxera, no Tuxera formatting) still nothing.

Sigh.

I started the process of installing Windows 8.1 on my own nMP (hex/64GB/1TB/D700). I initially got an error saying that there was a "compatibility issue" after booting from the USB stick I made with Boot Camp Assistant; after rebooting with my LaCie Thunderbolt (1) drive disconnected everything was progressing well last time I looked (I left it installing Windows and haven't been back to check on it).

A propos the issue about having other drives connected, I can say from my experience with an rMBP, I had all kinds of problems when I had anything connected to the rMBP by Thunderbolt and would try to use Windows 8 and then 8.1. Windows 8 wouldn't even boot with Thunderbolt connected; 8.1 would boot but had a lot of issues. Reading an old thread, I went and got a cheap Sony external USB 3.0 drive to use as a backup drive under Windows and it works fine.

From what I've read, people have real trouble trying to get Boot Camped Windows to play nice with RAID drives, and Windows won't boot off a USB drive.

I have two specific questions regarding what I ought to be doing with my Boot Camped Windows setup.

First, do I go to the AMD site and download whatever graphics card drivers are there, or do I let something else (like the Boot Camp Control Panel) handle all of that?

Second, how do people back up their Windows partitions? I tried several automatic options that are made for Windows but nearly everything I tried seemed to have issues with how I was doing stuff on the Boot Campy Mac.

Thanks.

Stuart

sturob said:

...

Second, how do people back up their Windows partitions? I tried several automatic options that are made for Windows but nearly everything I tried seemed to have issues with how I was doing stuff on the Boot Campy Mac.

Thanks.

Stuart

Click to expand...

I use "WinClone" ... works every time! I haven't found any easier way to restore a Windows image from OS X to either internal or external drives. Note: This is a "snapshot" backup, not a TimeMachine type historical backup program.

http://twocanoes.com/winclone/


-howard

Installing Windows using Boot Camp Assistant

[What is required]
1. USB memory for Boot Camp drivers.
2. Proper windows installation disk or ISO image. Win 8 or Win 8.1, 64bit
3. either - External optical disk drive ( if you install from DVD)

[Preparation]

Before you start Boot Camp Assistant, following preparations are recommended.

• Determine the size of the Windows partition on your internal drive. This is important because once you install the Windows, there is no way to change the size later, other than delete the partition and re-install Windows.
• Update EFI and OSX to most recent. Check updates on App Store or Software Update under Apple menu.
• Backup your disk using Time Machine, just in case you erase your disk accidentally.
• Disconnect all unnecessary external drives. This is for avoiding confusion to select the right drive and partition at Windows installer. Also many external disks slows down re-boot process.
• Disconnect or leave connected LAN

[Procedure]

• Start Boot Camp Assistant
  When you start Boot Camp Assistant, three check box, (all of them checked) appear. As title says “Select Tasks”, all those three are options. (You must select at least one to continue)
  - Create a Windows 8 or later install disk
  
  If you install from DVD or you already have installer USB, uncheck this box and connect optical disk drive and insert Windows installer DVD or installer USB. Otherwise, Boot Camp Assistant will not let you proceed.
  If you want to create USB installer disk, leave it checked.
  ​
  - Download the latest windows support software from Apple
  
  If you already have downloaded Boot Camp drivers, you can uncheck this box. However, please insert USB which contains Boot Camp drivers. Otherwise Boot Camp Assistance will not let you proceed after step 2.​
  - Install Windows 8 or later version
  
  This is the main task to perform. Please levee this box Checked.​
  press “Continue”.
  
• Select partition size for Windows
  
  The window shown in Fig. 2 appears. You can drag the border between OS X and Windows to adjust the size of Windows partition. (20GB or “Divide Equally” are not only choices)
  When done, press “Continue”.​
• Follow instructions of Windows installer
  
  Select Language, Keyboard etc. Just follow the installer guidance, until selecting partition to install Windows.​
• Select Partition to install Windows
  
  When the installer asks to select the partition to install, you have to carefully pick the correct partition. Select the last partition named “Boot Camp” and double check the size of the partition is what you chose at step 3. (the size may slightly different, because OS X and Windows calculate differently)
  Then the installer says “can’t install Widows on partition 4”. This is because the partition is not NTFS. Select “Format(F)” located under partition list box.
  Then press "Next"
  ​
• Answer questions from Widows installer
  
  After Step 4, the installer reboot the system several times, and ask you to input computer name, settings, user name, password etc. Just follows the instructions.​
• Complete
  
  After that, installation will finish soon. The Widows starts and Boot Camp drivers are installed automatically.​

Please remember to re-connect your necessary peripherals.
I hope you will have successful installation.

benjuddeffect said:

Ram reset didn't work.

I have a Japanese nMP so I was hoping (based on Yoshida-san's name) that he also had a Japanese nMP so it would work. I have the exact same system.

Didn't work.

One more thing I tried - I tried installing Windows via Boot Camp as soon as I turned on my nMP. Before I loaded any data on. So it was as clean as possible. And it didn't work. Same error as everyone.

After just about every configuration (Win 8, 8.1, DVD drives, USB keys, Tuxera, no Tuxera formatting) still nothing.

Sigh.

Click to expand...

That's what I was afraid of. Based on what a PRAM/NVRAM reset does, I'd be really surprised if it were a panacea for the problems everyone has been having. Evidently it isn't. Just because one person had success with it doesn't mean that everyone will. Still, I'd like to hear from others who've tried the reset.

Verify and Repair the partition map error on your SSD

For me, at last, NVRAM reset removed the all error, so I forgot to tell one more error recovery I'd done, before NVRAM reset.

That is verifying internal SSD's partition map.
When I run the Disk Utility, I realized nMP internal SSD had some error, and fixed it.

[Procedure]

1. Run Disk Utility.
2. Pick " xxxB APPLE SSD" on Disk/Partition map on the left.
3. Press "Verify Disk" button at lower right. [ arrow 1 ]
4. If you see no error like fist thumbnail, OK. Close Disk Utility. Finished
5. If you see some error, like second thumbnail, try "Repair Disk" [ arrow 2 ]
   Sorry for the moire and language is Japanese, but key point is, if there's error, it will be highlighted in red and warning message appears on top. The error message says that Partition map need to be repaired. There is a problem on the file system of EFI system part ion.

Disk Utility running under OS X may not fix the error, while OS X is running, or disk is locked by Boot Camp. I actually fixed my SSD's error from Disk Utility under Recovery Disk.
Recovery Disk does not go into recovery automatically, so it is safe to run.

[How to Run Recovery Tool - Disk Utility]

• If you still have BOOTCAMP partition from previous trial, remove it by running Boot Camp Assistant
• Reboot System and hold Option key until selection appears
• Select "Recovery -xxxx" and boot
• Main Menu appears. Select Disk Utility at the bottom. - Then you see familiar Disk Utility

Disk Utility in Recovery Disk has same UI with Disk Utility under OS X. (May be same one)
But, this run while OSX is not running.
"Verify Disk" first, if error exists still, press "Repair Disk".
This will fix your SSD's partition map error.

The order I executed was, check and repair the partition map error first.
But this still does not solved the problem, and I though this was not a solution.
Then later, NVRAM reset solved everything. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379?viewlocale=en_US

I don't know which is the root cause of the other, or two errors are totally independent.
But probably we need to do both, fix the partition map and reset NVRAM.

Install Windows 8/8.1 to external drive

If you want to install Windows 8 /8.1 to external drive, here's detail procedure.

While I was struggling to install into internal SSD using Boot Camp Assistant, I also tried this method number of times. However, this also didn’t work.
So the issue is same. Widows installer can’t configure the system to boot automatically into installing partition. So, this can’t be a work around for Boot Camp installation problem, if your system is in such a condition. Please fix the issue first. Please refer my previous post to fix SSD’s partition map and reset NVRAM.

I summarize this because this is simple and straight forward, if you install Windows on external drive. After installation completes, you can use the Windows exactly same with Boot Camp installed Windows, including specifying next boot from system preference, or coming back to OSX.

[What is required]
1. External drive to install Windows.
2. USB memory for Boot Camp drivers.
3. Proper windows installation disk or ISO image. Win 8 or Win 8.1, 64bit
4. either - External optical disk drive ( if you install from DVD)

[Preparation]

Before you start Boot Camp Assistant, following preparations are recommended.

• Update EFI and OSX to most recent. Check updates on App Store or Software Update under Apple menu.
• Backup your disk using Time Machine, just in case you erase your disk accidentally.
• Disconnect all unnecessary external drives. This is for avoiding confusion to select the right drive and partition at Windows installer. Also many external disks slows down re-boot process.
• Disconnect or leave connected LAN

[Procedure]

• Prepare your external drive for installation
  
  Start disk Utility in OS X, pick the external drive you use. Create 1 partition under GPT partitioning and put unique name on the partition. Partition name help you to identify the correct partition under Windows installer. If your external drive size is close to your internal drive, make that partition about a half or smaller of full capacity for identification by the size.
  Format is not important, because later you will delete this partition and re-create new partition in NTFS under Widows installer.​
• Start Boot Camp Assistant to download Boot Camp Drivers (If you don’t have Boot Camp Driver yet or want to create USB installer disk from ISO image. Otherwise skip this step.)
  When you start Boot Camp Assistant, there are three check boxes (all of them checked). As title says “Select Tasks”, all those three are options. (You must select at least one to continue)
  - Create a Windows 8 or later install disk
  
  If you install from DVD or you already have installer USB, uncheck this box and connect optical disk drive and insert Windows installer DVD or installer USB. Otherwise, Boot Camp Assistant will not let you proceed.
  If you want to create USB installer disk, leave it checked.
  ​
  - Download the latest windows support software from Apple
  
  If you already have downloaded Boot Camp drivers, you can uncheck this box.​
  - Install Windows 8 or later version
  
  Now, we don’t use Boot Camp Assistance to install Windows, please Uncheck this box.​
  press “Continue”.
  Once Boot Camp Driver USB and Windows installing USB/DVD are ready, go to next step.
• Reboot your system
  
  Make Sure Boot Camp Driver USB and Windows installer USB/DVD are connected to the system.
  When boot starts, hold down option key until boot selection appears. (Fig 1 or Fig 2)
  Select EFI under USB or Opt Disk icon.
  Windows installer boots and starts installing process.​
• Follow instructions of Windows installer
  
  Select Language, Keyboard etc. Just follow the installer guidance, until selecting partition to install Windows.​
• Select Partition to install Windows
  
  When the installer asks to select the partition to install, you have to carefully pick the correct drive.
  If the partition name you assigned at step 1 appears, that is the correct partition and disk. Please double check the size of the partition. (the size may slightly different, because OS X and Windows calculate differently)
  I tried Thunderbolt connected SSD, then the drive appears as disk 0. However, I don’t understand how windows installer numbers different drives, don’t assume that disk 0 is the external drive. If you connect external disk through USB, it may appears as disk 1.
  Once you identify target partition you created, select that and press “Delete” button under partition list box. There’s small partition for EFI on the same disk. Also delete that EFI partition and make the disk space all “Un-Allocated”. Then select “New” and specify the partition size you want to create. If you allocate all disk space for windows partition, then just press “Apply”. Windows installer create 2 partitions. The second partition is install partition and already selected. Press “Next”
  ​
• Answer questions from Widows installer
  
  After Step 5, the installer reboot the system several times, and ask you to input computer name, settings, user name, password etc. Just follows the instructions.​
• Complete
  
  After that, installation will finish soon. The Widows starts and Boot Camp drivers are installed automatically, if not please install manually.​

Please remember to re-connect your necessary peripherals.

I tried both Windows 8.0 Upgrade disk and Windows 8.1 OEM version. Both are successfully installed.
I also tried Windows 7 SP1 OEM disk, but this can’t boot properly at step 3, so I gave up. I think, EFI boot information on Widows 7 are too old and not compatible.
I hope you will have successful installation.

Great guide thanks! Has anyone tried this with an external USB3 SSD? It should work right?

ytoyoda said:

If you want to install Windows 8 /8.1 to external drive, here's detail procedure.

Click to expand...

I don't have a nMP, so can't comment on how the procedures work for the external installation. But I have used very similar steps to install Win 8/8,1 successfully on my 2009 MP flashed to 5,1 firmware. When I first read the Boot Camp problems reported in this thread, my first reaction was that has anyone tried the EFI Boot install to bypass Boot Camp? From your excellent write-up, I think you are the first to formally document how to do the EFI Boot install of Win 8 for nMP, but the same procedures can also be applied to older (2009-2012) MPs using an internal SATA drive.

I've followed your procedures to make sure they produced the same result as mine. To make the process more efficient, you can skip the first step and wait until booting into the installer at the end of your step 3 and right before step 4. When the language setup screen appears, type "Shift" + "F10" keys and a command line window will appear. Then type the command in quotations and return/enter key:

• "diskpart" (start diskpart utility)
• "list disk" (check for the disk number)
• "select disk 0" (select the disk to convert, assuming the first one is the target)
• "clean" (wipe all the partitions on the disk clean)
• "convert gpt" (add GPT to disk)
• "exit" (leave the diskpart utility)
• "exit" (close the command window)

Now we're back at the end of step 3 , and continue to step 4.

I'm sure this approach works for internal and Thunderbolt drives , but not certain if it would work for USB 3 drives. The advice when using this approach is to connect only the USB/DVD Windows installer and the target drive while disconnecting all other drives just in case any mistake could erase the wrong disk or write the EFI partitions to another disk as this had happened to me before.

Overall, this is great work and thanks for your contribution.

P.S. Don't waste your time on Windows 7 EFI Boot install, it's a hybrid boot process that requires BIOS video drivers which Apple's EFI can't handle without significant hacking efforts.

Success again--Winclone to 6 core D500

So a while back I posted that I got 8.1 running on my 6 core / D500 by moving a win clone of an installation on my early 2013 15" Retina MBP.

Then after going through reactivation (I had do dial the 800 number) and some software updates it suddenly would "brick" at startup, never getting to the login screen and instead showing a flashing small network icon every 10 seconds or so.

After moving on for a few weeks, I wiped the nMP's bootcamp partition and replaced with that same WinClone image from the MBP.

This time, after about 20 minutes of reloading bootcamp drivers, getting AMD drivers on, and a few windows updates, it's running smoothly again! (I made a few WinClone images between restarts during the process thinking I might isolate the problem, but no problems emerged!

As a bonus, I didn't need to reactivate the second time--I suspect the Windows "borg" saw that the exact same HD config was connecting for new drivers again, so it didn't give me a hard time.

Anyway, Cinebench gives my a significantly higher OpenGL assessment than I get on the OS side.

Let me know if there are any other benchmarks you'd like run, although I imagine by this point they're generally available online.

xcodeSyn said:

...
I've followed your procedures to make sure they produced the same result as mine. To make the process more efficient, you can skip the first step and wait until booting into the installer at the end of your step 3 and right before step 4. When the language setup screen appears, type "Shift" + "F10" keys and a command line window will appear. Then type the command in quotations and return/enter key:

• "diskpart" (start diskpart utility)
• "list disk" (check for the disk number)
• "select disk 0" (select the disk to convert, assuming the first one is the target)
• "clean" (wipe all the partitions on the disk clean)
• "convert gpt" (add GPT to disk)
• "exit" (leave the diskpart utility)
• "exit" (close the command window)

Now we're back at the end of step 3 , and continue to step 4.

...
Overall, this is great work and thanks for your contribution.

P.S. Don't waste your time on Windows 7 EFI Boot install, it's a hybrid boot process that requires BIOS video drivers which Apple's EFI can't handle without significant hacking efforts.

Click to expand...

Thank you for verifying my procedure, suggestions and your comments.
I tried various way to setup the partition before install, using "diskpart" in Windows command prompt and also while installing. So I understand your method.

I wasn't sure, disk 0 is always target, because Win7 installer listed internal SSD as disk 0 and thunderbolt drive as disk 1. But both Win8 and Win 8.1 installer treat thunderbolt drive as disk 0.

Thank you.

xcodeSyn said:

I don't have a nMP, so can't comment on how the procedures work for the external installation. But I have used very similar steps to install Win 8/8,1 successfully on my 2009 MP flashed to 5,1 firmware. When I first read the Boot Camp problems reported in this thread, my first reaction was that has anyone tried the EFI Boot install to bypass Boot Camp? From your excellent write-up, I think you are the first to formally document how to do the EFI Boot install of Win 8 for nMP, but the same procedures can also be applied to older (2009-2012) MPs using an internal SATA drive.

I've followed your procedures to make sure they produced the same result as mine. To make the process more efficient, you can skip the first step and wait until booting into the installer at the end of your step 3 and right before step 4. When the language setup screen appears, type "Shift" + "F10" keys and a command line window will appear. Then type the command in quotations and return/enter key:

• "diskpart" (start diskpart utility)
• "list disk" (check for the disk number)
• "select disk 0" (select the disk to convert, assuming the first one is the target)
• "clean" (wipe all the partitions on the disk clean)
• "convert gpt" (add GPT to disk)
• "exit" (leave the diskpart utility)
• "exit" (close the command window)

Now we're back at the end of step 3 , and continue to step 4.

I'm sure this approach works for internal and Thunderbolt drives , but not certain if it would work for USB 3 drives. The advice when using this approach is to connect only the USB/DVD Windows installer and the target drive while disconnecting all other drives just in case any mistake could erase the wrong disk or write the EFI partitions to another disk as this had happened to me before.

Overall, this is great work and thanks for your contribution.

P.S. Don't waste your time on Windows 7 EFI Boot install, it's a hybrid boot process that requires BIOS video drivers which Apple's EFI can't handle without significant hacking efforts.

Click to expand...

I installed Windows 8.1 using an EFI install (thus avoiding Boot Camp) more than a week ago and have posted about it numerous times in this thread. Even so, some folks have still had no success getting an EFI install to work on their nMPs, even when completely avoiding Boot Camp, so I wouldn't assume it's a cure-all for the problems many are facing. ytoyoda had luck installing Boot Camp on his nMP on the first attempt, so it's a stretch to assume that what works on his computer will work for everyone.

I'm not trying to be a wet blanket, but there are a lot of recent posts claiming to have once and for all solved the nMP's Windows installation issues, and until we get more than one person reporting success, those are tough claims to substantiate.

ytoyoda said:

[What is required]
1. USB memory for Boot Camp drivers.
2. Proper windows installation disk or ISO image. Win 8 or Win 8.1, 64bit
3. either - External optical disk drive ( if you install from DVD)

or - USB memory as installer disk (if you install from USB)
Windows 8.1 professional requires 4.1GB, so I recommend to use 8GB or grater capacity.​

[Note]
Basically there is no difference in result between using optical disk or USB memory.
USB memory is little faster for the 1st installation phase. If you are planning to install many times. USB is recommended.
However, in most case, the installation must be once ( if you don’t fail) so just using install DVD and optical drive is much easier.
​

[Preparation]

Before you start Boot Camp Assistant, following preparations are recommended.

If you have already experienced “can’t update boot configuration” error on your previous trial, please follow the instruction and reset your nMP’s NVRAM. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379?viewlocale=en_US
If after reseting NVRAM and you still encounter problems, please check the internal SSD using disk utility. (I'll post the detail procedure later.)
​

• Determine the size of the Windows partition on your internal drive. This is important because once you install the Windows, there is no way to change the size later, other than delete the partition and re-install Windows.
• Update EFI and OSX to most recent. Check updates on App Store or Software Update under Apple menu.
• Backup your disk using Time Machine, just in case you erase your disk accidentally.
• Disconnect all unnecessary external drives. This is for avoiding confusion to select the right drive and partition at Windows installer. Also many external disks slows down re-boot process.
• Disconnect or leave connected LAN

If LAN is connected during installation, Widows installer ask many questions, like your Microsoft account. Answering those questions, you will get better personalized Windows at the first boot. However those settings can be done after the installation.
If you want quicker installation, please disconnect LAN. If you want more complete installation, leave LAN connected.
Windows installer does not access to Wi-Fi, so you do not worry about Wi-Fi connection.
​

[Procedure]

• Start Boot Camp Assistant
  When you start Boot Camp Assistant, three check box, (all of them checked) appear. As title says “Select Tasks”, all those three are options. (You must select at least one to continue)
  - Create a Windows 8 or later install disk
  
  If you install from DVD or you already have installer USB, uncheck this box and connect optical disk drive and insert Windows installer DVD or installer USB. Otherwise, Boot Camp Assistant will not let you proceed.
  If you want to create USB installer disk, leave it checked.
  ​
  - Download the latest windows support software from Apple
  
  If you already have downloaded Boot Camp drivers, you can uncheck this box. However, please insert USB which contains Boot Camp drivers. Otherwise Boot Camp Assistance will not let you proceed after step 2.​
  - Install Windows 8 or later version
  
  This is the main task to perform. Please levee this box Checked.​
  press “Continue”.
  
• Select partition size for Windows
  
  The window shown in Fig. 2 appears. You can drag the border between OS X and Windows to adjust the size of Windows partition. (20GB or “Divide Equally” are not only choices)
  When done, press “Continue”.​
• Follow instructions of Windows installer
  
  Select Language, Keyboard etc. Just follow the installer guidance, until selecting partition to install Windows.​
• Select Partition to install Windows
  
  When the installer asks to select the partition to install, you have to carefully pick the correct partition. Select the last partition named “Boot Camp” and double check the size of the partition is what you chose at step 3. (the size may slightly different, because OS X and Windows calculate differently)
  Then the installer says “can’t install Widows on partition 4”. This is because the partition is not NTFS. Select “Format(F)” located under partition list box.
  Then press "Next"
  ​
• Answer questions from Widows installer
  
  After Step 4, the installer reboot the system several times, and ask you to input computer name, settings, user name, password etc. Just follows the instructions.​
• Complete
  
  After that, installation will finish soon. The Widows starts and Boot Camp drivers are installed automatically.​

Please remember to re-connect your necessary peripherals.
I hope you will have successful installation.

Click to expand...

ytoyoda I could kiss you! This solved my problem!!!! I reset the NVRAM as suggested and success! no problems installing. You're amazing, thank you SO much!

For those who haven't seen my posts I have a nMP 6 core, 16gb RAM, 512 HD, D500. I installed using a toshiba 1tb usb3 spinning external.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

kfscoll said:

I installed Windows 8.1 using an EFI install (thus avoiding Boot Camp) more than a week ago and have posted about it numerous times in this thread. Even so, some folks have still had no success getting an EFI install to work on their nMPs, even when completely avoiding Boot Camp, so I wouldn't assume it's a cure-all for the problems many are facing. ytoyoda had luck installing Boot Camp on his nMP on the first attempt, so it's a stretch to assume that what works on his computer will work for everyone.

Click to expand...

The article you cited did not use GPT disk, so technically it's not an EFI Boot install of Windows and I don't believe your Windows icon based on this article as shown in the boot menu is called EFI Boot. Please correct me if I am wrong here. Other than that I agree with you completely and that's why I never stated or even implied anything that EFI Boot is a cure for all others' problems in my post.

Actually ytoyoda made it very clear in his post to which I referred that you have to first fix the internal SSD issues before using either Boot Camp or EFI Boot instal successfullyl. Whether people agree with his points is really not my business. My post was merely focused on how his detailed EFI Boot procedures could also be applied to older MPs and that's it. If my post somehow mislead you in any other way, then it's my poor communication skill to blame.

TekAzurik said:

I installed using a toshiba 1tb usb3 spinning external.

Click to expand...

This is good news because USB 3 drives are much more affordable and still bootable.

xcodeSyn said:

This is good news because USB 3 drives are much more affordable and still bootable.

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Sorry, must clarify. Installed via toshiba as install usb drive. Bootcamp is on the nMP SSD.

xcodeSyn said:

The article you cited did not use GPT disk, so technically it's not an EFI Boot install of Windows and I don't believe your Windows icon based on this article as shown in the boot menu is called EFI Boot.

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You're probably right. I did run into an error when cloning my original Windows installation to a new external SSD that forced me to run the following command:

bcdboot C:\windows /s Z: /f UEFI

which I assumed copied the UEFI files from my Windows partition to the boot partition on my external SSD. Also, Windows says I'm running in EFI mode (see the BIOS Mode line in the screenshot below). However, Disk Utility on the OS X side says that both partitions on my external SSD are MBR and not GPT so I'm not sure what's going on (aside from that fact that it seems to be working fine).

My point wasn't to poke you or ytoyoda in the eye; it was simply to temper hopes that he'd stumbled across the end-all, be-all fix...although someone else has now reported success with the NVRAM reset!

TekAzurik said:

ytoyoda I could kiss you! This solved my problem!!!! I reset the NVRAM as suggested and success! no problems installing. You're amazing, thank you SO much!

For those who haven't seen my posts I have a nMP 6 core, 16gb RAM, 512 HD, D500. I installed using a toshiba 1tb usb3 spinning external.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

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Thank you. I'm glad that my post actually solved the problem for you.
I struggled this for about a 3 days. And found this solution.

kfscoll said:

Maybe you're on to something. Mine (Boot Camp didn't work):
512GB SSD
FirePro D700
16GB RAM

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Here is mine:
512 ssd
Firepro d700
8 core
16gb

Didn't work after 8 attempts, trying all kinds of suggestions
Gave up for now, trying parallels desktop for now

PIs said:

Here is mine:
512 ssd
Firepro d700
8 core
16gb

Didn't work after 8 attempts, trying all kinds of suggestions
Gave up for now, trying parallels desktop for now

Click to expand...

It was too early post, i made a last attempt and IT WORKS!!!
The key is to reset the NVRAM, that was the only way to get rid of the "cannot update" error,essage during install

Thank you!!!!!