Bootcamp Partition No Longer Bootable After Secondary Windows Install

[KeyPuncher]

Hi, I've been searching around the net for a solution that works for the issue I'm having, but no luck so far.

I have a Macbook that had Windows 8.1 installed via Bootcamp which worked fine. I had a total of three partitions, one for OS X, one for sharing files between Windows and OS X, and one for Windows 8. I ended up needing to install Windows 10 but I also needed to Windows 8 intact. It took me forever but I was able to install Windows 10 on the partition that used to be for sharing files.

At first, Windows 10's usb media didn't want to install on a GPT disk, but after installing refit (over refind which didn't have the partition tool) and running the hard disk partition tool which updated something (the boot table?) I was able to install Windows 10 on the partition I wanted but this turned Windows 8 to boot into a operating system missing message. Then after installing the Apple drivers on Windows 10 provided by bootcamp, I was no longer able to boot into Windows 8 partition at all and am at the state I am now.

Windows sees the space as unallocated, OS X sees the space in the Finder, refit can't boot into the space.
Here is some info I have gathered:

what Partitions Wizard shows in Windows (read not to do a partition recovery from Windows)


what I see in disk utility


what I see in finder


The output of sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

Disk: /dev/disk0    geometry: 60821/255/63 [977105060 sectors]
Signature: 0xAA55
         Starting       Ending
#: id  cyl  hd sec -  cyl  hd sec [     start -       size]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1: EE    0   0   2 -   25 127  14 [         1 -     409639] <Unknown ID>
2: AF   25 127  15 - 1023 254  63 [    409640 -  351562496] HFS+       
3: AB 1023 254  63 - 1023 254  63 [ 351972136 -    1269536] Darwin Boot
*4: 07 1023 254  63 - 1023 254  63 [ 353243136 -  134764544] HPFS/QNX/AUX

The print protective MBR data from gdisk

Disk size is 977105060 sectors (465.9 GiB)
MBR disk identifier: 0xC270F874
MBR partitions:

Number  Boot  Start Sector   End Sector   Status      Code
   1                     1       409639   primary     0xEE
   2                409640    351972135   primary     0xAF
   3             351972136    353241671   primary     0xAB
   4      *      353243136    488007679   primary     0x07

Thanks for any suggestions

 

[macenied]

Hi, I've been searching around the net for a solution that works for the issue I'm having, but no luck so far.

I have a Macbook that had Windows 8.1 installed via Bootcamp which worked fine. I had a total of three partitions, one for OS X, one for sharing files between Windows and OS X, and one for Windows 8. I ended up needing to install Windows 10 but I also needed to Windows 8 intact. It took me forever but I was able to install Windows 10 on the partition that used to be for sharing files.

At first, Windows 10's usb media didn't want to install on a GPT disk, but after installing refit (over refind which didn't have the partition tool) and running the hard disk partition tool which updated something (the boot table?) I was able to install Windows 10 on the partition I wanted but this turned Windows 8 to boot into a operating system missing message. Then after installing the Apple drivers on Windows 10 provided by bootcamp, I was no longer able to boot into Windows 8 partition at all and am at the state I am now.

Windows sees the space as unallocated, OS X sees the space in the Finder, refit can't boot into the space.
Here is some info I have gathered:

what Partitions Wizard shows in Windows (read not to do a partition recovery from Windows)
View attachment 574591

what I see in disk utility
View attachment 574590

what I see in finder
View attachment 574589

The output of sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

Disk: /dev/disk0    geometry: 60821/255/63 [977105060 sectors]
Signature: 0xAA55
         Starting       Ending
#: id  cyl  hd sec -  cyl  hd sec [     start -       size]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1: EE    0   0   2 -   25 127  14 [         1 -     409639] <Unknown ID>
2: AF   25 127  15 - 1023 254  63 [    409640 -  351562496] HFS+   
3: AB 1023 254  63 - 1023 254  63 [ 351972136 -    1269536] Darwin Boot
*4: 07 1023 254  63 - 1023 254  63 [ 353243136 -  134764544] HPFS/QNX/AUX

The print protective MBR data from gdisk

Disk size is 977105060 sectors (465.9 GiB)
MBR disk identifier: 0xC270F874
MBR partitions:

Number  Boot  Start Sector   End Sector   Status      Code
   1                     1       409639   primary     0xEE
   2                409640    351972135   primary     0xAF
   3             351972136    353241671   primary     0xAB
   4      *      353243136    488007679   primary     0x07

Thanks for any suggestions

As far as I can see you corrupted the partition table. If you have a GUID scheme for OSX and Windows you can have max. 4 partitions. Your utility shows you have more ( you probably created a logical partition to get into the mess ) .

You can have:

1. EFI
2. OSX
3. OSX Recovery
4. Windows

or:

1. EFI
2. OSX
3. Windows
4. Windows

partitions. This can be done without a boot manager but getting rid of the OSX Recovery partition is not so easy and probably not so meaningful though. IMO your installation cannot work with your configuration.

 

[KeyPuncher]

As far as I can see you corrupted the partition table. If you have a GUID scheme for OSX and Windows you can have max. 4 partitions. Your utility shows you have more ( you probably created a logical partition to get into the mess )

Oh okay. Yeah the unallocated space was showing a logical partition when I was viewing the deleted/lost partitions in Windows. I think I will try and remove the recovery partition to see if I can make it work. I use OS X the least and if I can get this configuration to work it will be very beneficial for work. Perhaps there is a partition backup/restore utility I can use just in case.

Thanks.

 

[Shirasaki]

I think, virtual machine is a better choice since Apple probably adds limitations on installing multiple windows on Mac.

If it is possible to figure out the partition table using gpt utility, maybe it is possible to install multiple windows on Mac. I fail.

 

[doynton]

I think, virtual machine is a better choice since Apple probably adds limitations on installing multiple windows on Mac.

If it is possible to figure out the partition table using gpt utility, maybe it is possible to install multiple windows on Mac. I fail.

Apple doesn't add any limitation. The limitation is using a hybrid mbr scheme. A mbr partition scheme can only have 4 active partitions. As @macenied said, if you want to triple boot you need to delete your OSX recovery partition. Reason is you need EFI partition plus whatever else you want. If you want 2 Windows and OSX you have to delete the recovery partition as otherwise you would have 5.

You can make more (using gdisk for example) but the extra partions will only be seen under OSX not Windows as the mbr limit applies and you would have to update the mbr to cover several gpt partitions which is a bit fiddly.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple doesn't add any limitation. The limitation is using a hybrid mbr scheme. A mbr partition scheme can only have 4 active partitions. As @macenied said, if you want to triple boot you need to delete your OSX recovery partition. Reason is you need EFI partition plus whatever else you want. If you want 2 Windows and OSX you have to delete the recovery partition as otherwise you would have 5.

You can make more (using gdisk for example) but the extra partions will only be seen under OSX not Windows as the mbr limit applies and you would have to update the mbr to cover several gpt partitions which is a bit fiddly.

Yep. MBR partition scheme allows only four main partitions for startup. However in a conventional Windows PC, you can install way more than four Windows and boot each of them correctly. The trick is only one main partition is used to store startup information. And from there, boot manager will handle the rest.

Apple boot manager is unable to do so, so Apple choose to create another main partition to boot Windows. When user want to boot multiple windows, they will probably fail due to such limitation.

 

[macenied]

Yep. MBR partition scheme allows only four main partitions for startup. However in a conventional Windows PC, you can install way more than four Windows and boot each of them correctly. The trick is only one main partition is used to store startup information. And from there, boot manager will handle the rest.

Apple boot manager is unable to do so, so Apple choose to create another main partition to boot Windows. When user want to boot multiple windows, they will probably fail due to such limitation.

He can delete the Recovery Partition and the Logical Partition with any tool that permits it. Then boot a windows setup dvd or USB stick and create 2 primary ntfs partitions, format them. Check how it looks like from OSX and verify the OSX partition, get rid of refind. then perform normal windows installs in the new windows partitions. Install BootCamp drivers on each windows version. done.

Some time ago i had OSX, W7 and W10 TP running on my MPB, native. It worked without problems. Today I would not install W7/8/8.1 again. No need, just overhead IMO.

 

[Shirasaki]

He can delete the Recovery Partition and the Logical Partition with any tool that permits it. Then boot a windows setup dvd or USB stick and create 2 primary ntfs partitions, format them. Check how it looks like from OSX and verify the OSX partition, get rid of refind. then perform normal windows installs in the new windows partitions. Install BootCamp drivers on each windows version. done.

Some time ago i had OSX, W7 and W10 TP running on my MPB, native. It worked without problems. Today I would not install W7/8/8.1 again. No need, just overhead IMO.

If we can simply modify Apple boot manager and add Windows partition boot information, we would not need to bother losing recovery partition or sticking into one Windows installation.

 

[macenied]

If we can simply modify Apple boot manager and add Windows partition boot information, we would not need to bother losing recovery partition or sticking into one Windows installation.

Yes. I did stick with GUID because the Mac EFI is not a real, full EFI. It's not documented and you can't rely on it. That's why I went this route. I created a OSX recovery partition on an external USB HD drive those times. Did you look at the latest DELL Broadwell laptops ? You can buy something like "DELL-care", Accident insurance and they look really nice. Pretty sure they support full EFI. Promising .

 

[Shirasaki]

Yes. I did stick with GUID because the Mac EFI is not a real, full EFI. It's not documented and you can't rely on it. That's why I went this route. I created a OSX recovery partition on an external USB HD drive those times. Did you look at the latest DELL Broadwell laptops ? You can buy something like "DELL-care", Accident insurance and they look really nice. Pretty sure they support full EFI. Promising .

In fact, I am about to buy a new decent PC for my secondary PC. MacBook Air is too poor in some specs.

I can remember the time when some fanboys claim Apple EFI was much advanced than old fashioned mbr.

 

[KeyPuncher]

I was able to get it going. But I had to install Windows 8 again, and when I boot it goes to Windows and then a Windows version selection for 8 or 10. But at least it works. I'm going to re-size the partitions on my hard drive anyway so I'll just install them again and hopefully it all still works.