Hello. I installed the public beta 6 of El Cap the other day. Before, I has Windows 7 on Bootcamp which worked perfect. After the install of El Capitan beta, when I try to start Windows, it just loads the scenen where there's a blinkning "-" sign forever without really booting up the OS. Before this screen with the blinking sign only lasted a few second before the actual Windows booting screen cane up. Any idea what I can do? Is a downgrade back to Yosemite the only option?
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Can't open Windows 7 Bootcamp on El Capitan
- Thread starter iAmFille
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I suspect that your last beta update probably "touched" the boot blocks on your Boot Camp partition.
I don't think that downgrading your OS X system will fix the Windows partition boot blocks.
The problem is that your Windows partition is affected, but not the OS X system.
A good fix is probably booting to your Windows installer disk, and running a Windows repair on your Boot Camp partition.
There's probably a quicker Windows command line fix, but the repair install should also fix your issue.
I don't think that downgrading your OS X system will fix the Windows partition boot blocks.
The problem is that your Windows partition is affected, but not the OS X system.
A good fix is probably booting to your Windows installer disk, and running a Windows repair on your Boot Camp partition.
There's probably a quicker Windows command line fix, but the repair install should also fix your issue.
Oh I forgot to say. I installed the Public Beta 5 today. I was on Yosemite up until today when I decided to try El Capitan (it installed PB5 straight away).
If your OS X upgrade changed the Windows partition boot blocks, then that doesn't change your next step. You have to fix that Windows partition from Windows. The fact that your OS X system has been upgraded may have caused the problem, but it would simply be "collateral damage", in my opinion, just unintentional, a fluke. Making changes now to your OS X system won't fix Windows. Find your Windows installer, boot to that, and repair your Windows partition.
Okay I just tried to boot with the Windows installer and got a "Error loading operating system". I guess my only option now is to reinstall the whole Bootcamp?
Are you sure that you are choosing the Boot Camp partition when you try the Windows Repair task (if you are getting that far), as you can't repair the OS X boot partition from Windows, and that might report an error if you tried to do THAT.
Or, are you saying that you cannot boot at all to the Windows installer (and you get to a screen where you can choose your Windows (boot camp) partition, along with other choices, and you also don't see the choice to Repair Windows?
So if you try to boot to the installer, but you ONLY see "Error loading operating system) ?
Your NEXT step will be to get Windows again, and make a bootable disk that actually works. This is not connected in any way with your Mac, or your Boot Camp installation. It just means that your bootable installer is no good.
What media do you have for your Windows installer? CD, DVD, or flash drive?
Is this the same disk that you used to install Windows successfully the first time?
If you CAN boot to your Windows installer, but the Repair Install reports that "Error loading operating system", then yes, you will need to redo your whole bootcamp. And, you lose everything in Boot Camp that you don't have backed up, because you will need to use the Boot Camp Assistant to remove your existing boot camp partition, then start over again by making a new Boot Camp partition, then reinstalling Windows on that new partition.
Or, are you saying that you cannot boot at all to the Windows installer (and you get to a screen where you can choose your Windows (boot camp) partition, along with other choices, and you also don't see the choice to Repair Windows?
So if you try to boot to the installer, but you ONLY see "Error loading operating system) ?
Your NEXT step will be to get Windows again, and make a bootable disk that actually works. This is not connected in any way with your Mac, or your Boot Camp installation. It just means that your bootable installer is no good.
What media do you have for your Windows installer? CD, DVD, or flash drive?
Is this the same disk that you used to install Windows successfully the first time?
If you CAN boot to your Windows installer, but the Repair Install reports that "Error loading operating system", then yes, you will need to redo your whole bootcamp. And, you lose everything in Boot Camp that you don't have backed up, because you will need to use the Boot Camp Assistant to remove your existing boot camp partition, then start over again by making a new Boot Camp partition, then reinstalling Windows on that new partition.