How Do I "Inject" or Install Grub 2 as the Bootloader (Preferably w/ a 3rd-Party GUI) of my Windows 11 USB Flashdrive Installer & Boot EFI Based Macs?

[Alvin777]

Hi GNU Linux bootloader friends.

I need to have a Windows 11 or 10 USB Installer in a Flashdrive to be on the ready to fix any Windows installation on any computer (Mac or PC) and any EFI (old Macs use EFI) or UEFI (relatively new PCs and new Macs use UEFI).

I burn the Windows .iso using Rufus (on an actual PC if need be) but I've tried these Rufus settings but it can't boot the EFI Macs, it tries to load up to the Windows logo and the white spinning circling animation at the bottom and then it goes into BSOD. EFI based computers are the most problematic to boot with a Windows 11 or 10 USB Installer it seems for some reason.

I've tried with no success different setting on Rufus (GPT & UEFI, MBR & BIOS w/ Rufus MBR ID enabled and disabled). I've also tried rEFInd's bootloader replacement, replace the files in the Windows USB Installer's EFI folder and boot folder. rEFInd's replacement bootloader can't load the Windows USB Installer's Windows PE kind of OS or semi/mini-OS.

I'll inject/install the Grub 2 bootloader and onto the Windows 11 USB installer Flashdrive perhaps it's bootloader is powerful enough to boot Windows PE/the installer on an EFI Mac but does anyone have a good link how to install it or better yet does anyone know of a 3rd-pary app that can install it via GUI (command line is ok too but GUI might be faster and easier) using Windows? I could also boot into MintLinux which has been proven to boot on an EFI Mac, no problem- though I could have permission problems and access denied issues when modifying the Windows 11/10 USB installer Flashdrive on Linux's terminal.

Thank you. Have a great week.

P.S. I've been at this for months now to a year now (among other projects/among other things).

 

[joevt]

Some threads about booting UEFI Windows on old EFI Macs
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/efi-boot-boot-of-mac-pro-2008.2291410/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/bare-metal-windows-on-cmp.2250317/
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-on-cmacpro-opencore-with-bootpicker.2236503/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/5-1-usb-efi-windows-install-corrupt-firmware.2397007/

There's more results in the google results:
boot efi windows site:macrumors.com

I suppose you can get grub by installing Ubuntu, and then modify the grub config? Ubuntu EFI boot works on old EFI Macs.

 

[Alvin777]

Some threads about booting UEFI Windows on old EFI Macs
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/efi-boot-boot-of-mac-pro-2008.2291410/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/bare-metal-windows-on-cmp.2250317/
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-on-cmacpro-opencore-with-bootpicker.2236503/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/5-1-usb-efi-windows-install-corrupt-firmware.2397007/

There's more results in the google results:
boot efi windows site:macrumors.com

I suppose you can get grub by installing Ubuntu, and then modify the grub config? Ubuntu EFI boot works on old EFI Macs.

Hi, thanks so true, Linux Mint seems to be one of the few (I've tried close to 50 overtime), good Linux distros that boot on Macs, EFI based Mac in this case (had this Late 2015 5k iMac with still an amazing 5k display even after 8 years, still great for Windows Boot Camp gaming, the newer UEFI based Macs, it'd be easier). I think all Linux has the Grub 2 bootloader (there's an easier version of Grub called Burg which I will try as well) but Linux Mint may have the best implementation of Grub bootloader.