MP 7,1 MacPro 2019: Install boot camp on internal SATA SSD?

[berndkiltz]

So i got the Promise J2i for the 2019 Macpro. I occasionally use Bootcamp to game - is it possible to install / move bootcamp to an internal SATA SSD (which I installed with an adapter and which works fine) to the SSD instead the internal flash?

Has anyone tried that and can share some results, what worked or did not work?

Best regards, thank you + stay safe!
Bernd.

 

[avidhills]

+1 I’d be interested in the answer to this.

 

[blackie36]

Along similar lines, I have a bootcamp issue whereby the Bootcamp installer will not continue with my Highpoint card installed as it's detecting the drives as external (and insists that all external drives must be unplugged).

Any thoughts / workarounds that anyone has identified (other than removing the card!)

 

[MacFlaX]

@berndkiltz I installed Win 10 on an internal SATA SSD (installed via PCI-SATA adapter) the following way:

1. install Win 10 via Bootcamp on internal Apple SSD, incl. Bootcamp driver etc
2. run the Windows SYSPREP command on this Windows installation (to make the installation independent from hardware and partition size)
3. backup this Windows partition via Winclone (to a temporary location of choice)
4. restore this backup to the internal SATA SSD
5. delete Windows partition on Apple SSD with Bootcamp to free up the space

This way needs investment in the Winclone software, which works very seamless. Winclone is in addition a good tool to backup the Win partition generally. It saved me a complete re-install already, e.g. in case of a not starting Windows, because of messed up graphics drivers.

 

[avidhills]

@berndkiltz I installed Win 10 on an internal SATA SSD (installed via PCI-SATA adapter) the following way:

1. install Win 10 via Bootcamp on internal Apple SSD, incl. Bootcamp driver etc
2. run the Windows SYSPREP command on this Windows installation (to make the installation independent from hardware and partition size)
3. backup this Windows partition via Winclone (to a temporary location of choice)
4. restore this backup to the internal SATA SSD
5. delete Windows partition on Apple SSD with Bootcamp to free up the space

This way needs investment in the Winclone software, which works very seamless. Winclone is in addition a good tool to backup the Win partition generally. It saved me a complete re-install already, e.g. in case of a not starting Windows, because of messed up graphics drivers.

Good info, thanks! Was that on a 2019 Mac Pro? I’ve never run SYSPREP - do you run that after the installation or during?
Been fiddling trying to get windows to boot from an external partition and had no joy despite changing the Startup Utility preferences.

 

[blackie36]

I'd second this process. Ran it on my 2019 Mac Pro and it worked a dream (using the exact method described above). Doing it without the SYSPREP step does not work.

 

[Oval]

Is it possible with already registered Windows 10?

 

[MacFlaX]

Good info, thanks! Was that on a 2019 Mac Pro? I’ve never run SYSPREP - do you run that after the installation or during?
Been fiddling trying to get windows to boot from an external partition and had no joy despite changing the Startup Utility preferences.

Yes, Mac Pro 2019/7.1. I used Sysprep after finalizing Win10 installation and software setup. ...and I forgot to mention that you have to change security settings to allow macOS to boot from external media.

 

[avidhills]

Yes, Mac Pro 2019/7.1. I used Sysprep after finalizing Win10 installation and software setup. ...and I forgot to mention that you have to change security settings to allow macOS to boot from external media.

Thanks! I’ve been using a paid version of Winclone - all seems to be working perfectly, up to the point of booting off the Windows partition. Always end up back at Boot Recovery Assistant, despite setting my startup disk to Bootcamp. 🤷🏼‍♂️
I did read somewhere about disconnecting hardware when booting... but then how would one run through the install process?


** UPDATE (for anyone trying this) **

It does work! Turns out, you need a clean install of Windows on the same machine. I was trying to use Winclone from a Bootcamp partition of a MacBook Pro.

Next question.. could this work on NVMe drives?

 

[eflx]

You should be able to do this using VMWare for example. Download VMWare, and run a Windows 10 virtual machine. Once running the virtual machine, format an internal drive for Windows after first formatting that drive in MacOS and MacOS Extended. Leave the EFI partition in tact, and format the remaining space for Windows NTFS.

Once you've got your drive formatted, you'll need to run the Bootcamp Assistant for MacOS. Instead of running it, go to the Tools menu and instead download the files to your desktop. Use "WinToUsb" and select the formatted drive as the target to install Windows to. Copy your Bootcamp install files to the root of your new Windows drive, then shut down the VM.

You should be able to now select to boot from your "bootcamp" drive in the MacOS System Preferences (startup disk).

Voila! No need to install it on your main MacOS drive.