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MP 7,1 Native Windows 10 on Mac Pro 7,1?

johnnymcc

johnnymcc

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 30, 2019
131
36
What's the best way to set up a dual boot for Windows on the 7,1? My 7,1 arrives tomorrow and I'd love to set this up. I currently use Open Core on my 5,1 to do this.
 
Boot Camp will setup a native EFI boot. No need to mess with anything else like Open Core. It's not like a 5,1.
 
Previously I couldn't get the Boot Camp Assistant to work with a drive other than the original 7,1 SSD, which was annoying since my stock drive is 256GB (plenty of macOS and my apps), and I wanted to install on an NVMe SSD in a PCI-e card.

Thankfully the 11.4 beta included support for other drives, so now I can easily switch back and both using the Startup Disk selection took in System Prefs/Windows taskbar. Works great!
 
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DFP1989 said:
Previously I couldn't get the Boot Camp Assistant to work with a drive other than the original 7,1 SSD, which was annoying since my stock drive is 256GB (plenty of macOS and my apps), and I wanted to install on an NVMe SSD in a PCI-e card.

Thankfully the 11.4 beta included support for other drives, so now I can easily switch back and both using the Startup Disk selection took in System Prefs/Windows taskbar. Works great!
Click to expand...
Do you have a link to download the 11.4 beta?
 
there hasn’t been any mention of support in macOS so far, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work in windows, for my 6900 I’m just using the standard drivers from the AMD website in Windows 10.
 
Sweet - now, as far as the boot camp drivers go, did you install all the drivers... skip the GPU drivers? I haven't done the boot camp route in a while.

I think I may just keep my LG 5K connected via USB-C (580X module), and also throw in my Radeon Vega Frontier to run my 30" Apple Cinema Display. Any issues with that config?

I can't believe how quiet this 7,1 is....
 
For Mac native peripherals equipped for the computer, Bootcamp will automatically download and have you install the drivers as part of the final step.

All other non-Apple supplied parts for the Mac, I just download and install them myself once I’m in Windows OS.
 
ok
LeonPro said:
For Mac native peripherals equipped for the computer, Bootcamp will automatically download and have you install the drivers as part of the final step.

All other non-Apple supplied parts for the Mac, I just download and install them myself once I’m in Windows OS.
Click to expand...
Ok, yea really, my only main concern is I want to be sure that it prioritizes GPU drivers to the AMD Adrenaline drivers that I will manually download for the Vega Frontier. I am just not sure how well that will play with both the Vega Frontier and the 580 MPX module installed.
 
I downloaded the AMD updated drivers directly from AMD website. There's a dropdown selection of all their cards including for Mac Bootcamp GPU.

As for mixing GPU, people had success with that in another thread and you should ask them how to ensure which GPU to prioritize when using Bootcamp.
 
So I actually already have Windows 10 Pro installed on an SSD from my 5,1 (used via open core with no Boot Camp Drivers). Is there a way to simply throw this SSD in my 7,1 and get Boot Camp drivers installed - I guess I am just as comfortable just starting over with a fresh NVMe.
 
DFP1989 said:
Previously I couldn't get the Boot Camp Assistant to work with a drive other than the original 7,1 SSD, which was annoying since my stock drive is 256GB (plenty of macOS and my apps), and I wanted to install on an NVMe SSD in a PCI-e card.

Thankfully the 11.4 beta included support for other drives, so now I can easily switch back and both using the Startup Disk selection took in System Prefs/Windows taskbar. Works great!
Click to expand...
do you know if its possible to install windows in the drives connected to the SATA interface in the 7,1?

i have a J2i cage and i would definitely love to install Windows in a SSD there.
 
So 11.4 came out today. I'm trying to get Boot Camp going to a new internal NVMe via controller PCI card, but the Boot Camp assistant is not seeing the drive. Any ideas? FYI, the drive shows as external (orange) drive even though it's internal PCI
 
elfamosisimoJON said:
do you know if its possible to install windows in the drives connected to the SATA interface in the 7,1?

i have a J2i cage and i would definitely love to install Windows in a SSD there.
Click to expand...

Were you able to get Windows installed on an internal SATA connector?

I briefly tried to install Windows 10 via Boot Camp, hoping once I actually boot into the Windows installer, I could simply select my SATA SSD, but Boot Camp coughs up "remove external drive" error.

Then I tried booting directly into a Windows 10 USB installer, but it hangs immediately after displaying the Windows logo.

Google-Foo indicates Windows may have a problem with my W5700X video card and/or with the monitor connected via USB-C.

I have an ancient Apple 30" CD which when I tried connecting via an HDMI-DVI adapter, could not get 2560x1600 rez, so I went with a USB-C-DVI adapter. The problem with the USB-C-DVI adapter is that at boot up, it defaults to absolute lowest resolution and when it finally gets to the Finder, all my windows have been resized and relocated for that low rez; meaning, I have to always resize and relocate my windows where I want them.

Anywho, the writing is on the wall and have to upgrade to a newer monitor, which I'm leaning towards the Dell UP3017 as it's the last of the true 16:10
 
DFP1989 said:
@Auggie which version of macOS are you running? I had no trouble using the boot camp assistant to install Win 10 on an M.2 SATA SSD (connected to the internal SATA header).
Click to expand...

Monterey, 12.1 Beta.

If you were able to get it to install using Catalina or Big Sur, I'm willing to downgrade to make that happen.
 
Okay, I figured it out: I had the SSD plugged to the internal USB port. Even though Disk Utility showed it as being an “internal” drive, Boot Camp sees it as "external." Plugging it to one of the actual SATA ports allowed Boot Camp to continue with the Windows install.

Unfortunately, the moment I switched it back to the USB port, it caused Windows to go into a slow, recursive boot several times before it coughed up the message of performing an Automatic Repair.

My problem is that I normally use the two SATA ports for two 3.5" spinners (18TB and 16TB). I tried connecting one of them to the USB port but the SATA head of the supplied USB 3-to-SATA cable with the Sonnet Fusion J3i cage is too long to fit between the 3.5" spinner and the power supply.

I ordered a Sabrent USB 3.1-to-SATA cable with a shorter SATA connector which hopefully allow it to fit and plug into one of the 3.5" spinners (top), freeing the other SATA port for the Windows SSD...
 
Latest update: I tried to get the Windows 10 SSD to boot off of the internal USB port by following this video tutorial, How to install Windows 10 "Boot Camp" on a Mac External Drive the EASY way! (2020 edition), but the moment I boot to it, it may or may not show the Windows logo briefly before simply rebooting. I could not get past that at all.

I've assumed the internal USB is 3.0, so slightly slower than the SATA ports. Since the Windows 10 SSD wouldn't be used often, I wanted my two 3.5" spinners on the SATA, but until I figure out a way to get Windows to boot off that internal USB, I've had to adjust my plans.

So I gave up and reinstalled Windows via Boot Camp Assistant with the SSD plugged into a SATA port and it works just fine on that port. So the Sabrent USB 3.1-to-SATA cable fit in the tight confines between the power supply and now it's all buttoned up: one spinner on the internal USB, the other and SSD on the two SATA's.
 
Some very early reports mentioned 2.0 but I read elsewhere it is in fact 3.0 but can't recall where I read it.

EDIT: STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH:

Apple Mac Pro Technology Overview, August 2021, Page 19:

Internal USB 3 port
Mac Pro has an internal USB 3 port (5Gb/s USB-A) for internal use. Designed 
to enable license keys for pro software, this port allows these resources to be secured inside the system.
 
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