Ok, Going into my third WEEK, I have literally over 100 hours just trying to install Windows 8.1 on my 2011 imac.
Working machine before HD crashed. Had High Sierra running with Windows 8.1 in Bootcamp. Installed this years ago I believe starting out with Windows XP (32 bit) on Leopard or Snow Leopard without any hitches to speak of. Upgraded Mac OS and went through Windows 7 upgrade then full version of Windows 8.1.
Installed new HD and installed new Mac software. Started out with High Sierra, then Sierra, then El Capitan, then Mavericks and finally Lion. Going backwards with hopes Bootcamp would work installing Windows 8.1 from Windows disk.
Using Bootcamp Install itself on each of those version gave me no install using DVD legit Windows disk. First, the internal optical drive in my imac would not accept Windows installer disks. Put the disks in and it ejected them. Drive works fine with any DVD or CD's. Just not with Windows Install Disk or ISO burned disk. I read that to install Windows it had to be from the internal drive not an external (God only knows why but that is what I read).
I used an external USB optical to get the Windows disks to mount on desktop. They did. Went through Bootcamp install using USB flash drive (32 GB). Once partition installed in Bootcamp with MS-DOS (FAT). Then imac rebooted. Results... black screen with flashing - sign in upper left corner. Never booted no matter how long I let it cycle. Ok, turned off and booted with option held down.
Holding down option showed Windows disk and EFI Windows Disk (plus Mac HD). Clicking on Windows disk restarted and a black screen came up with nothing on it. Would do nothing. Rebooted holding option again. Clicked on Disk EFI. Rebooted into Windows install after clicking on keyboard for any key. Windows booted for install. Typed in key. Went to list of disks. Every disk listed had an error. EFI not compatible with MBR format. Needed GPT format, NFTS type of disk. Tried the format option. Error can't install. No options for the GUID (GPT) type of format in Bootcamp just theMac Journaled and DOS type without the third option for MBR or GUID.
Checked Bootcamp partition after reboot into Mac in Disk Utility and said partition was now NTFS after erased in Windows install. Ok, thought it needed NTFS format to install. Nope. I kept downgrading the Mac OS thinking it may be needed but same problems in every version. Also in Lion, tried this with Windows 7 upgrade disk. Same results. OK... now to the USB install disks.
Went through the install on USB flash drive through Bootcamp. El Capitan up to High Siera would want to install drivers for Windows 10 on USB disk. No option for other and would give error and stop installation. Could uncheck this box and go on. Same as before errors.
OK, kept downgrading Mac OS to get the install of drivers. Mavericks did download the files/drivers. Created USB install disk. Same as before only the the USB was listed as EFI got the same errors. I downloaded and tried WINDISKWRITER software, same results. USB in Utilities was not a bootable drive. Same errors.
OK downgraded to OS Lion. Different Bootcamp install with three options instead of the two in newer OS. Results were the same.
Then put ISO Windows on desktop to install Windows on USB. Did installs with this. Same exact results.
OK so what is exactly the problem? These Intel Macs were sold SPECIFICALLY to run both OS softwares yet they have no possible way that I can see how to install windows in Bootcamp.
Is it hardware of software? I read that for some reason when making partitions in Bootcamp it made a hybrid type of system that Windows would reject. Supposedly this workaround turned off the protective coding called SIP to change the drive format. I tried that in Lion and SIP is not even a part of the software.
I am completely at a loss on how to do what should be a 30 minute install. So far I have invested literally over 100 hours of time. I have chased my tail across the internet looking for software or solutions. I have tried dozens of supposed fixes and different third party softwares which none have worked.
So it is a reality that Mac created an expensive computer to install Mac and Windows OS but it was built or coded to not be able to.
I can't keep throwing hours and days away on this. If someone doesn't have some idea's or solutions on what to try I am just going to get rid of this machine and buy a PC.
Thanks to all on here who have helped and to those in the future who hopefully will in advance.
Clark
EDIT: Would installing Leopard or Snow Leopard give me any joy? Would have to find it online to install but if this is a real option willing to do so. Thanks.
Working machine before HD crashed. Had High Sierra running with Windows 8.1 in Bootcamp. Installed this years ago I believe starting out with Windows XP (32 bit) on Leopard or Snow Leopard without any hitches to speak of. Upgraded Mac OS and went through Windows 7 upgrade then full version of Windows 8.1.
Installed new HD and installed new Mac software. Started out with High Sierra, then Sierra, then El Capitan, then Mavericks and finally Lion. Going backwards with hopes Bootcamp would work installing Windows 8.1 from Windows disk.
Using Bootcamp Install itself on each of those version gave me no install using DVD legit Windows disk. First, the internal optical drive in my imac would not accept Windows installer disks. Put the disks in and it ejected them. Drive works fine with any DVD or CD's. Just not with Windows Install Disk or ISO burned disk. I read that to install Windows it had to be from the internal drive not an external (God only knows why but that is what I read).
I used an external USB optical to get the Windows disks to mount on desktop. They did. Went through Bootcamp install using USB flash drive (32 GB). Once partition installed in Bootcamp with MS-DOS (FAT). Then imac rebooted. Results... black screen with flashing - sign in upper left corner. Never booted no matter how long I let it cycle. Ok, turned off and booted with option held down.
Holding down option showed Windows disk and EFI Windows Disk (plus Mac HD). Clicking on Windows disk restarted and a black screen came up with nothing on it. Would do nothing. Rebooted holding option again. Clicked on Disk EFI. Rebooted into Windows install after clicking on keyboard for any key. Windows booted for install. Typed in key. Went to list of disks. Every disk listed had an error. EFI not compatible with MBR format. Needed GPT format, NFTS type of disk. Tried the format option. Error can't install. No options for the GUID (GPT) type of format in Bootcamp just theMac Journaled and DOS type without the third option for MBR or GUID.
Checked Bootcamp partition after reboot into Mac in Disk Utility and said partition was now NTFS after erased in Windows install. Ok, thought it needed NTFS format to install. Nope. I kept downgrading the Mac OS thinking it may be needed but same problems in every version. Also in Lion, tried this with Windows 7 upgrade disk. Same results. OK... now to the USB install disks.
Went through the install on USB flash drive through Bootcamp. El Capitan up to High Siera would want to install drivers for Windows 10 on USB disk. No option for other and would give error and stop installation. Could uncheck this box and go on. Same as before errors.
OK, kept downgrading Mac OS to get the install of drivers. Mavericks did download the files/drivers. Created USB install disk. Same as before only the the USB was listed as EFI got the same errors. I downloaded and tried WINDISKWRITER software, same results. USB in Utilities was not a bootable drive. Same errors.
OK downgraded to OS Lion. Different Bootcamp install with three options instead of the two in newer OS. Results were the same.
Then put ISO Windows on desktop to install Windows on USB. Did installs with this. Same exact results.
OK so what is exactly the problem? These Intel Macs were sold SPECIFICALLY to run both OS softwares yet they have no possible way that I can see how to install windows in Bootcamp.
Is it hardware of software? I read that for some reason when making partitions in Bootcamp it made a hybrid type of system that Windows would reject. Supposedly this workaround turned off the protective coding called SIP to change the drive format. I tried that in Lion and SIP is not even a part of the software.
I am completely at a loss on how to do what should be a 30 minute install. So far I have invested literally over 100 hours of time. I have chased my tail across the internet looking for software or solutions. I have tried dozens of supposed fixes and different third party softwares which none have worked.
So it is a reality that Mac created an expensive computer to install Mac and Windows OS but it was built or coded to not be able to.
I can't keep throwing hours and days away on this. If someone doesn't have some idea's or solutions on what to try I am just going to get rid of this machine and buy a PC.
Thanks to all on here who have helped and to those in the future who hopefully will in advance.
Clark
EDIT: Would installing Leopard or Snow Leopard give me any joy? Would have to find it online to install but if this is a real option willing to do so. Thanks.
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