Rufus to Install Windows 10 (EFI) on cMacPro Opencore with BootPicker

[Enricote]

I have been trying in last few days several options to install Windows 10 in my cMP 5,1 after installing Catalina via Opencore using the excellent wiki here. I tried and failed using VirtualBox VM or Bootcamp adaptations.

This is useful if you have no Mac EFI Boot because you use a generic compatible GPU and you don't want to spend an extra money to buy an original Mac GPU or to flash one.

I finally succeded installing windows 10 using RUFUS (very simple app for free - https://rufus.ie -) in a computer running windows. I used a USB caddy ( actually an external USB SATA Hard Drive I opened to use ). Very fast, simple and comprehensible for normal users like me.

I followed indications from “quiet-cacophony” in point #4 of this threat (thank you so much!):

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/solved-mac-pro-5-1-windows-10-install-help.2234722/



So, in order to clarify even more if possible, the procedure is:


1.- Formatting your SATA drive in your cMP using Disk Utility in ExFAT format

2.- Remove it from your cMP and use your USB caddy to mount it in your PC windows computer

3.- Load Windows 10 ISO in your PC. Download it from Microsoft website in your Mac.

4.- Open Rufus and check these options (image attached):

a.- Select the windows 10 ISO​

​

b.- “List USB Hard Drives” and select your USB SATA drive​

​

c.- “WINDOWS TO GO” image option​

​

d.- “GPT” Partition scheme​

​

e.- “UEFI (non CSM)” Target system​

5.- Start the proccess. It lasts a few minutes

6.- Unplug your USB caddy, remove the SATA drive and install it again in you cMP

7.- Start your cMP in Opencore. You should see your Windows in the OpenCore BootPicker. So you can choose it and start a straight and fast windows installation in that HD. Use Windows BootPicker option everytime installation needs to reboot

8.- With Windows 10 installed you will need to activate it for installing Apple Drivers. Boot Camp 5 and 6 for Windows are not compatible. I used this not difficult procedure (“Brigadier”):

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...en.2114788/page-9?post=26689280#post-26689280

I used also this video:

I really hope it can be useful for someone.

 

[thecrownguy]

I am trying this out now. I have been looking for a simpler way and this might be it. Thank you for posting this. I will let you know how I fair.

 

[gianttg]

Thank you so much, everything work

 

[Muscovite]

I have been trying in last few days several options to install Windows 10 in my cMP 5,1 after installing Catalina via Opencore using the excellent wiki here. I tried and failed using VirtualBox VM or Bootcamp adaptations.

This is useful if you have no Mac EFI Boot because you use a generic compatible GPU and you don't want to spend an extra money to buy an original Mac GPU or to flash one.

I finally succeded installing windows 10 using RUFUS (very simple app for free - https://rufus.ie -) in a computer running windows. I used a USB caddy ( actually an external USB SATA Hard Drive I opened to use ). Very fast, simple and comprehensible for normal users like me.

I followed indications from “quiet-cacophony” in point #4 of this threat (thank you so much!):

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/solved-mac-pro-5-1-windows-10-install-help.2234722/



So, in order to clarify even more if possible, the procedure is:


1.- Formatting your SATA drive in your cMP using Disk Utility in ExFAT format

2.- Remove it from your cMP and use your USB caddy to mount it in your PC windows computer

3.- Load Windows 10 ISO in your PC. Download it from Microsoft website in your Mac.

4.- Open Rufus and check these options (image attached):

a.- Select the windows 10 ISO​

​

b.- “List USB Hard Drives” and select your USB SATA drive​

​

c.- “WINDOWS TO GO” image option​

​

d.- “GPT” Partition scheme​

​

e.- “UEFI (non CSM)” Target system​

5.- Start the proccess. It lasts a few minutes

6.- Unplug your USB caddy, remove the SATA drive and install it again in you cMP

7.- Start your cMP in Opencore. You should see your Windows in the OpenCore BootPicker. So you can choose it and start a straight and fast windows installation in that HD. Use Windows BootPicker option everytime installation needs to reboot

8.- With Windows 10 installed you will need to activate it for installing Apple Drivers. Boot Camp 5 and 6 for Windows are not compatible. I used this not difficult procedure (“Brigadier”):

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...en.2114788/page-9?post=26689280#post-26689280

I used also this video:

I really hope it can be useful for someone.

Thank you very much. This worked. I had tried pretty much every other guide under the Sun.

 

[Muscovite]

This is the only Windows installation guide that worked. I did get desperate. Thank you does not begin to describe it.

 

[eikic1]

Partition scheme

I have been trying in last few days several options to install Windows 10 in my cMP 5,1 after installing Catalina via Opencore using the excellent wiki here. I tried and failed using VirtualBox VM or Bootcamp adaptations.

This is useful if you have no Mac EFI Boot because you use a generic compatible GPU and you don't want to spend an extra money to buy an original Mac GPU or to flash one.

I finally succeded installing windows 10 using RUFUS (very simple app for free - https://rufus.ie -) in a computer running windows. I used a USB caddy ( actually an external USB SATA Hard Drive I opened to use ). Very fast, simple and comprehensible for normal users like me.

I followed indications from “quiet-cacophony” in point #4 of this threat (thank you so much!):

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/solved-mac-pro-5-1-windows-10-install-help.2234722/



So, in order to clarify even more if possible, the procedure is:


1.- Formatting your SATA drive in your cMP using Disk Utility in ExFAT format

2.- Remove it from your cMP and use your USB caddy to mount it in your PC windows computer

3.- Load Windows 10 ISO in your PC. Download it from Microsoft website in your Mac.

4.- Open Rufus and check these options (image attached):

a.- Select the windows 10 ISO​

​

b.- “List USB Hard Drives” and select your USB SATA drive​

​

c.- “WINDOWS TO GO” image option​

​

d.- “GPT” Partition scheme​

​

e.- “UEFI (non CSM)” Target system​

5.- Start the proccess. It lasts a few minutes

6.- Unplug your USB caddy, remove the SATA drive and install it again in you cMP

7.- Start your cMP in Opencore. You should see your Windows in the OpenCore BootPicker. So you can choose it and start a straight and fast windows installation in that HD. Use Windows BootPicker option everytime installation needs to reboot

8.- With Windows 10 installed you will need to activate it for installing Apple Drivers. Boot Camp 5 and 6 for Windows are not compatible. I used this not difficult procedure (“Brigadier”):

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...en.2114788/page-9?post=26689280#post-26689280

I used also this video:

I really hope it can be useful for someone.

ok i try

 

[neekomax]

So this might be a totally stupid question, but can/should the SATA drive that I put the installer on (using the Windows machine and Rufus) be the same as the target drive for the install in my cMac Pro? Or do they need to be two different disks (but both installed internally via SATA for Windows installation)?

The reason I ask is that I have a SATA SSD in my Mac Pro already that I'd like to use for Windows 10, and a spinning HD in an external caddy that would do fine for the creating the installer at my buddy's place tomorrow. Can I pop the spinner with the installer into a SATA slot and then install to the SSD?

 

[Enricote]

So this might be a totally stupid question, but can/should the SATA drive that I put the installer on (using the Windows machine and Rufus) be the same as the target drive for the install in my cMac Pro? Or do they need to be two different disks (but both installed internally via SATA for Windows installation)?

The reason I ask is that I have a SATA SSD in my Mac Pro already that I'd like to use for Windows 10, and a spinning HD in an external caddy that would do fine for the creating the installer at my buddy's place tomorrow. Can I pop the spinner with the installer into a SATA slot and then install to the SSD?

In my experience, that SATA disk you extract from your Mac and you use it in your PC to set up the windows EFI install is the same SATA disk you put back to your Mac and the same where your Windows will be finally installed.
I don't know if it is possible to do it in another way

 

[andrewkhoo]

Hi guys, I did the same rufus through windows-to-go route to get win10 onto the internal SATA as mentioned above.

I'm curious, what are the differences between USB win-to-go vs the normal UEFI installed windows? thank you in advance.

 

[Hot-Mac]

Failed on first boot of the SATA drive to install Windows. It just hangs on the initial blue/cyan Windows logo on a black screen. Using OpenCore 0.8.0.