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cdf

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 27, 2012
2,256
2,583
Is there a way to get a working Windows installation in CSM mode on a PCIe SSD which also has MacOS installed? Although it is possible to simply install to a SATA SSD, I'm curious about this kind of installation.

So far by creating a hybrid MBR disk and preparing the procedure through virtualization, I've only managed to get an unbootable installation ("No bootable device" error). My understanding is that only in UEFI modenow potentially problematic for the cMPwill Windows boot on a PCIe SSD.
 

startergo

macrumors 603
Sep 20, 2018
5,019
2,282
Is there a way to get a working Windows installation in CSM mode on a PCIe SSD which also has MacOS installed? Although it is possible to simply install to a SATA SSD, I'm curious about this kind of installation.

So far by creating a hybrid MBR disk and preparing the procedure through virtualization, I've only managed to get an unbootable installation ("No bootable device" error). My understanding is that only in UEFI modenow potentially problematic for the cMPwill Windows boot on a PCIe SSD.
Have you tried imaging a working partition from HDD/SSD?
 

cdf

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 27, 2012
2,256
2,583
Imaging alone doesn't seem to work. What might work is using a USB or SATA disk with the Windows installation files as a bootloader. But there seems to be a major disadvantage to this, especially for non-bootscreen setups: the bootloader partition won't show up in the Startup Disk preference pane, the unbootable installation will. For now, I have resorted to installing directly to a SATA disk...
 

JedNZ

macrumors 6502a
Dec 6, 2015
644
247
Deep South
Have you tried Paragon Hard Disk Manager? I was able to copy everything, including EFI and other partitions, using this exceptionally good software. It also helps fix an assorted range of partition modals, as well as bootcamp partitions, BCD records and boot.ini files etc.
 

startergo

macrumors 603
Sep 20, 2018
5,019
2,282
Yeah but he is talking about legacy Windows. I know EFI imaging works cause I have done it.
 
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