Short Version of this Guide >> http://fgimian.github.io/blog/2016/03/12/installing-windows-10-on-a-mac-without-bootcamp/
Needed:
MacOS Already Installed and working
USB w/ Windows 10 formatted for EFI
BootCamp Drivers >> https://support.apple.com/downloads/boot-camp
GPTFDisk Binary Package for MacOS >> https://sourceforge.net/projects/gptfdisk/files/gptfdisk/1.0.3/gdisk-binaries/ (Get the one ending in .pkg)
Setup:
- Create bootable Windows USB (Note: Linked Guide uses UNetBootin which is for Linux/Mac, if using Rufus, make sure to format as "GPT Partition Scheme for UEFI")
- On 2nd USB (Or do this first) then copy over the following to the USB stick (Needs to be formatted as FAT for MacOS to read)
- gdisk-*.pkg
Step 1 A & B are done in Recovery Mode
A: Partitioning HD in Recovery
- Access Recovery via pressing Option + R when powering on Mac
- Open Disk Utility
- View All Devices
- Create New Partition by hitting + symbol in blue
- You must change the partition size before selecting to FORMAT as MS-DOS(FAT)
B: Disable "rootless environment" >> https://superuser.com/questions/508026/windows-detects-gpt-disk-as-mbr-in-efi-boot (See El Capitan Addendum:)
- Utilities > Terminal
csrutil disable
- Note: After you will do the same except pass "csrutil enable" and reboot
Step 2: Confirm Protected MBR >> https://superuser.com/questions/508026/windows-detects-gpt-disk-as-mbr-in-efi-boot
- Reboot and Install GPTFDisk Package
Check disk status via
sudo gdisk /dev/disk0
- Mine was already/stayed "Protected" after creating FAT Partition for Windows so... I tried installing Windows, but it gave a different Error “Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.” But, this was likely due to creating a bad USB w/ RUFUS Set to format as MBR vs GPT. I'd love if somebody tried without gdisk and commented, but once I got it (Windows) to install, I wasn't about to bork it just to test.
- SO NOT MATTER WHAT IT SAYS THE FIRST TIME, FOLLOW THE GUIDE(S)!
At the Prompt you now need to press the following:
x # Go to Experts Menu n # Create Fresh Protective MBR, doesn't give you any confirmation it worked w # Save Changes y # Yes you are sure you trust random guides on the internet
This is example output of "Protective" MBR, which is what it showed me the first time, but I ended up doing the above steps twice before realize it was a bad USB. (Needs to show "EFI Boot" as an option in Mac Bootloader)
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.3 Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their partition table automatically reloaded! Partition table scan: MBR: protective BSD: not present APM: not present GPT: present Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.
Step 3: Install Windows
- Reboot and unplug everything but USB
- Load USB
- NOTE IF YOU DON'T SEE "EFI Boot" your USB isn't formatted correctly!
- When selecting drive, delete previously created partition and create new NTFS Partition
- Note My windows rebooted more than normal, but it finally got to the "Setup" screen
Step 4: Bootcamp/Mac Hardware Tweaks
- Install bootcamp by running setup.exe inside bootcamp*.zip
- Note: Older MacBooks get the following Error “This version of boot camp is not intended for this computer model” >> You can fix this by running the MSI in an elevated CMD Prompt (Having trouble with the mouse? Hold CTRL+SHIFT as you click CMD to open elevated Prompt)
First extract the zip into your downloads folder, then run the following
msiexec /i %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\bootcamp*\BootCamp\Drivers\Apple\bootcamp.msi
- If you encounter Realtek Audio issues:
- Use Task Manager to kill Process "RealTekSetup.exe"
- DON'T REBOOT
Manually Install Realtek Drivers via...
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp\RarSFX0\BootCamp\Drivers\RealTek\RealtekSetup.exe
- Reboot Windows
- There are additional software reccomendations in the article at the top such as "SharpKeys" and "FlipWheel", but I didn't use them.
TEST REBOOTING INTO EACH OS
Afterwards you are going to want to setup read/write access to each partition
Share Mac + Windows NTFS/HFS Read/Write Access across both OS:
- Windows is installed on NTFS Drive
- MacOS is installed on HFS+ Formatted Drive
Both will have read access off the hop, but to get write access you will need 3rd party drivers for each OS.
Windows needs HFS+ Drivers to write to Mac OS Partition
MacOS needs NTFS Drivers to write to Windows OS Partition
- Rec is Paragon HFS+ for Windows & Paragon NTFS for Mac
- Free Trial available but costs $
Boot into each OS and confirm you can read/write a simple file to all partitions.