Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Cannot Install Windows Due to Error

Dj64Mk7

Dj64Mk7

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 15, 2013
1,389
736
Hi. I have previously installed Windows, but I had to erase the partition because it wasn't booting. Then I went to reinstall Windows today, and the installer told me my product key was not valid. So I selected "I don't have a product key, and it gave me an error something about partitions and volumes. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I need Windows before classes start on the 28th. Thanks much.
 
Likely that screen is telling you that there is no partition that will accept the install. If you used your Boot Camp assistant to make the partition, just choose the partition that you created (it should be easy to select by the size), then click the Format button at the bottom of the window. That should then make the partition available to install Windows.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Erdbeertorte
It appears that Boot Camp Assistant in High Sierra is not actually creating a Windows partition, therefore causing the error about three being no partitions to install on.
 
I am not sure what difficulty that you may be having.
I have recently (just this week) upgraded (doing a backup, then formatting the drive using the High Sierra Disk Utility to create a fresh drive with the AFPS formatting already in place. Installed High Sierra beta, then restored from the backup.
Ran Boot Camp Assistant, which created the extra partition that Windows 10 needed.
Here's the relevant bit for you: When my Mac rebooted after creating the windows partition, it went through a few screens to begin the Windows 10 setup.
I think about 3 screens in, I saw the window that showed ALL the partitions on the drive.
One was the partition that I wanted to use for Windows 10.
I knew which one it was because I had used an unusual size to create the partition in the Boot Camp Assistant. (50GB)
When I selected that partition, that window showed an error that it could not install Windows 10 on that partition.
(I have installed Windows 10 on four different Macs, and ALL have needed this next step!)
I clicked the "Format" button. Took a few seconds, then the window changed to show that partition as ready for installing Windows 10.
And, clicked "Next" (or whatever the button was to continue --- I think it was "Next"), and the Windows installer took over from there.

If you want to start over with Boot Camp, reboot to your macOS system. Run the Boot Camp Assistant, which will NOW give you the option to remove the boot camp partition, which you should do.
After doing that, Re-launch your Boot Camp Assistant. create your choice of size for the windows partition.
it will reboot to the Windows install setup. WATCH FOR THE PARTITION LIST SCREEN.
Select the partition that you JUST created. Click the Format button.
THAT should then let you continue with the Windows install.
 
Here is the error:
46AFBB19-EC82-4A87-865B-1488D4CC0B46.jpeg
 
What Windows version are you trying to install?
Maybe more important - did you choose to let Boot Camp make the Windows installer from your downloaded ISO?
I have Windows 10 install on a USB flash drive, which also includes the Boot Camp driver setup.

According to your error message, should be a problem with the AutoUnattend.xml file on your installer drive.
Maybe because you created your Windows installer on a different Mac (?)

I would suggest deleting that file, then re-download the Windows support software through BootCamp. If you used thumb drive to make the Windows installer, this is a simple matter of deleting all the boot camp support folders from the installer first, then get a fresh download of the support software.
 
DeltaMac said:
What Windows version are you trying to install?
Maybe more important - did you choose to let Boot Camp make the Windows installer from your downloaded ISO?
I have Windows 10 install on a USB flash drive, which also includes the Boot Camp driver setup.

According to your error message, should be a problem with the AutoUnattend.xml file on your installer drive.
Maybe because you created your Windows installer on a different Mac (?)

I would suggest deleting that file, then re-download the Windows support software through BootCamp. If you used thumb drive to make the Windows installer, this is a simple matter of deleting all the boot camp support folders from the installer first, then get a fresh download of the support software.
Click to expand...

Boot Camp never gave me the option to use a USB drive. I'm trying to install Windows 10 (Anniversary Update, per Microsoft's instructions) using Boot Camp Assistant (v6.1.0) on my lone MacBook Pro (2016).
 
?
The Boot Camp assistant gives you the choice to make the USB installer on the second screen --- "Create a Windows 7 or later version install disk"
(First screen is the Introduction, then the second screen is Select Tasks, which is where you see that option)

But, if your Windows ISO is not on a USB stick, then you need the ISO burned to a DVD. So, the USB stick would save you from having to connect an external optical drive.
You DID create a partition, correct? That's where you can decide how large the partition is that you make with Boot Camp.
If you DID make a partition with Boot Camp assistant, then re-launching Boot Camp assistant will give you the opportunity to remove that partition, which is on the same Select Tasks screen.

You STILL likely need to format the partition that you created with the Boot Camp assistant, so be sure to note that page when it appears during the Windows install. The error message that you got is probably AFTER you select that partition and format it - correct?
 
DeltaMac said:
?
The Boot Camp assistant gives you the choice to make the USB installer on the second screen --- "Create a Windows 7 or later version install disk"
(First screen is the Introduction, then the second screen is Select Tasks, which is where you see that option)

But, if your Windows ISO is not on a USB stick, then you need the ISO burned to a DVD. So, the USB stick would save you from having to connect an external optical drive.
You DID create a partition, correct? That's where you can decide how large the partition is that you make with Boot Camp.
If you DID make a partition with Boot Camp assistant, then re-launching Boot Camp assistant will give you the opportunity to remove that partition, which is on the same Select Tasks screen.

You STILL likely need to format the partition that you created with the Boot Camp assistant, so be sure to note that page when it appears during the Windows install. The error message that you got is probably AFTER you select that partition and format it - correct?
Click to expand...

Here is the introduction screen:

Screen Shot 2017-08-22 at 13.33.00.png

Here is the next screen is gives me:
Screen Shot 2017-08-22 at 13.33.45.png

It never has a select tasks menu. It just goes straight to downloading support software and then creating a partition.
[doublepost=1503424222][/doublepost]It came up with this error:

Screen Shot 2017-08-22 at 13.48.28.png
 
Did you follow the suggestion in that window, and run Disk Utility/First Aid on your drive?
Best way to do that is to boot to your Recovery partition, then run Disk Utility, then choose your drive, and click the First Aid button.
I will usually do a run with Disk Warrior (as I have it available here :D )

Are you using File Vault (encrypted drive)? If yes, you might want to turn File Vault off.
If you are not sure (or even if you ARE sure about File Vault, particularly if you have upgraded to High Sierra beta) check the status in your System Preferences/Security & Privacy tab, then File Vault.
 
I finally was able to install Windows after a tedious process of erasing the disk several times. Windows ended up installing when there was no other OS on the drive.

EDIT: But the OS wouldn't boot when I rebooted.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back