Has Anyone Successfully Booted a Windows 10 or 11 USB Installer on EFI Macs?

[Alvin777]

Hi, if anyone has successfully booted the Windows 10 or 11 USB installer on EFI Macs (I wish it was UEFI, this would have been solved months ago) how did you do it? Did you inject it with a bootloader from Linux?

I have to reinstall the Windows (Boot Camp), preferably just an overwrite of Windows system files using the USB installer (like an install in-place but more sure nothing will interfere if left overnight), not a fresh install (so many settings set again, lots of reinstalls and updates to download and usually takes a week or more).

The Windows Boot Camp is on a separate internal SSD, separate from macOS (which has its own internal SSD).

I've been doing trial and error for months (among others things, time managed) creating a Windows 10 or 11 USB installer (I've used Rufus and BalenaEtcher) but it would try to boot, the Windows logo would appear and that white circling animation would appear but it'd go into BSOD.

Thank you.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

I did. I used Opencore aLegacy Patcher the bootloader.
But my Mac configuration might not be similar to yours, so it can't be copied to your case.

If your Windows partition got some errors, you can just follow the Windows guideline to fix it.
You will definitely need a Windows USB Installer, incase there are some files you need to extract from it.

 

[Alvin777]

I did. I used Opencore aLegacy Patcher the bootloader.
But my Mac configuration might not be similar to yours, so it can't be copied to your case.

If your Windows partition got some errors, you can just follow the Windows guideline to fix it.
You will definitely need a Windows USB Installer, incase there are some files you need to extract from it.

That's nice. What app did you use to burn Windows 11 (or was it 10) on what Mac?

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

That's nice. What app did you use to burn Windows 11 (or was it 10) on what Mac?

I have 2 Windows PCs, so it's not an issue for me to create a Windows USB installer using the app provided by Microsoft, or Rufus.
I never create Windows USB installer from Mac OS.

You can try it yourself, using Windows PE (to run Microsoft App) or Mac OS (to run command from the Terminal window). Read the links below. Check virus before downloading anything.

Download WinPE (Windows PE)

Download WinPE (Windows PE)

learn.microsoft.com

How do I burn an ISO on a USB drive on Mac OS X?

what's the best way to get an ISO "burned" to a USB stick on a Mac? Restoring using Disk Utility does not work. The ISO is ubuntu mini.iso. It is the minimalist install ISO for installing ubuntu. It

superuser.com

 

[Alvin777]

Hi, thanks. After Rufus (done, I've made one on the Flashdrive, I used GPT), how do you install rEFInd to make the Windows PE (Windows 11) flashdrive boot on the EFI based iMac? And it'll boot if I use Open Core Legacy Patcher?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Hi, thanks. After Rufus (done, I've made one on the Flashdrive, I used GPT), how do you install rEFInd to make the Windows PE (Windows 11) flashdrive boot on the EFI based iMac? And it'll boot if I use Open Core Legacy Patcher?
Thanks in advance.

I have never tried this before, but I will do the following:
1. Boot the EFI Mac to Mac OS.
2. Download and install OCLP
3. Plug in the flashdrive and create an EFI volume on the flashdrive. If it already has one, skip this step
4. Run OCLP and patch it to the Flashdrive.
5. Now remove the MAC OS drive and boot the Mac with only the flashdrive (and internal blank drive)

 

[bogdanw]

New app: "Windows Install - Install windows on Mac no bootcamp, no flash drive"
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/install-windows-on-mac-no-bootcamp-no-flash-drive.2418322/

 

[startergo]

New app: "Windows Install - Install windows on Mac no bootcamp, no flash drive"
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/install-windows-on-mac-no-bootcamp-no-flash-drive.2418322/

The thread disappeared.

 

[bogdanw]

The thread disappeared.

The moderator conclave is deliberating.

I’m not really interested in the app, but I did uploaded it to VirusTotal and took a quick look inside.
It appears to be using three open-source tools: wimlib to extract Windows’ installations files, ntfs-3g to write them and Platypus to integrate the two scripts into an app. The scrips are in plain text and can be read in TextEdit. (scriptInstall & scriptWIM in .app/Contents/Resources/scripts)

At the time on writing, “No security vendors and no sandboxes flagged this file as malicious”
6.1.0
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/0c73c1a3cd7d3ef3743d7302bb8f7eee1661109ea0b6eb34ba34ff31376f3986
6.0.0
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/930255942d3b0a12c88171a0fd2c5745a6fdff2acf954506614fe2ff2650efcb

 

[Alvin777]

Yup, virustotal.com is an extremely very important site I launched, the macOS malware programs didn't see anything wrong with that app.

I already have Boot Camp installed on a separate internal drive (it doesn't share partitions with macOS) I downloaded it, maybe it's got a powerful bootloader but it's nice he made that app.

I hope it can install even on an internal drive (internal SSD NVME or SATA) but he used an external drive there in his tutorial (I'm not sure why the there was a lot of removing and restoring in the end, the EFI one)- was the installation a Windows to Go then?

 

[startergo]

The moderator conclave is deliberating.

I’m not really interested in the app, but I did uploaded it to VirusTotal and took a quick look inside.
It appears to be using three open-source tools: wimlib to extract Windows’ installations files, ntfs-3g to write them and Platypus to integrate the two scripts into an app. The scrips are in plain text and can be read in TextEdit. (scriptInstall & scriptWIM in .app/Contents/Resources/scripts)

At the time on writing, “No security vendors and no sandboxes flagged this file as malicious”
6.1.0
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/0c73c1a3cd7d3ef3743d7302bb8f7eee1661109ea0b6eb34ba34ff31376f3986
6.0.0
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/930255942d3b0a12c88171a0fd2c5745a6fdff2acf954506614fe2ff2650efcb

At the time on writing, “No security vendors and no sandboxes flagged this file as malicious”
6.1.1

VirusTotal

VirusTotal

www.virustotal.com

What leads you to believe it is the moderator?

 

[bogdanw]

At the time on writing, “No security vendors and no sandboxes flagged this file as malicious”
6.1.1
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file...0d40ad6eb988a8e42a7561e11711e5e032c?nocache=1

What leads you to believe it is the moderator?

Good news then, the 6.1.1 version doesn’t have the sparkle framework and it no longer crashes.
Who else can make threads disappear?

 

[startergo]

Who else can make threads disappear?

Whoever started the thread? Plus I know anyone can request from the moderator deleting the comments. It must be similar for the thread.

 

[startergo]

Who else can make threads disappear?

There you go:

The thread was removed because it was not in keeping with the forum rules. We don't know whether or not it will be reposted (in compliance with the forum rules) by the same user or another user.

I think this is it:

Advertising/soliciting/self-promotion

Your purpose in joining MacRumors or posting should not be to promote, advertise, or otherwise call attention to your site, blog, product, or business. See this page if you want to advertise at MacRumors. Self-promotion is not fair to our paid advertisers. Forum posts should be free of ads and promotions that benefit the poster. Legitimate recommendations and requests for help are permitted, but in ambiguous circumstances users without a previous forum track record will not be given the benefit of the doubt.

@bogdanw Although I can't see how a free product benefits the poster. On the contrary if there are bugs he will fix them for free.
But I think if someone else re-opens the thread it is no longer considered self-promotion.

 

[bogdanw]

But I think if someone else re-opens the thread it is no longer considered self-promotion.

The rules for developers and the moderator decisions about such threads can be confusing.
“Guidelines for Software Developers”
https://macrumors.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201294426-Guidelines-for-Software-Developers

If there is interest, a regular user could open a thread about the app.
Or we could just move to the other forum that already has a thread

 

[rin67630]

Hi, if anyone has successfully booted the Windows 10 or 11 USB installer on EFI Macs (I wish it was UEFI, this would have been solved months ago) how did you do it? ---
(I've used Rufus and BalenaEtcher) but it would try to boot, the Windows logo would appear and that white circling animation would appear but it'd go into BSOD.

On which Mac hardware?
On older Macs before 2013 the EFI implementation was subpar (to be kind with Apple).
Some graphic drivers will never accept to work with EFI.
They work only with a MBR boot and simulated BIOS.

On Macs from 2013: Rufus, generate a "Windows 2 go" drive .
Get the BootCamp drivers on an USB Stick.
Boot Windows 2 go **without network**, install the BootCamp drivers, then you can release the network.
(if you boot with a network, Windows may be faster to install its standard video driver, which may botch your installation and leave you with a black screen)

 

[Alvin777]

On which Mac hardware?
On older Macs before 2013 the EFI implementation was subpar (to be kind with Apple).
Some graphic drivers will never accept to work with EFI.
They work only with a MBR boot and simulated BIOS.

On Macs from 2013: Rufus, generate a "Windows 2 go" drive .
Get the BootCamp drivers on an USB Stick.
Boot Windows 2 go **without network**, install the BootCamp drivers, then you can release the network.
(if you boot with a network, Windows may be faster to install its standard video driver, which may botch your installation and leave you with a black screen)

Hi, it's a Late 2015 5k iMac. It can boot Window to Go (Windows 10 or 11 Pro) but it can't boot the Windows PE, it's USB installer, not even if you use Rufus, perhaps there's another way to boot it to Windows PE, the OS used by Windows USB installer?

 

[rin67630]

Hi, it's a Late 2015 5k iMac. It can boot Window to Go (Windows 10 or 11 Pro) but it can't boot the Windows PE, it's USB installer, not even if you use Rufus, perhaps there's another way to boot it to Windows PE, the OS used by Windows USB installer?

I m just runnnig with Windows2Go, you can use it like a standard Windows, just assigm letters to other drives, else the will no appear.

 

[Dayo]

Yup, virustotal.com is an extremely very important site

Nope, VirusTotal is a load of junk and FUD.

According to it, MyBootMgr (which I wrote), is a trojan:

VirusTotal

VirusTotal

www.virustotal.com

I suppose that is not surprising since it contains OpenCore, which according to VirusTotal, is a virus:

VirusTotal

VirusTotal

www.virustotal.com

To VirusTotal, the OCLP is also a virus:

[Bug]: Virus Total reports lots of nasties? · Issue #533 · dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher

Machine Model iMac14,2 Application Version Latest Release Application Variant GUI (Graphical User Interface) What versions of macOS are you seeing the problem on? macOS 11, Big Sur Where does this ...

github.com

The reality is that, when they are unable to read something, rather than simply fess up and say "we couldn't read XYZ in the package and do not know what it is and it could be a virus or totally harmless", they just make something up.

I suppose it is good when they say they couldn't find any issues with something ... could not even find one to make up!

 

[bogdanw]

Nope, VirusTotal is a load of junk and FUD.

No, it is not. It’s an useful resource for regular users.

According to it, MyBootMgr (which I wrote), is a trojan:
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file...4e7c3f5b98a910ce2a3e8c73a88d4be1158/detection

Only one vendor flags 099_MyBootMgr.dmg as potentially malicious and that is clearly a false positive from Microsoft. The reported Trojan:Script/Phonzy.B!ml doesn’t even target macOS https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wds...rojan:Script/Phonzy.B!ml&threatId=-2147194329

But from the Details section, we can see that 099_MyBootMgr.dmg is not notarized and not signed.
That might be important information for users downloading apps form the Internet.

To VirusTotal, the OCLP is also a virus:
https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/issues/533

OCLP is a hacking tool. It is used to bypass Apple’s restrictions and security features on macOS.

 

[Dayo]

No, it is not. It’s an useful resource for regular users.

I suppose so to an extent given that it has gone down significantly from showing a gazillion made up flags as it used to do.

OCLP is a hacking tool used to bypass Apple’s restrictions and security features on macOS.

The Windows tool that passed with flying colours effectively does the same and bypasses restrictions etc as well which is fine as that is not what defines a virus and not the scope of the tool. Having most of the items say the OCLP is okay would otherwise be a massive failure in the other direction ... ignoring the subject Windows tool.

It has certainly improved all said and done and I have now changed my opinion to just it being largely junky FUD as opposed to the previous complete junky FUD.

This is despite it claiming that MyBootMgr contacts some malicious IP addresses when it does not connect to anything, malicious or otherwise. I suppose they get a false positive and then fill in bits that what they have said it is does; even if they have not actually observed it happening.