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I used to run Ubuntu on my mac but needed Windows so decided to reinstall El Capitan and use bootcamp. One major problem I always faced was that my mac didn't accept any startup key combinations, making everything much more difficult. I have a wired Windows keyboard, which i've tried on all 5 usb ports and with all possible combinations.

Bootcamp didn't let me use an .iso file to make the windows partition and i didn't have a windows DVD so I tricked it by mounting my Windows iso with Deamon Tools. Bootcamp created a partition and booted into a "No operating system found" screen. The mac did't accept any of my USBs so I finnaly found a Windows XP CD that I had and inserted it. It installed XP, so my initial plan was to upgrade, one OS at a time, to Windows 10, but the XP was 32-bit and didn't allow me to install a 64-bit Vista Upgrade. I still couldn't boot any USB installers so my only option was installing from within the OS.

Now finally I found a Windows 7 DVD, but Windows XP couldn't upgrade from it, so my only option was to get back to the "No operating system found" screen which I stupidly tried by destroying the Windows XP system.

After a reboot, the system still detected XP, just couldn't boot from it. No CDs/DVDs are being detected either.

So to recap, the system only boots to the Windows partition, which has a corrupted Windows XP that won't boot. I am unable to access the Startup Manage. I'm able to boot into Refind from a USB, but only after first removing the Hard Drive.

My assumed possible solutions:

  • Find a way to boot to Recovery or Startup Manager.
  • Find a way to Wipe the Windows partition so that it boots to El Capitan.
jazzzooo
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    How about borrowing a Mac keyboard; that would at least give you the opt/boot – Tetsujin Feb 05 '18 at 16:23
  • @Tetsujin yeah, will ask around tomorrow. Hoping someone finds a quicker solution. – jazzzooo Feb 05 '18 at 16:37
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    You're a bit Catch 22 right now, you can't get it to boot to the Mac partition without the opt key or the software switch in Win Boot Camp. If you could get it to boot from an OS X USB stick you could do it from there, but I've never ever got a 3,1 to boot from USB; which leaves an OS X CD & the C key at boot, which it ought to recognise even from a Win keyboard – Tetsujin Feb 05 '18 at 16:48
  • We can fix this (I think). You are correct, the the startup keys do not work from wired Windows keyboards. What is the model/year of your Mac? I have to know this in order to help you. Do you know what was the last version of macOS (OS X) you had installed? – David Anderson Feb 05 '18 at 16:54
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    @Tetsujin ,I did previously succeed with booting a El Capitan installer from Refind (without the hard drive in). At that point I would select startup disk, and choose the installer from the list, hit reboot, and at the exact moment the power was off, I would insert the HD, and that would boot the installer without the HD taking all the attention. But now I cant seem to boot anything from refind. – jazzzooo Feb 05 '18 at 16:55
  • @DavidAnderson It's https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/specs/mac-pro-eight-core-2.8-2008-specs.html

    Early 2008 - MA970LL/A - MacPro3,1 - A1186 - 2180. And El Capitan is still on there, hopefully.

     – jazzzooo Feb 05 '18 at 16:57
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    Currently, you can install Windows XP 32 bit from a DVD? Do you know if this installation allowed for access to the internet? Or, do you have another computer that can access the internet? (Else how are you posting to this site?) Also, what is your desired final goal? In other words, what operation systems do you want installed? – David Anderson Feb 05 '18 at 17:28
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    Basically, you could install XP from DVD. Next install the Boot Camp Support Software. You can either download the software directly to XP. Or, you use another computer and download to a USB flash drive. Once you have the Boot Camp Support Software installed, you can have XP boot back to OS X. – David Anderson Feb 05 '18 at 17:31
  • @DavidAnderson Windows XP didn't have internet access, but to be fair I didn't bother making it work. Currently, I can't install XP from DVD, it only allows me to boot to the current system. The final goal would be to get the computer booting from the Hard Drive, no matter what system. And yes, I have another computer. I'm currently trying to get a live linux distro on a usb to boot from Refind. – jazzzooo Feb 05 '18 at 17:32
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    In your case, you would be using the same Boot Camp Support Software for all versions of Windows you wish to install. This includes 64 bit Windows 10. Download from this site: Boot Camp Support Software 4.0.4033. – David Anderson Feb 05 '18 at 17:35
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    @Tetsujin after mastering the art of finding semi-useful things, I found a very old bluetooth apple keyboard, do you think I could somehow pair it? – jazzzooo Feb 05 '18 at 18:29
  • I really don't know, sorry. I've never owned a BT keyboard. A 3,1 wouldn't be 'primed' to be looking for one at boot, as they didn't exist back then. – Tetsujin Feb 05 '18 at 18:41
  • @Tetsujin Actually, here is the manual for this keyboard, published 2003 https://fccid.io/BCGA1016/User-Manual/User-Manual-357417 so I'm gonna try it out – jazzzooo Feb 05 '18 at 18:58
  • page 6 looks worrying... all done from System prefs... but I wish you luck. [I still don't think those machines are going to be looking for anything BT at boot, they're expecting USB] – Tetsujin Feb 05 '18 at 19:11
  • Did you ever get a live linux to boot from USB? – David Anderson Feb 05 '18 at 20:08
  • @DavidAnderson really slow internet here, will get back to you tomorrow when the download is finnished – jazzzooo Feb 05 '18 at 20:50
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    The easiest way to install 64 bit Windows 10 would be to burn a DVD. Just so you know, some of the Windows 10 ISOs can only be burned to double layer DVDs. You can not transfer the ISO to a USB flash drive. Your model will not install Windows this way. You can install Windows 10 without using a DVD, but this method is very difficult to implement. An example of the steps is given at this website: Installing Windows 7 or 10 Pro 64 bit without DVD or Flash Drive. – David Anderson Feb 05 '18 at 22:15

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