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I have spent 4 days now, trying to install Windows7 64 bit on my MacBook Pro 13 mid 2010 with High Sierra installed on it. I had installed in many years ago and it was really easy. I removed it when I replaced my original HDD with 500GB SSD. After many attempts with getting ISO to work with BootCamp assistant, I gave up and tried installing directly from bootable USB by using refind (as pressing opt/alt at start-up did show this USB as a bootable source.

Doing that I get the error "Windows can't be installed in drive 0 partition x (show details)" and the detail gives the error message "The selected disk is of the GPT partition style". Additionally it says that it must be NTFS.

I could click format, but it remains stuck at GPT error.

I tried different solutions so far that did not work.

  1. Solution with ExFAT format It simply says that format Windows/bootcamp partition to ExFAT from diskutility and restart. Tried it but did not help.

  2. solution given with gdisk Tried that, but did not help. Still got the message.

  3. Solution by using diskpart at the Windows Installation screen. I used it missing to check that it is to be used in case I have separate physical disk. I used it and wiped out my who HDD.

After 3 I started fresh with High Sierra again. But I partitioned my disk before installing any OS. Now, I tried the same to install Windows7, but I get the same message. I realized that above instructions were for Windows 8. Don't know if that makes a difference on how to proceed with this GPT error?

Also in Solution 1, it highlights " make sure that "bootcamp is partition 4". But for me it appears at partition 3. Does that makes a difference?

Output from diskutil 

 diskutil list
/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
   #:      TYPE NAME                            SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme              *500.1 GB   disk0
   1:       EFI EFI                             209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:       Apple_APFS Container disk1         409.9 GB   disk0s2
   3:       Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP      89.9 GB    disk0s3

/dev/disk1 (synthesized):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      APFS Container Scheme -                      +409.9 GB   disk1
                                 Physical Store disk0s2
   1:                APFS Volume MacintoshHD             13.0 GB    disk1s1
   2:                APFS Volume Preboot                 22.2 MB    disk1s2
   3:                APFS Volume Recovery                516.2 MB   disk1s3
   4:                APFS Volume VM                      4.3 GB     disk1s4

Output from gdisk

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4

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.

output from gdisk print partition table

Expert command (? for help): p
Disk /dev/disk0: 976773168 sectors, 465.8 GiB
Sector size (logical): 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): C49B7CD4-E813-445E-BEDB-BCA947F6F707
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 976773134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 263573 sectors (128.7 MiB)

Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              40          409639   200.0 MiB   EF00  EFI System Partition
   2          409640       800991871   381.7 GiB   AF0A  
   3       800993280       976510975   83.7 GiB    0700

output from gdisk "print protective MBR data

Disk size is 976773168 sectors (465.8 GiB)
MBR disk identifier: 0x00000000
MBR partitions:

Number  Boot  Start Sector   End Sector   Status      Code
   1                     1    976773167   primary     0xEE

Output from gpt -r show /dev/disk0

      start       size  index  contents
          0          1         PMBR
          1          1         Pri GPT header
          2         32         Pri GPT table
         34          6         
         40     409600      1  GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B
     409640  800582232      2  GPT part - 7C3457EF-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC
  800991872       1408         
  800993280  175517696      3  GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7
  976510976     262159         
  976773135         32         Sec GPT table
  976773167          1         Sec GPT header

At this moment Bootcamp is FAT32 partition.

After 4 days of effort, loss of data, I need help. I am not sure if I missed something small to notice after reading page after page.

I came across this solution about converting drive from GPT to hybrid. I would like to try this, but at the same time I notice that almost every article warns about Hybrid GPT/MBR.

I hope there is a simple solution than this or if someone can confirm that this is the only option left to try. I can then try this complicated looking solution as well.

arundeep78
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  • I believe you would be better off using hybrid partitioning. I believe the Windows Support Software was designed for a BIOS booting Windows 7 on 2010 Macs. To BIOS boot you need hybrid partitioning. Are you using a DVD or some other method to install Windows? – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 10:45
  • I am using USB flash drive, which I can boot through refind installed on Mac. When I select, it shows "boot Windows in legacy mode". I assume that means it is using BIOS mode and thus creates conflict with GPT disks. Looking at your post, for me using gdisk simpler method than gpt .. I was just about to use it, as I figure I have nothing to lose, as already I am on barebones High Sierra after a fresh install :). based on DVD or USB any special procedure that can or need to be used? – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 11:03
  • The link you have referred to is step 3 in the solution to this question. You may be able to modify the answer to work with a 2010 Mac and Windows 7. For example, the Boot Camp Support Software would change. The link to the correct download can be found here. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 11:07
  • I tried using BCA, even with editing of .plist. But just could not get it to work. The current usb can boot through refind, but not through alt/opt. The ISO I used to create this USB on a windows machine, does not work with BCA to create a flash drive. I have GPT * for disk0 as mentioned in your link at step 12. I would try your [solution][3] and see how it goes. At max, I would need to start over, but I have no more data to lose :). I will report back soon, how it went – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 11:47
  • I followed the steps to make hybrid MBR. All seems good on MAC side. I can boot in MAC, go to recovery and so on. But now, the usb flash drive became useless!! When I select it through refind, it starts as before with Windows logo and then stops immediately at black screen with blinking cursor on top :(. The output of gdisk /dev/disk0 `GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4 Partition table scan: MBR: hybrid BSD: not present APM: not present GPT: present

    Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT `

     – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 13:01
  • I did not ask this before so I will now. I assume Windows 7 has SP1 included? How hard would it be for you to burn the Windows 7 iso to a DVD? – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 13:15
  • Yes, it does have SP1 included. I do not have any burner. Would have to find someone who does or find a shop who does it. I am not aware of anyone around here. I have not thought of burners in ages now :). At the moment, I am trying to create USB by the method you described in procedure to install Win10 on 2011 iMac. Lets see how that goes. Any other ideas or input that I can share to help make progress? – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 13:20
  • How do you feel about downloading a Windows 10 iso and then copying the files from the iso to another flash drive? The idea is to boot from the Windows 10 flash drive to install Windows 7. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 13:24
  • Ok, I will put that to download in parallel. I hope they don't need any purchase key before downloading. – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 13:27
  • When upgrading to High Sierra, the firmware on my 2011 iMac was upgraded to allow Windows 10 to UEFI boot from flash drives. Windows 7 will not UEFI boot. I was hoping the same would be true for your 2010 Mac. If so, then once UEFI booted to Windows 10 from a flash drive, you could enter the bootsect command to make your internal drive BIOS bootable. You then could copy the Windows 7 files to the internal drive and bios boot from the internal drive. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 13:46
  • That is an idea that may or may not work. If you want an solution that has been proven to work, then go with using this method. However, the method is complicated to implement. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 13:50
  • Ok, We shall see. So far many things, did not work as they were supposed to :) . In your solution on Win10 and iMac at step 12 there is a command " bootsect /nt60 C: /mbr" . Is the same that should be used for Windows 7 as well or there is a different command for each Windows version? e.g. I do not see "AutoUnattend.xml" in Win7.. I am just surprised that with time it just got complicated than getting easier. When I started 4 days ago, I thought it would be like 6-7 years ago a smooth ride :) Will this one now, then will try the Virtualbox method. Will update when finished – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 13:57
  • The /nt60 for bootsect means Windows Vista or newer. You can read the instructions here. Plus, I tested in VirtualBox and the bootsect from the Windows 10 iso works with the Windows 7 SP1 iso. The AutoUnattend.xml file is included the the Boot Camp Support Software from Apple. The Boot Camp Support Software for your Mac will not have this file. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 14:30
  • OK, trouble now is that after creating hybrid GPT/MBR, I just cannot boot into usb flash drive. Before I could boot into the same USB. I created another USB flash drive using the method provided in Win10 iMac. Still the same black screen with blinking cursor. Regarding firmware, I need to search how to check if I have the latest firmware installed for my Macbookpro. maybe that will solve this conflict of booting and formats. – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 15:28
  • If you have all the updates installed for High Sierra, then you have the latest firmware. You tried to boot from Win 10 flash drive by holding down the option key at startup? How was the flash drive volume formatted? (FAT32, ExFAT or NTFS). Was the flash drive partitioned? (Master Boot Record or GUID Partition Map) – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 15:34
  • I just tried to revert back the hybrid gpt/mbr to protective mbr. The usb flash drive now boots fine with refind. It seems to have got unto chicken egg problem. I will try one more time to delete bootcamp partition and then create again to see if it works with gpt/hybrid. if not then will try Virtualbox – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 15:38
  • If you can boot from the flash drive, then can you enter a Shift+F10 to open a Command Prompt Window? – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 15:42
  • yes, I can. but this is the combination where Gpt is with protective mbr. diskpart -> list disk shows disk as gpt or in other words it shows * in the gpt column. Thisnis why it didn't let to continue the installation. i understood that the method works if it is hybrid gpt/mbr, so i didn't do anything further when i saw the * for gpt. Did I miss something? – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 15:53
  • I will point out that if you were to copy gdisk64.exe to the Windows 7 flash drive, then you could enter D:\gdisk64 \\?\PhysicalDrive0 from a Command Prompt window after boot from the Windows 7 flash drive. You then could change the partitioning back to hybrid. Anyway, this worked in a VirtualBox simulation. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 16:13
  • Wow this has become the most complicated installation ever even including all server and other enterprise setups :). i booted windows 7 from usb when system was in protective mbr. in windows i used shift+f10 and used gdisk32.exe to make it hybrid. gdisk64 gave an error that it is not for this version on windows. all went fine. i went back to MacOs and created another partition with fat32 usking diskutil app. message was all good. bit when i rebooted, refind could only see usb flash drive. i used shift+f10 to make hybrid. now i have bootcamp, but no MacOS !!! cmd+R goes to internet recovery! – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 18:03
  • What commands did you enter into gdisk64.exe? – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 18:06
  • gdisk64.exe \.\physicaldrive0 and it said, 64 is not for this version. check my windows and gdisk docs to see if i need 32 or 64. I used gdisk32 and executed the commands to make it hybrid and it worked fine. Just that my over optimism to create another fat32 partition brought me back to ground again with no MacOS and working Windows 7 – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 18:11
  • I am using the latest 64 bit Windows 7 Professional SP1 that can be downloaded from Microsoft and gdisk64.exe version 1.0.4. Is it possible you are using 32 bit Windows 7? Do you have Windows 7 installed or just have booted from the flash drive? Can you use gdisk to post the current values in the GPT and MBR partition table? – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 18:30
  • i have windows iso which gives the option to install either 32 or 64 bit windows. maybe that is the trouble. I am just waiting for the internet recovery to finish the initial download. I will login to windows and share it. values in gpt and MBR you mean use the option "p" to print the partition table? or there is another output you are looking for? – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 18:33
  • The gdisk command p prints the GUID Partition Table (GPT). To print the Master Boot Record (MBR) partition table you need to first enter r then o. If you are in macOS recovery mode, the you can use the commands sudo gpt -r show /dev/disk0 and sudo fdisk /dev/disk0. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 18:41
  • Output from gdisk.(Within in 64 bit WindowsI can use gdisk64). `F:\software>gdisk64.exe \.\physicaldrive0 GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4

    Partition table scan: MBR: hybrid BSD: not present APM: not present GPT: present

    Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.`

     – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 18:55
  • GPT output Command (? for help): p Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name 1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition 2 409640 781460623 372.4 GiB AF00 3 781723648 859324415 37.0 GiB 0700 4 859586560 976510975 55.8 GiB 0700 – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 18:57
  • MBR data `Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

    Disk size is 976773168 sectors (465.8 GiB) MBR disk identifier: 0x0F26B76B MBR partitions:

    Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code 1 1 409639 primary 0xEE 2 409640 781460623 primary 0xAF 3 781723648 859324415 primary 0x07 4 * 859586560 976510975 primary 0x07`

     – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 19:00
  • Sorry, I am not sure how to format this properly in comments. In the main section, it was looking very elegant. I have output from gpt and fdisk taken as images from phone. I will share them soon as I figure how to attach them in comments – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 19:07
  • out put from recovery mode terminal diskutil list, gpt -r show fdisk – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 19:28
  • In your question diskutil list shows an APFS container for macOS. The gdisk command represents this type of partition as type AF0A. I assume this is still true, because you do not appear to have a separate recovery partition. The current value is now AF00. This would explain why macOS will not boot. You may need to change the type back to AF0A. I think the commands would be t, 2, AF0A, w and y. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 19:37
  • yes, many thanks to you. As I understand, I used your method with small variation. Create partitions as needed before any install. have gdisk for windows on Win7 or other drive available. Boot with Win7 usb. Use shift+f10 to open windows cmd. use your method to convert GPT to hybrid disks. Exit cmd and continue the installation in the same sequence. Windows is installed now. refind now reads USB that I created using your method of copying data on a FAT32 format!! I don't know what cause that chicken egg problem with usb not loading with hybrid disks, but now all is ok.Can sleep now :) – arundeep78 Jan 06 '20 at 20:01
  • This is exactly where I am going.... to sleep. I may try to post an answer later. – David Anderson Jan 06 '20 at 20:04

1 Answers1

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Basically, this is a chicken/egg problem where the Windows 7 installation flash drive will not boot properly when the internal drive is hybrid partitioned.

After many hours of false starts, the following steps were used to install Windows 7. You will need two flash drives.

  1. Download and install rEFInd on the Mac.

  2. Use ImgBurn on a Windows machine to create an iso file from the Windows 7 DVD.

  3. Use Rufus on a Windows machine to create the bootable USB flash drive from the iso file.

  4. Use MacOS to create the internal drive partitions needed to install Windows 7.

  5. Download the latest Windows Support Software. For your Mac, this software can be found at Boot Camp Support Software 4.0.4033.

  6. FAT32 format the second flash drive. Be sure to use a MBR partitioning scheme. For example, you could use the macOS Disk Utility application to erase the flash drive using the parameters shown in the image below.

  7. Copy the Windows Support Software to root folder on the second flash drive. For example, you could use the macOS Finder application to copy the files.

  8. Put a copy of gdisk for windows on second flash drive.

  9. With both flash drives inserted in USB ports on the Mac, use rEFInd to boot from flash drive created with Rufus.
  10. Use shift+f10 key combination to open a Command Prompt window.
  11. Use Method 1 in this answer to convert in internal drive from pure GPT to hybrid partitioned.
  12. Exit the Command Prompt window and complete the installation of Windows 7.
  13. Install the Window Support Software.
David Anderson
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  • All these steps from answer are valid. Except that on my macbookpro, the usb created by the given method was not detected by refind as bootable. I created an iso on windows machine using imgburn and wrote that on usb with rufus. This was bootable. Surprisingly, after following all other steps and installing Win7, the first USB was detected by refind as bootable!! – arundeep78 Jan 09 '20 at 07:50
  • @arundeep78: I updated my answer. I assume you can edit my answer. If so, please make any additional corrections. Or, post additional corrections as comments. – David Anderson Jan 09 '20 at 08:46
  • Once again, many thanks for the help. I hope it will help someone who comes across such a problem. Although Win7 supoorted hardware and new software will make it a rare occurrence :) – arundeep78 Jan 09 '20 at 19:48
  • @arundeep78: If I posted the correct answer, then I am left rather confused. If you had the DVD to begin with, then why not just boot the Mac using the DVD and then install Windows 7? Why go through all the extra work to to use ImgBurn and Rufus to create a flash drive that was only bootable through the use of rEFInd? – David Anderson Jan 09 '20 at 22:45
  • Actually, I didn't have DVD. I had an ISO file with bootcamp software already on it. I had it from last time when I installed Windows 7 (about 7-8 years ago). I thought it was bootable, but Mac and refind won't accept it. I tried methods with diskutil, dd and copy paste etc. , but none worked. Finally this method with imgburn and rufus worked to get USB that refind would detect as bootable. I think along with DVD one can add from a non bootable ISO and/ windows 7 folder to make a bootable USB. As one may have DVD but not a dvd drive on Mac. – arundeep78 Jan 11 '20 at 08:34
  • I don't have privileges to edit the answer. The same way steps 7 and 8 can be done on 2nd USB prepared in step 6. Or these files can be added to the ISO created using imgburn. As Imgburn will make a bootable ISO from a folder as well. It is a choice, but not a must to have on single usb – arundeep78 Jan 11 '20 at 08:41