Bootcamp control panel causes BSOD in early 2011 MacBook Pro with Windows 11

Question

Each time I open the Boot Camp control panel, I get a BSOD. I want to open it in the first place to set the function keys to change the brightness, volume etc. I am not sure if I'm doing something wrong or missing something. Could someone help me with:

1. Enabling the function keys to control brightness, volume etc. in Win 11 and
2. Resolving the BSOD issue that comes up when Bootcamp.exe is opened.

Here is the procedure I followed to install Win 11:

1. I installed Windows 11 Home (version 21H2, OS build 22000.348) on my early 2011 MacbookPro8,1 having High Sierra. First I converted the drive to GPT/MBR hybrid format by following the steps given under 'Method 2' in the answer to the question at How to convert a drive from the GPT format to the hybrid GPT/MBR format when using High Sierra (macOS 10.13.2).
2. Then, I followed the steps given in the answer to the question at How to install Windows 10 into a 2011 iMac without using the Boot Camp Assistant, an optical (DVD) drive or third party tools? to install Win 11. I added registry entries to bypass TPM check, RAM check and SecureBootCheck before starting the installation. Win 11 is installed in the partition disk0s4.
3. I have disabled Boot Camp from windows startup as the BSOD was coming up a short while after the system booted up. If I double click Bootcamp.exe under Program files, I get a BSOD.
4. I had used the Boot Camp Assistant on my Mac to download the Window Support Software. I clicked on the "Action" pulldown on the Boot Camp Assistant menu bar to download it.
5. Before starting the whole process, I had partitioned the harddisk into three - one had macOS, a second one for Win 11 and a third one that's empty right now.

I have been working on Win 11 full time for a week now without any other issues. It would be wonderful if the function keys also work as in macOS.

Answer 1

Finally, what resolved the issue on my mac was the BootCamp package 041-98143.

• I used Brigadier (https://github.com/timsutton/brigadier) to download it.

  brigadier.exe --model MacBookPro11,1

• The URL that Brigadier fetched the package from was http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/62/58/041-98143-A_HN8B941A1T/nknv1gt3xcgylggwc11kl5e0j4296tjfo1/BootCampESD.pkg

• Then, I opened BootCamp/Setup.exe from within the extracted folder but got the message, "This version of Bootcamp is not intended for this computer model." and could not proceed with the installation.

• So, I right-clicked the Setup.exe and under the Compatibility tab, checked the box Run this program in compatibility mode for: and chose the only option that was displayed below it - 'previous version of the OS' (or something like that, I don't remember the exact words.)

• This time the Setup file got executed. It repaired the existing package and installed/ reinstalled the drivers.

• After the installation, I could open Bootcamp.exe. There was no BSOD this time. The fn-keys for brightness, keyboard backlight, media keys and volume also work. I was also able to enable one-finger and two-finger tap controls in the Bootcamp control panel that opens up on clicking Bootcamp.exe. Now I've set Boot Camp Manager to run at startup. Only when it runs do the keyboard and touchpad work as in mac. Otherwise only their basic functions work.

Note:

• Distribution 041-98143 supports the following models: MacBook8,1, MacBookAir5,1, MacBookAir5,2, MacBookAir6,1, MacBookAir6,2, MacBookAir7,1, MacBookAir7,2, MacBookPro9,1, MacBookPro9,2, MacBookPro11,1, MacBookPro11,2, MacBookPro11,3, MacBookPro11,4, MacBookPro11,5, MacBookPro12,1, MacPro6,1, Macmini6,1, Macmini6,2, Macmini7,1, iMac13,1, iMac13,2, iMac13,3, iMac14,1, iMac14,2, iMac14,3, iMac14,4, iMac15,1.
• Now when I open the same BootCamp/Setup.exe, Win 8, Win 7 and Vista are listed as the options. But when I set the compatibilty mode to Win 8 and try to run it, I get the same message ,"This version of BootCamp is not intended...". I don't think I'll need to run it again, though.
• When DavidAnderson wrote that a newer MBP's BootCamp package might work on mine, I looked for the last 13" MBP that didn't have force touch or touch bar in the user guides at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201300 . I assumed that both would have similar hardware. This happened to be the 2014 model, MacBookPro11,1.
• I don't know if other packages would work as well but this one worked for me.

Answer 2

I finished doing a clean install of Windows 11 on my 2011 iMac. I also encountered a BSOD. The cause was also Bootcamp.exe. While your answer solved your problem, I took a different approach to get a newer Bootcamp.exe. Instead, I used "Apple Software Update". The steps are given below.

1. If not done automatically, run the "Boot Camp Installer" by opening Setup.exe in the BootCamp folder on the flash drive. See image below.

   Note: When the "Boot Camp Installer" finishes, do not restart the Mac.

   

2. Download and install all Updates to "Apple Software Update". In other words, run "Apple Software Update". If there is an update for "Apple Software Update", then only install this update by first deselecting any additional items. In my case, I needed to update "Apple Software Update" twice. If asked to restart, do not restart.

3. Once Apple Software has finished updating itself, then download and install any addition items. In my case, Boot Camp was updated. If asked to restart, do not restart.

4. When "Apple Software Update" no longer shows any items, quit "Apple Software Update", then restart your Mac.

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I also installed an UEFI booting Windows 11 on a 2013 iMac and a 2018 Mac mini. "Apple Software Update" also had Boot Camp updates for those two Macs.