Duel SSD OS Build help

Good Day all,

I am new to this forum and i am seeking your expertise. I currently have a Macbook Pro 13'' (Late 2011). Last year i upgraded the HDD to a 240GB SSD. I have loved it ever since. A few weeks ago i came across a modification to add a 2nd SSD in the place of the optical drive. I added the SSD and i can see it in my disk utility.

My objective is to run a duel boot option from 2 separate disks. One disk OSX and one disk win10. I dont want to use a VM as i do not want to share resources to run 2 OS's at the same time.

When i do it through boot camp, i get an error saying "The installer disc could not be found". I have the Win10 ISO on a bootable USB and i mounted it. I also converted to a DMG file but i still get the same error. How do i do this better.

I do not want to partition any SSD Drives.

MarcVanJ said:

When i do it through boot camp, i get an error saying "The installer disc could not be found". I have the Win10 ISO on a bootable USB and i mounted it. I also converted to a DMG file but i still get the same error. How do i do this better.

Click to expand...

My understanding is you cannot install Windows from a bootable external device like this.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

My understanding is you cannot install Windows from a bootable external device like this.

- Nick

Click to expand...

What method can I use? Will an external optical drive work? How else can I get this working?

MarcVanJ said:

What method can I use? Will an external optical drive work? How else can I get this working?

Click to expand...

I need to ask one question…are you trying to install a 64-bit version of Windows 10?

- Nick

I am using a 64 bit version yes

pigoo3 said:

I need to ask one question…are you trying to install a 64-bit version of Windows 10?

- Nick

Click to expand...

Yes i am using a 64bit

MarcVanJ said:

I am using a 64 bit version yes

Click to expand...

According to this Apple document (below)…Windows 10 64-bit is not supported via bootcamp on Late 2011 MacBook Pro's. This may or may not be related to the current install issue. If not…you would more than likely face this issue later on:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204990

- Nick

p.s. By the way. This Apple document also mentions that Windows 10 does come on a USB stick from Microsoft. So this method should work if what you have is the original USB stick from Microsoft (if Late 2011 MBP's supported Windows 10 64-bit via bootcamp). Which according to the Apple document it doesn't.
p.p.s. And of course…this Apple document also describes how to install Windows 10. But because Late 2011 MBP's do not support Windows 10 64-bit via bootcamp…this info may not be of much use.

pigoo3 said:

According to this Apple document (below)…Windows 10 64-bit is not supported via bootcamp on Late 2011 MacBook Pro's. This may or may not be related to the current install issue. If not…you would more than likely face this issue later on:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204990

- Nick

p.s. By the way. This Apple document also mentions that Windows 10 does come on a bootable USB stick from Microsoft. So this method should work if what you have is the original USB stick from Microsoft (if Late 2011 MBP's supported Windows 10 64-bit via bootcamp). Which it doesn't.
p.p.s. And of course…this Apple document also describes how to install Windows 10. But because Late 2011 MBP's do not support Windows 10 64-bit via bootcamp…this info may not be of much use.

Click to expand...

Ah no... Do you have any recommendations as to what I can do besides buying a new Mac or running a VM?

Thank you for the assistance by the way!

MarcVanJ said:

Ah no... Do you have any recommendations as to what I can do besides buying a new Mac or running a VM?

Click to expand...

You hit on the two most obvious solutions (newer computer or a VM…via Parallels or VMWare Fusion).

Two other options:

- I think that there's supposed to be a 32-bit version of Windows 10 (which I think that a Late 2011 MBP can run). The Apple document isn't exactly clear on this.
- Use or get an actual Windows computer to run Windows 10 (not a desirable solution I'm sure).

- Nick

I just read that there has been success with 8.1 on the late 2011 models. Also they then upgrade to 10 from there. Some have success, others do not. I might try 8.1 install on Monday.

Good luck. Please let us know if it works (or not).

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Good luck. Please let us know if it works (or not).

- Nick

Click to expand...

So, will a little more progress.

I successfully got past the option where it states no bootable media. I used a Win8.1 disk and ran it through an external optical drive. When the Mac reboots, it starts in the windows Bios look and feel. Before the Windows splash is shown, the pc is stuck on a black screen with a flashing white cursor in the top left hand part of the screen. Nothing else happens from that point. I have tested the disk and optical drive work with a VM. My mac is just not accepting that it works. how do i get past this issue.

ok so i figured out how to get past my previous issue. If you hold down "C" on boot, it boots into the windows install.

I am now stuck on the point where you choose where to install windows. The disk i have insterted (which i chose from boot camp) will not allow me to intall the software on. I have done a format in the windows window but no joy. The error says it needs to be in a GPT partition as it is in an MBR and it cannot install. How do i format this on a MAC from MBR to GPT

I Finally got it !!!

Had to do a diskpart on presentation of the windows install window. Did a "Clean" on the disk and it worked. i now have win 8.1 and OSX on my macbook Pro will be attempting Win 10 now

Win 10 is working

Yeyyyy!

- Nick