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startergo

macrumors 601
Original poster
Sep 20, 2018
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Installing Windows 10 in Legacy/Bios mode in classic Mac Pro is easy. You will have to use a modified Bootcamp assistant, which I attached to this post or make your own using this guide. The installation has been tested on High Sierra partition with HFS+ partitioning scheme. The only limitation I am aware of is the limitation of the boot drive partition. Microsoft limitations:
Now LBAs under MBR partitions are addressed using 32-bit values, the maximum of which is 2^32 or 4294967296. Each LBA on a hard drive corresponds to a 512-byte sector value (even on 4K advance format drives, they still appear as 512-byte sector drives to the OS), so the largest partition you can have in a MBR partitioned drive is 4294967296 * 512-bytes or 2,199,023,255,552 bytes.

Hard drive manufacturers define 1TB as 1 trillion bytes. If we use that definition then the largest 32-bit MBR partition would be 2.199TB (2,199,023,255,552 bytes / 1,000,000,000,000). If we define 1TB as 1024^4 bytes (TiB) then the largest 32-bit MBR partition would be 2TiB (2,199,023,255,552 bytes / 1,099,511,627,776).
Apple has updated Bootcamp to support Macs with 3 TB hard drives, but I have not tested 3TB drives. For instance this is how I partitioned a 5TB drive:
Code:
diskutil partitionDisk /dev/disk3 GPT JHFS+ First 200G FAT32 BOOTCAMP 1600G JHFS+ Backup 0G
Do not partition right up to the 2.2 TB limit, but leave some space. A good rule of thumb is that the Mac and Windows partitions added together should be less than 2 TB total.

If you choose to install a BIOS booting Windows on the 5 TB drive, then you will need to create an ExFAT formatted volume somewhere within the first 2.2 TB of the drive. Assuming disk5 is the identifier for your 5 TB drive, you could enter the command below to create a 500 GB partition for Windows:

Code:
diskutil partitiondisk disk5 gpt exfat BootCamp 500G jhfs+ seagate R

Using gdisk convert the GPT partitioning scheme to hybrid MBR:
Code:
sudo gdisk /dev/disk3
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.9

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.

Command (? for help): p
Disk /dev/disk3: 9767541168 sectors, 4.5 TiB
Sector size (logical): 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): 9CA86ECA-D0BD-4514-8CEF-641A8F9EAE4E
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 9767541134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 524541 sectors (256.1 MiB)

Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              40          409639   200.0 MiB   EF00  EFI System Partition
   2          409640       390772495   186.1 GiB   AF00
   3       391034880      3516033023   1.5 TiB     0700
   4      3516033024      9767278983   2.9 TiB     AF00

Command (? for help): r

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h

WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,
just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will
be untouched.

Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be
added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4
Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y

Creating entry for GPT partition #1 (MBR partition #2)
Enter an MBR hex code (default EF):
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #3)
Enter an MBR hex code (default AF):
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #4)
Enter an MBR hex code (default 07):
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): y

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): w

Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING
PARTITIONS!!

Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y
OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/disk3.
Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their
partition table automatically reloaded!
Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.
You should reboot or remove the drive.
The operation has completed successfully.

You could make a hybrid disk by using the Disk Utility application included with Sierra (or earlier). First, you install regular Sierra into a new partition. When you're done, boot to regular Sierra, open the Disk utility, create the FAT partition, and you have a hybrid partition.
  • If you are using 2TB or smaller disk you can use the modified Boot Camp Assistant. With this modified Boot Camp Assistant if you have one HFS+ drive it will offer to create the Bootcamp partition on that drive.
  • If you have 2 HFS+ formatted disks it will offer to create the partition on the second drive.
  • If you have more than 2 disk's formatted as HFS+ it WILL NOT be able to create a Bootcamp partition.
  • Prepare an 8GB USB flash drive and format it with FAT32 partitioning scheme.
  • Prepare a blank dual layer DVD-ROM disk and insert it in the DVD-ROM drive.
  • Download the Windows ISO installer from Microsoft
  • Create a Windows installer DVD:
Code:
hdiutil burn ~/Downloads/Win10_22H2_English_x64.iso
  • Open the bootcamp assistant and check these options:
1680992280052.png

It looks like Monterey (and probably Big Sur) don't recognize a DVD as a valid Windows installer. In case like this use this to create the USB installer so that Bootcamp Assistant can proceed and convert the GPT to a hybrid partition and create the Bootcamp partition:
The modified Bootcamp Assistant creates a FAT32 USB drive and the install.wim file if bigger than 4gb cannot be written to it. You will still need the Windows DVD as the cMP can't boot in legacy mode without it.

To select the Legacy Windows boot loader on the next boot you will need to enter into the Mac Boot Picker menu. For that you will need a video card with a GOP flashed vBios or patched firmware with GOP support. You can follow the instructions here.
  • Upon boot to the Boot Picker menu select this entry:
1680995217027.png

  • At the screen where it asks you to select your installation partition select the FAT32 formatted partition and FORMAT IT (DO NOT DELETE).Continue installing. At the first reboot keep the OPTION button pressed to enter the Boot Picker menu.
  • Highlight the Windows selection and press (keep pressed) CONTROL and after that ENTER. This will bless the Windows selection:
1680996221979.png
  • Continue installing Windows. Just remember your USB drive with the Boot Camp software should be attached at all times until you login to the Windows desktop. When you login to the desktop the Boot Camp Assistant will automatically install. It will be version 5.1.5621. It supports:
  • System Requirements
    • MacBook Air (11-inch & 13-inch, Mid 2011)
    • MacBook Air (11-inch & 13-inch, Mid 2012)
    • MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, Mid 2010)
    • MacBook Pro (13-inch, & 15-inch, Early 2011)
    • MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2011)
    • MacBook Pro (13-inch,15-inch & 17-inch Late 2011)
    • MacBook Pro (13-inch & 15-inch, Mid 2012)
    • MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012)
    • MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012)
    • MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch and 15-inch, Early 2013)
    • Mac Pro (Early 2009)
    • Mac Pro (Mid 2010)
    • Mac Pro (Mid 2012)
    • Mac mini (Mid 2011)
    • Mac mini (Late 2012)
    • iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010)
    • iMac (21.5-inch & 27-inch, Mid 2011)
    • iMac (21.5-inch & 27-inch, Late 2012)
    • iMac (21.5-inch) Early 2013
    • Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1, 64 bit
  • Keep the Windows DVD-ROM disk and the USB in a safe place in case you need to repair/reinstall Windows.
 

Attachments

  • Boot Camp Assistant Modified.zip
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startergo

macrumors 601
Original poster
Sep 20, 2018
4,853
2,210
You can create a Boot Camp partition in Mojave or later APFS formatted drive with the modified Boot Camp Assistant as long as there is only one hard disk installed in the Mac.
1681088638086.png
Bootcamp assistant in Windows can be updated to version 6.1.9:

1681089412194.png
 

Diegopie007

macrumors newbie
Jul 18, 2023
3
0
I can't open the modified bootcamp assistant because it says it's only for mac os 10.13 but i have 10.11
 

david95966

macrumors newbie
Dec 11, 2013
7
1
I can't open the modified bootcamp assistant because it says it's only for mac os 10.13 but i have 10.11.
I have 10.11 too. Is there any point in pursuing this? Did you find a solution? Perhaps that means I need to modify the bootcamp plist. Thanks
 
Last edited:

supaklaw1

macrumors newbie
Aug 14, 2021
3
1
The modded bootcamp launches fine on my High Sierra, begins to install on the USB drive and then times out about half way and says "it cannot complete because there's not enough space"? It's a 16gb drive, but clearly is hanging on something other than disk space. I formatted it fat32 even though it says it will erase upon install anyway. Is there a step I'm missing?
Installing Windows 10 in Legacy/Bios mode in classic Mac Pro is easy. You will have to use a modified Bootcamp assistant, which I attached to this post or make your own using this guide. The installation has been tested on High Sierra partition with HFS+ partitioning scheme. The only limitation I am aware of is the limitation of the boot drive partition. Microsoft limitations:

Apple has updated Bootcamp to support Macs with 3 TB hard drives, but I have not tested 3TB drives. For instance this is how I partitioned a 5TB drive:
Code:
diskutil partitionDisk /dev/disk3 GPT JHFS+ First 200G FAT32 BOOTCAMP 1600G JHFS+ Backup 0G
Do not partition right up to the 2.2 TB limit, but leave some space. A good rule of thumb is that the Mac and Windows partitions added together should be less than 2 TB total.
Using gdisk convert the GPT partitioning scheme to hybrid MBR:
Code:
sudo gdisk /dev/disk3
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.9

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.

Command (? for help): p
Disk /dev/disk3: 9767541168 sectors, 4.5 TiB
Sector size (logical): 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): 9CA86ECA-D0BD-4514-8CEF-641A8F9EAE4E
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 9767541134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 524541 sectors (256.1 MiB)

Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              40          409639   200.0 MiB   EF00  EFI System Partition
   2          409640       390772495   186.1 GiB   AF00
   3       391034880      3516033023   1.5 TiB     0700
   4      3516033024      9767278983   2.9 TiB     AF00

Command (? for help): r

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h

WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,
just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will
be untouched.

Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be
added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 1 2 3 4
Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y

Creating entry for GPT partition #1 (MBR partition #2)
Enter an MBR hex code (default EF):
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #3)
Enter an MBR hex code (default AF):
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #4)
Enter an MBR hex code (default 07):
Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): y

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): w

Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING
PARTITIONS!!

Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y
OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/disk3.
Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their
partition table automatically reloaded!
Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.
You should reboot or remove the drive.
The operation has completed successfully.
  • If you are using 2TB or smaller disk you can use the modified Boot Camp Assistant. With this modified Boot Camp Assistant if you have one HFS+ drive it will offer to create the Bootcamp partition on that drive.
  • If you have 2 HFS+ formatted disks it will offer to create the partition on the second drive.
  • If you have more than 2 disk's formatted as HFS+ it WILL NOT be able to create a Bootcamp partition.
  • Prepare an 8GB USB flash drive and format it with FAT32 partitioning scheme.
  • Prepare a blank dual layer DVD-ROM disk and insert it in the DVD-ROM drive.
  • Download the Windows ISO installer from Microsoft
  • Create a Windows installer DVD:
Code:
hdiutil burn ~/Downloads/Win10_22H2_English_x64.iso
  • Open the bootcamp assistant and check these options:

To select the Legacy Windows boot loader on the next boot you will need to enter into the Mac Boot Picker menu. For that you will need a video card with a GOP flashed vBios or patched firmware with GOP support. You can follow the instructions here.
  • Upon boot to the Boot Picker menu select this entry:

  • At the screen where it asks you to select your installation partition select the FAT32 formatted partition and FORMAT IT (DO NOT DELETE).Continue installing. At the first reboot keep the OPTION button pressed to enter the Boot Picker menu.
  • Highlight the Windows selection and press (keep pressed) CONTROL and after that ENTER. This will bless the Windows selection:
  • Continue installing Windows. Just remember your USB drive with the Boot Camp software should be attached at all times until you login to the Windows desktop. When you login to the desktop the Boot Camp Assistant will automatically install. It will be version 5.1.5621. It supports:
  • Keep the Windows DVD-ROM disk and the USB in a safe place in case you need to repair/reinstall Windows.
 

startergo

macrumors 601
Original poster
Sep 20, 2018
4,853
2,210
The modded bootcamp launches fine on my High Sierra, begins to install on the USB drive and then times out about half way and says "it cannot complete because there's not enough space"? It's a 16gb drive, but clearly is hanging on something other than disk space. I formatted it fat32 even though it says it will erase upon install anyway. Is there a step I'm missing?
If you run the BootCamp Assistant in terminal you will get debug info:
Code:
/Users/macmini/Desktop/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/MacOS/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant
2024-01-30 14:55:34.343 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Launching Boot Camp Assistant
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] --- System Configuration ---
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Model ID: Macmini8,1
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Memory: 64.0
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] UEFI Support: true
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] System is Fusion: false
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] System Supports Hibernation: true
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] System Supports Media Free: true
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] System Supports USB Install: false
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] System Supports Multi Disk Installation: false
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Secure Boot enabled: false
2024-01-30 14:55:34.401 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Starting SoftwareUpdate scan...
2024-01-30 14:55:39.353 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] WARNING: Secure coding is not enabled for restorable state! Enable secure coding by implementing NSApplicationDelegate.applicationSupportsSecureRestorableState: and returning YES.
2024-01-30 14:55:45.132 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48793] Scan complete
2024-01-30 14:55:53.104 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] Canceling boot cache defrag on disk1
2024-01-30 14:55:53.104 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] OSStatus = 0x0
2024-01-30 14:55:53.104 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] APFS Status = 0x0
2024-01-30 14:55:53.313 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] Failed to determine the mount point for disk1s1. Error = A disk with a mount point is required.
2024-01-30 14:55:53.483 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] /System/Volumes/Data can purge 74492119177 bytes
2024-01-30 14:55:53.527 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] --- Disks in System ---
2024-01-30 14:55:53.527 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850]
-----------------disk1-----------------
    Human name: EF57347C-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC
    Media name: APPLE SSD AP1024M Media
    Volume name: N/A
    UUID name: N/A
    Mount Point: N/A
    IODeviceTree:/PCI0@0/RP17@1B/ANS2@0/AppleANS2Controller
    Is Locked: false
    Is Internal: true
    Connection Type: PCI-Express
    Partition Type: APFS Container Scheme
    Resize Limits: Optional(["MinNoFloorFloor": 214429597696, "MinDelta": 25165824, "Min": 235887656960, "MinNoFloor": 225150238720, "Current": 506000809984, "Max": 506000809984, "ContainerCurrent": 295506264064])
    Disk Size: 506000809984
    Free Size: 295506264064
    Purgable Space: 0
    Children: disk0s2, disk0s3
-----------------------------------------------
2024-01-30 14:55:53.527 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] *** APFS Volumes ***
2024-01-30 14:55:53.527 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850]
-----------------disk1s1-----------------
    Human name: Macintosh HD
    Media name:
    Volume name: Macintosh HD
    UUID name: EA531E26-5D64-41CB-BEF6-3B3EB4E547A3
    Mount Point: /Volumes/Macintosh HD 1
    IODeviceTree:/PCI0@0/RP17@1B/ANS2@0/AppleANS2Controller
    Is Locked: false
    Is Internal: true
    Connection Type: PCI-Express
    Partition Type: APFS Volume
    Resize Limits: nil
    Disk Size: 506000809984
    Free Size: 295504166912
    Purgable Space: 0
    Children: N/A
-----------------------------------------------
2024-01-30 14:55:53.528 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850]
-----------------disk1s2-----------------
    Human name: Macintosh HD - Data
    Media name:
    Volume name: Macintosh HD - Data
    UUID name: EB3DC2B1-EE17-49D5-9588-DF2FD4AB2871
    Mount Point: /System/Volumes/Data
    IODeviceTree:/PCI0@0/RP17@1B/ANS2@0/AppleANS2Controller
    Is Locked: false
    Is Internal: true
    Connection Type: PCI-Express
    Partition Type: APFS Volume
    Resize Limits: nil
    Disk Size: 506000809984
    Free Size: 295504166912
    Purgable Space: 74492119177
    Children: N/A
-----------------------------------------------
2024-01-30 14:55:53.528 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850]
-----------------disk1s8-----------------
    Human name: Update
    Media name:
    Volume name: Update
    UUID name: 165372C2-72AA-4FB9-9694-286FB4F099EF
    Mount Point: /System/Volumes/Update
    IODeviceTree:/PCI0@0/RP17@1B/ANS2@0/AppleANS2Controller
    Is Locked: false
    Is Internal: true
    Connection Type: PCI-Express
    Partition Type: APFS Volume
    Resize Limits: nil
    Disk Size: 506000809984
    Free Size: 295504166912
    Purgable Space: 0
    Children: N/A
-----------------------------------------------
2024-01-30 14:55:53.528 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850] === Children disks ===
2024-01-30 14:55:53.528 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850]
-----------------disk0s2-----------------
    Human name: Apple_APFS
    Media name:
    Volume name: N/A
    UUID name: N/A
    Mount Point: N/A
    IODeviceTree:/PCI0@0/RP17@1B/ANS2@0/AppleANS2Controller
    Is Locked: false
    Is Internal: true
    Connection Type: PCI-Express
    Partition Type: Apple_APFS
    Resize Limits: nil
    Disk Size: 506000809984
    Free Size: 0
    Purgable Space: 0
    Children: N/A
-----------------------------------------------
2024-01-30 14:55:53.528 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48850]
-----------------disk0s3-----------------
    Human name: BOOTCAMP
    Media name:
    Volume name: BOOTCAMP
    UUID name: 85598010-9E5B-4741-BCE6-A9D48FA45385
    Mount Point: /Volumes/BOOTCAMP
    IODeviceTree:/PCI0@0/RP17@1B/ANS2@0/AppleANS2Controller
    Is Locked: false
    Is Internal: true
    Connection Type: PCI-Express
    Partition Type: Microsoft Basic Data
    Resize Limits: nil
    Disk Size: 494240002048
    Free Size: 406826745856
    Purgable Space: 0
    Children: N/A
-----------------------------------------------
2024-01-30 14:55:53.558 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Found our target disk: disk1
2024-01-30 14:55:53.558 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Purging snapshots on disk1
2024-01-30 14:55:53.584 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] No snapshots to delete.
2024-01-30 14:55:53.584 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Checking disk1
2024-01-30 14:55:53.601 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Targeting disk1 for uninstallation
2024-01-30 14:55:53.617 Boot Camp Assistant[1921:48789] Will reclaim 494240006144 bytes in disk1
 

Sergey-Galan

macrumors newbie
May 31, 2024
2
0
Ukraine, Odesa
Installing Windows 10 in Legacy/Bios mode in classic Mac Pro is easy.
Hello. I wrote to you on sourceforge, but I realized that you rarely go there.
Now Install Windows (legacy boot) works, but I'm testing on a PC. Can you check if you have an old Mac?
Conditions - the system is not higher than MacOS 12 Monterey and the disk should not be a system one (unless it is a hybrid one and Windows has not been installed before).
Here is the test version
 

Attachments

  • Windows Install.zip
    1.9 MB · Views: 7

startergo

macrumors 601
Original poster
Sep 20, 2018
4,853
2,210
Hi @Sergey-Galan. You are correct I don’t visit often sourceforge sorry. I can test it when I am back home from my business trip (2-3 weeks). I have a variety of machines. For the time being I can test it through ARD as long as I don’t have to do any manipulation at the UEFI mode. I only have MacBook Pro with Sonoma with me. This is mostly relevant to the legacy systems like MacPro5,1 old mini’s and iMacs.
 
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