Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation

[kinhoon]

I am on this for 2 days but still cannot resolve this "Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation" issue.

I read from another post that if the Mac has more than 1 physical drive, then Windows won't install and will display the error message stated above. And now I suspect I am hit with this exact issue.

I only have one physical drive in my MacBook Air 256GB SSD, but when booting up with Option key, it always should an additional physical drive "Windows". I must have messed up the partition table with previous installation of Windows or what. But seems I MUST remove this invalid "Windows" physical drive entry before I can proceed to install new copy of Windows.

Selecting this physical drive will freeze the MacBook, because there is no such drive or partition. At least I cannot see it from Disk Utility. How could I remove it?

Any clue? I am very frustrated...... It has been 2 days :_(

Thanks a lot

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Are you able to boot back into MacOS? Did you use BootCamp Assistant to start the process? If so, sometimes starting the assistant again will provide the option to remove the Windows Partition.

 

[kinhoon]

I am able to boot into MacOS. I used BootCamp Assistant to start the process. It all went smooth until after Windows installer finished copying everything and tries to restart. Then the installer will say "Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation". I have tried this several times and it is always the same.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Do you have the USB thumb drive that was prepared by BootCamp inserted? I'm not sure if it's necessary, but I have noticed my Mac will access it during the Windows install process.

What version of Windows were you trying to install?

Another suggestion would be to go into Disk Utility, make sure your "View" is set to Show All Devices. Select your internal drive at the highest level, and run First Aid.

 

[kinhoon]

I have the USB prepared by BootCamp. When I insert it, I will see two additional external drive icons.
I searched and think I should only see one additional external drive icon if I insert the BootCamp USB drive. So I think there is still something wrong here.

OSX is High Siera latest version. While I am trying to install Windows 10.

 

[kinhoon]

I managed to get Windows 10 install after many trial and error.
Seems macOS High Siera makes the boot partition very protective until Windows 10 installer unable to write the necessary entry into it.

This is what I did:

• Command+R to enter recovery mode. Use Disk Utility to totally wipe the partitions. Then click Install OSX to install Mavericks. Note that my MBA is late 2013, so the matching OS version is Mavericks.
• After Mavericks installed, do NOT upgrade OS. Use Disk Utility to create a new partition.
• Cannot use Mavericks bootcamp to install Windows 10 because it does not support Windows 10. Install directly instead on to the new partition created.
• Goto Windows PC, download Windows 10 installer media creator and create the USB installer.
• Restart Mavericks with the USB installer, press Alt to select USB installer.
• Starts Windows 10 installer and install everything smoothly.

You can upgrade Mavericks to latest OSX after Windows 10 is installed.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Glad you got it sorted out. I think some of the issues are with High Sierra and APFS. It seems APFS really makes bootcamp more challenging. You can avoid the conversion to APFS if you want when you upgrade. It requires a few terminal commands but it works fine.

 

[Kevin808]

I am on this for 2 days but still cannot resolve this "Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation" issue.

I read from another post that if the Mac has more than 1 physical drive, then Windows won't install and will display the error message stated above. And now I suspect I am hit with this exact issue.

I only have one physical drive in my MacBook Air 256GB SSD, but when booting up with Option key, it always should an additional physical drive "Windows". I must have messed up the partition table with previous installation of Windows or what. But seems I MUST remove this invalid "Windows" physical drive entry before I can proceed to install new copy of Windows.

Selecting this physical drive will freeze the MacBook, because there is no such drive or partition. At least I cannot see it from Disk Utility. How could I remove it?

Any clue? I am very frustrated...... It has been 2 days :_(

Thanks a lot

Sorry to bring an old post back from the dead, but I got this error message too when trying to install Windows 11 to a 2009 Mac Pro (4,1 - 5,1) after using Opencore Legacy Patcher to install Ventura and wanted to do a fresh install of Windows 11 and I solved this issue. You can't use Bootcamp in this instance, you have to use OCLP as your boot drive selector (If I'm not mistaken). Anyway...

A COUPLE TIPS!!!

1. If you're getting the error: "Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation. To install Windows, restart the installation." and can't advance in the install, unplug EVERYTHING but the Win 11 install USB thumb drive and the drive you are going to use for Windows 11. All PCIe cards, SATA drives, other non Win 11 install USB drives, but especially other PCIe drives. Obviously keep the power, Keyboard & Mouse plugged in. I kept getting the error but had my PCIe drive plugged in, removing it solved this. Since I already installed Ventura using OCLP I thought I would need the drive plugged in, but that was not the case. With JUST the Windows install USB plugged in I was able to boot into the Windows 11 installation UI (It went from a black screen, to a blank light grey screen, to Win 11 loading screen. Took about 2 min, I did not hold down any keys to get there). Also, plug the Win 11 install USB into the back on the Mac Pro, not the front. A direct connection to the main board is better. In case it's not obvious, it was inside in the Win 11 install wizard where I would get this error message.

2. If you are on a Mac Pro... Get a WIRED Keyboard & Mouse + a USB 2.0 Hub to plug them into, that then plugs into the 1.1 USB on the Mac Pro. You need the hub to install OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP) anyway, might as well get one now. I got a cheap $7 one, it works fine. Does not need to be powered. Also, sometimes Blutooth won't work in the Bootloader screen or in Windows when you first start it before loading drivers, so you'll need a wired solution.

3. If you get the error "Windows could not be installed on drive [#] partition [X]", you need to delete EVERY partition that drive is showing (I had 3 partition I deleted all three) until it's down to one listing of the drive as "Unallocated Space" and select that drive (Might also be listed as "uninitialized") and hit the "NEXT" button (Do NOT pre-format it), It should advance to the next screen. This is stupid, completely unintuitive, and bad UX, but this is Windows we are talking about

4. (Unrelated bonus material alert) Once windows is installed, go back to Mac OS, get a copy of WinClone and make an image'ed back up BEFORE installing ANYTHING on the Windows side. Installing a driver incorrectly could dead-end you, this might help you get back up and running more easily if that happens.

Hope that helps someone 👍🏻