Boot Camp Assistant won't partition drive

I have a new Mac Pro with a clean install of 10.5. No previous Boot Camp installation, nor has Parallels been installed. I have two 500gb drives and two 250gb drives installed. I want to partition one of the 250gb drives to install Boot Camp and XP. I've tried to use the Boot Camp Assistant but it won't partition the drive. It seems to start the process, but never gets off the progress bar and eventually I have to Force Quit and reboot. The drive I'm trying to partition is freshly erased with Apple's Disc Utility (formatted with Mac OS Extended (Journaled)).
Am I doing anything wrong? I successfully installed Boot Camp on my MacBook Pro using Boot Camp Assistant, but nothing I've tried with my Mac pro seems to work.

Check that it has GUID partition table.
Disk Utility Partitions -> Options
Click on drive (not partition) in First Aid and look at the bottom of the screen.
50/50 partitions?
You could just use Disk Utility, make one FAT, then format it again if needed in XP. That lets you use the first partition outer tracks).
If you choose MRB, BCA will only use the entire drive. I wanted half NTFS and half FAT so I did it on my own.

Similar Messages

Boot Camp Assistant: Can't Partition Drive

I've been trying to partition my hard drive using the Boot Camp Assistant so I can install Windows XP. However, whenever I try to partition the drive, I get an error message saying that my hard drive needs to be a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume. I opened up Disk Utility to see what was wrong, and it said that my only hard drive, Macintosh HD, was formatted as a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume. I tried bumping the partition size down from 15 gigs to 12 gigs; the progress bar was a little under 25% full when I got the error message again. I'm planning on arranging to get support at an Apple Store, but I wanted to see if anybody on here knew what to do first. Any ideas?

JadeH wrote:
okay so i did what you said and i selected restart under superduper clone so i could test to make sure the clone worked...but now i can't get it to restart under my Macintosh HD. the clone works fine but it is on my external hard drive. i need y internal hard drive to be my start up disk so i can use boot camp assistant. i went to system preferences->startup disk but it only shows my clone on my external hard drive. any suggestions?
When you tested the clone, did you change the default boot to the clone? You should have simply booted by holding down the Option key.
I don't know what happened to your HD or original OS, but if you reboot and hold down the option key, your original OS should show up in the selection menu.
If not, boot into the Leopard DVD (press "C" key during boot) and after the language screen, in the menu, top left under Utilities select disk utility and run it, repairing HD and permissions. Then see if you can reboot into the original OS. You may have to hold down Option key again until you boot it and change the default back to the original OS.

Boot Camp Assistant crashes when partitioning drive (exception: EXC_BAD_ACCESS)

I run Mountain Lion, a fresh install, brand new Macbook Pro. HD: Samsung 840 Pro 512 GB SSD.
When trying to go through Boot Camp Assistant / Setup it works fine until it wants to repartition my drive. It then quits unexpectedly and returns these errors:
Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV) Exception Codes: KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x000000000000003c
Everything else on this new machine works like a charm. I checked permissions, verified the disk - no issues whatsoever.
Can anyone help me out with this?

I had the same problem, so I decided the system had too much going on. I stopped Time Machine and unmounted the disc, then I closed every other running program except Boot Camp, disconnected all unnecessary devices, selected the partition size and then didn't touch a thing, just went and made a cup of coffee. When I came back it had started and eventually partitioned fine.

Boot Camp Assistant won't work - keeps asking me to use Software Update.

I am trying to use Boot Camp to install Windows but my Boot Camp Assistant won't work - it keeps asking me to use Software Update. So, even though I know everything is up to date, I start Software Update and it confirms that indeed everything is up to date. I try Boot Camp Assistant again, but the same message appears. I search every possible Boot Camp upgrade to download from Apple but they are all .exe files and need Windows to run, so those don't seem to be what I need. So I am caught in a circle of nothing working. Figures - the ONE weekend I need to install Windows and use a Windows-based program!!! And of course Apple support is closed over the weekend - another great asset to spending thousands of dollars on a product. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

I too am having a similar problem. I am trying to install Windows in a newly created Boot Camp partition. I have Windows 7 but Boot Camp Assistant only mentions XP and Vista. I put in my installation disk of Windows 7 but it refuses to install it. My OS is fully up to date.

Boot Camp Assistant won't read my windows 7 professional installation dvd, HELP!!

Hi Guys,
For some reason Boot Camp Assistant won't read my Windows 7 Professional x64 Installation DVD? It appears in Finder, however there is only 1 readme.txt file on the disc in Finder. I had Boot Camp set up and working on my Macbook for almost a year but had to remove it and start again, so I can't understand why all of a sudden it can't seem to load any Windows DVD's? I even tried my Windows 7 Home Premium disc but again, the same message keeps popping up that I need to insert my installation disc and wait a few seconds for it to be recognised
Can someone pretty, pretty, possibly please help me out here in some way?

Hi Guys,
For some reason Boot Camp Assistant won't read my Windows 7 Professional x64 Installation DVD? It appears in Finder, however there is only 1 readme.txt file on the disc in Finder. I had Boot Camp set up and working on my Macbook for almost a year but had to remove it and start again, so I can't understand why all of a sudden it can't seem to load any Windows DVD's? I even tried my Windows 7 Home Premium disc but again, the same message keeps popping up that I need to insert my installation disc and wait a few seconds for it to be recognised
Can someone pretty, pretty, possibly please help me out here in some way?

Boot Camp Assist can't partition hard drive

Boot Camp won't partition my 500GB internal HD. I get the message:
"The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition. Back up the disk and use Disk Utility to format it as a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume. Restore your information to the disk and try using Boot Camp Assistant again." I had recently used SuperDuper to replace my original single partition internal HD with the new 500GB HD with three partitions. I had not setup Boot Camp on the original HD. After getting the Boot Camp Assist error message on the new HD I used SuperDuper to clone back from my original HD (which was now external) with a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume. I then ran Boot Camp Assist again and got the same message. I ran Disk Utility Verify Disk Permissions and got some errors which I then successfully repaired. I still get the same Boot Camp partition error. Any suggestions?

When you partition your drive you are given the option to format it for OS 9, if you choose this option your drive will be formatted to be incompatible with Boot Camp. This incompatiblity will remain when you put it back to a single partition unless you go to options and select the top radio button (format for Intel Mac) to create a GUID Partition Table (at least that's what I did and it fixed the problem).

Boot Camp Assistant couldn't partition the drive

Hi everyone,
I recently deleted my windows partition, and wanted to create a new one, however, boot camp assistant told me that I couldn't (I do not know the exact wording). Boot camp assistant said to save my mac drive as an image, reformat my hard drive, and restore the image using disk utility.
SO, I tried to, but something went wrong, because the disc image I have will not mount....
In disk utility, I created an image of Macintosh HD, but I'm thinking I should have created an image of my hard drive "320.07 GB WDC3200..."
Can anyone confirm this?
Also, if anyone knows how I can view the files in my dmg that I created, that would be great.
The message I get with disk utility is: Unable to attach "Macintosh HD.dmg" (No mountable file systems)
So I click okay, and verify the disk, and I get ALOT of incorrect block counts (should be 1001 instead of 1020220) for example..
After checking multi-linked files and such, disk utility tells me to "repair disk" But I cannot mount the image, therefore I cannot repair it. I tried to repaid the DMG itself, but nothing happens.
Any info would be awesome.

converted corrupt DMG to CDR with disk utility. Some data loss occurred, but I got the majority of my files back.

Boot Camp Assistant won't resize partition

I am trying to install Windows 7 via Boot Camp. I get an error message when trying to create the partitions. It says: "The disc cannot be partitioned because some files cannot be moved. Back up the disk and use Disk Utility to format it as a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume. Restore your information to the disk and try using Boot Camp Assistant again."
I am a little confused by the back up and restore part. I use SuperDuper to clone OS X. Is it that to be used somehow? I would like instructions on the backup and restore process. Thanks.

So you never tried or tested your SuperDuper backup clones are bootable, and worked when restored?
That really all there is to it in a nutshell.
You can also do other things like use Apple Restore tab in Disk Utility or from TimeMachine. But I prefer SuperDuper.
Your drive doesn't have enough unfragmented contiguous free space and may also have some files at the end of the drive. Installers and such updates tend to fragment and scatter where files are.
Some people also buy iDefrag and try that - very slow process.

Boot Camp Assistant Won't Work....

I've been wrestling with this for two days now (along with my very technically adept brother). I'll try to offer as much information as possilble. I've scoured this and other online forums without success. Here goes:
Early 2011 MBPro/ 7500rpm HItachi dry/ OS 10.8.3 / no updates in queue....recent clean install of OS at Apple store ~2 mo. ago (due to battery issue).
Placed BootCamp partition on mac ~6/ 2012....easy install and worked flawlessly. Used Amazon purchased legal copy of Windows 7 (64 bit OEM System Builder Pack, CD which included Service Pack #1; purchased sometime early 2011). Downloaded all required updates (then and with continued booting into Windows). Installed Stream/ Origin and 4 games (CoD, Portal etc.). Worked fine without a hitch. Two Mac side extensions added for use: Boot Champ for quick changing of OS and gfxCard Status (to control Mac OS side video card choice). NO PROBLEMS with extensive use!
This week: exchanged out Hitachi driive with Samsung SSD (512gb 840 PRO) after extensive online research (in particular MacOS Rumors which has long thread for this SSD. Note: Apple uses the Samsung 830 series SSD in rMBPs). Used CCC (CarbonCopyCloner). Single partition/ Mac OS Extended(Journaled).No problems with OS and SSD. Went to set up Boot Camp partition (note; NOT to reinstall windows; I just want the partition to WinClone my partition contents from the Hitachi over to the Samsung. Many on other sites using the same SSD have been able to do this....some have had issues akin to mine. Problem: BCA (Boot Camp Assistant) only offers two options: download Windows software (drivers etc.) or re-install Windows 7. I of course I only need the first. However, after (~20) trys the download still hangs (~half/way). When I quit and check the target USB: empty, not even fragments. Have tried with at least 6 USB (8gb) drives of 4 different manufactures....no change. Have reformated the USB drives (MS DOS/Fat32 ...all Disk Utiilty offers) no change. Was on phone with Apple Technical today, tried a few things but couldn't get the download to perform (removed all other USB devices from MBP/ tried using Ethernet to router etc. ..) They will get back to me tomorrow. NOTE: Apple Technical DOES offer BootCamp Support!
Have tried using my Win7 disk to make .dmg and converted it to .iso and place iso files on desktop and into destination USB drive: no luck
Tried to use my Hitachi as start-up disk then try to partition the SSD: no go
Tried to use my original OSX.6 disks.....won't take/ work on my MBP now (I think due to previous firmware updates).
Saw some tidbits online that since I had first used BCA that Apple had revised it and its options?
One thing that my brother and I noticed: when he tries to use BCA on his 2012 rMBPro (Samsung 830 SSD) he is offered a third ( the first ) option: ' Remove or resize (?) current partition'. May just be because he already has a partition and I don't.
I will post other 'tries' as I remember them or try them. I suspect that at the end of this road a 'clean sweep/swipe/re-format/ re-install' etc. may be the last attempt but I've seen enough of this issue on line that a simple process (if discovered) would come in handy: many of us often change out internal drives and will probably continue to have Boot Camp partitions ( also: my SSD was placed on the 6gb supported SATA as the original HD).
So: any ideas, suggestions or (online forums to check )etc. would be much appreciated .....and not just by me!
Sorry for the long post but wanted to give as much information on the first pass as possible.
Thanks.....

Follow up:
Used WinClone to make image of my Boot Camp partition form former internal HD (conneceted via USB /2.) Very slow/ but if you track with your cursor you can see slight change, took about 2-3- hrs. Note: told WinClone REPLACE BCD file ( 1 of 2 options given during image production(see notes at WinClone site).....
Previously, and now, did not use (from WinClone site; 'twocanoes') instructions to use ' Sysprep' program in windows prior to making my image (had been reading from a different instruciton set).....
Sequence:
1. PRAM reset (at least 3 consecutive times/new USB drive).
2, Created partition..Did NOT re-install Windows..When it asked( after it had NTFS prepared the Boot camp partition (?)..... I quit the applicatation and checked that the partition had been made (disk utility/ also...about this Mac...).
3. Used WinClone (2.4)...new USB drive...did not use Sysprep route (on 'twocanoes site' this is instructed); cloned from 'Boot camp' icon deposited on my desk top when I mounted my old HD using USB 2 .
4. Did not 'keep' Memory Caches' when offered prior to imagining ...
5. Saved boot camp image (image on new SSD drive from former HD drive via USB 2 (former drive showed
'MacHD (or whatever your name is for your drive ) as well a 'former' BootCamp drive Icon.
6.Took awhile....restored to new Boot Camp Partition via WinClone instrucitons.....
And: Worked. No Window Id or or authetication asked for ; Windows desk top looked identical as from previous HD; STEAM and ORIGIN immediately updated....chedkced into each for a game : all settings perfect....not asked to ID or change anything.....just faster!
Hope this helps someone.....!

Boot Camp Assistant Won't Launch

I have not been able to get Boot Camp Assistant to launch. I double click on it but nothing happens. No error messages. Nothing.
Background: I just replaced the hard drive in my MacBook Pro Core Duo 2.4 GHz. Using the Restore Option of Disk Utility I copied a backup I had made of the full original Mac OS X partition from my old internal drive (I also had a Boot Camp Windows partition but that's another matter I think) to an external USB drive. Booting and operation from the new hard drive once restored seemed fine, but when I tried to launch Boot Camp Assistant to create a partition for Windows nothing happened. I restarted off my external USB backup drive and tried to launch Boot Camp Assistant from that drive, still nothing.
I then performed an Archive & Install of Tiger (I'd been running Leopard 10.5.8) and Boot Camp Assistant still wouldn't start. I'm currently updating Tiger to Leopard on my MacBook Pro but I'm not hopeful Boot Camp Assistant will launch after the update. Why would it? It didn't launch under Leopard after I restored it to the new hard drive. It wouldn't launch in Leopard when I started off my external drive. It wouldn't launch under Tiger after an Archive and Install. Obviously I've used Boot Camp Assistant before to create the Windows partition on my old drive so it would seem my firmware is current enough. I'm not getting any error messages to the contrary. I have no idea why Boot Camp Assistant will not launch.
I'm wondering if there may be something in one of the Previous Systems folders that is preventing Boot Camp Assistant from launching. The old hard drive was pretty messed up with hundreds of "Missing Folders" in the Rescued Items folder which I think was created by Disk Warrior.
Any ideas? Thanks.
Also, I'm wondering if there is any way to go back and use a Previous System. You see, I'm going to have to reinstall a lot of software if I can't do that. I'd rather avoid that hassle. Thanks again.

In addendum to my original post: If I open the Boot Camp Assistant package contents and drill down to the BootCamp Executable file and double click that, Terminal opens with the following message:
Last login: Fri Jun 3 10:34:18 on console
Macintosh:~ photoruss$ /Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/MacOS/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant ; exit;
2011-06-03 10:36:25.865 Boot Camp Assistant[122:10b] No Info.plist file in application bundle or no NSPrincipalClass in the Info.plist file, exiting
logout
[Process completed]
If I do the same thin on my MacPro I get a different message and Boot Camp Assistant starts:
Last login: Fri May 27 10:17:08 on console
/Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/MacOS/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant ; exit;
macpro:~ russgreene$ /Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/MacOS/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant ; exit;
logout
[Process completed]
Does this help?

Boot Camp Assistant hangs at partitioning process?

Hello,
I'm trying to install Windows on my Mac Pro. But when I run the Boot Camp assistant and assign the Windows partition, the Boot Camp Assistant hangs at the process of partitioning. The progress bar just keeps on moving, but it wont finish the partitioning.
Screencap link: www.laspalmas.nu/hang.jpg
Sorry, the OS language is in finnish but "Osioidaan levyä..." = "Disk partitioning..."
Does anyone have advice, why does this endless hang happen at this point?
Thanks for the replies,
Lauri

BACKUP before you start.
Repair your drive.
Would help to know how much of the free space is actually in a large enough unfragmented single chunk.
You may need to backup / initialize / restore.

Boot Camp Assistant Won't Start

When I tried to partition my drive via Boot Camp Assistant, it says I needed to update my softwares. I have the latest edition of the OS, as well as the latest Firmware upgrades. What is wrong?

Hi..i have the same problem. I have the latest OS (10.5.2) and bootcamp assistant says ot could not be intsalled because i must have the systemsoftware updated...but that i already have! what can be wrong??

Boot camp assistant won't continue.

When I run the boot camp assistant application it gives me an error that I need to update system software. I have updated and still says I need to update. I have run boot camp before on this machine without any problems. I did have a hard drive crash and used the migration assistant to put it back as before with time capsule. Everything else has been and continues to work fine.
iMac 10.5.7 Safari 4.0 (beta)
Any help appreciated.
Mark
Message was edited by: MarkII

I too am having a similar problem. I am trying to install Windows in a newly created Boot Camp partition. I have Windows 7 but Boot Camp Assistant only mentions XP and Vista. I put in my installation disk of Windows 7 but it refuses to install it. My OS is fully up to date.

Wanting to remove bootcamp but Boot Camp Assistant won't run

I open Boot Camp Assistant on OS X Mavericks on my Early 2011 15" MacBook Pro and and it says that I need to update my boot ROM firmware before using the assistant. However, I am already running MBP81.0047.B27 which is the current one to my knowledge. What needs to be done then to remove my partition? Everything I have read says that Disk Utility is not the way to go.

Have you run Software update to see if there is a firmware update?
There is a support link.
BootCamp

I just updated to OS X 10.9.2 and My boot camp assistant won't turn on.

I'm trying to install Windows 7 as I did before.
But now, when i double click the boot camp assistant on desktop it gives me the error message window and says "Boot Camp Assistant has quit unexpectedly".
Please help.

When I got the computer, boot camp assistant was on the desktop and I used it to install windows 7 before.
I have never really seen it on my applications folder and right now it isn't in my applications folder either.
Would this be the problem?
I couldn't find out how to re-download the boot camp assistant either...

Boot Camp Assistant won't partition drive

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