Can I install Win 10 (GPT formatted USB installer) on MacBook Pro without using BootCamp?

I have a brand new MacBook Pro provided by our home & contents insurance which is replacing my wife's Mid-2013 model that was accidentally damaged.

She ran Win 10 on the old one, installed via BootCamp.

My question is, if I use a GPT formatted Windows 10 install USB that I usually use for UEFI installs on "normal" computers, can I just install straight onto the SSD without needing BootCamp?

Ideally I'd want to use this with only Windows installed (i.e. I don't need it to be a dual boot machine).

Solution 1:

Of course you can!

Before continuing, make sure that you have a backup!!! I am not responsible for any damage caused by this guide. You have been warned.

Skip to step 4 if you only want Windows and no macOS.

Step 1: Open Disk Utility by simply typing Disk Utility inside Spotlight.

Step 2: Select your disk from the list at the left, but NOT the containers, and press Partition located at the top. If it asks you whether you want to partition or add a new APFS volume, select Partition.

Step 3: A pie of your disk should have appeared now. From here, select your macOS partition and click + (plus) button. There is a new partition now. Arrange it's size either from the properties, or by dragging it from the borders. This is going to be your Windows 10 partition. Give it at least 40GBs of space. Name the new partition (not macOS partition) with a name that you will remember, such as BOOTCAMP, but make sure it is all in capital letters. Lastly set it's type as MS-DOS (FAT) and press Apply. You'll be warned that you are resizing your boot partition, just press OK.

You need a USB formatted as FAT32 with at least 8 GBs of free space to continue... Skip to step 5 if you already have an installation media.

Step 4: Download and install unetbootin from here. Then run it and select Disk Image option on the screen. Select ISO option from the dropdown menu next to Disk Image text if it is not already selected. Then press the button with three dots (...) and select your Windows ISO image (assuming you already have one). Lastly, select your USB from the dropdown menu next to Drive text and press OK. This will burn the ISO image to the USB.

Step 4.1: To learn what your USB is called, open up a Terminal from Spotlight and type:

diskutil list

This will show you all of the drives connected to your computer. Your USB is something like /dev/disk1s1 or /dev/disk1s2 (but definitely not /dev/disk0). You can understand which one is your USB by searching for your USB's label.

Step 5: Now open up the Bootcamp assistant for the last time. Once it's opened, select Action > Download Windows Helper Software. This will download Bootcamp helper. Select the target as your desktop and continue.

Step 6: Once your bootcamp software is downloaded and unetbootin is done, copy the contents of the WindowsSupport folder to your USB's root directory.

Step 7: It's time to begin the installation! Reboot your MacBook and when it's powering on, press and hold Alt (option) key on your keyboard. Once boot manager appears, select the EFI Boot or Windows option. This will start the installer. Give it a few minutes and once the button to begin the installation appears, press it. Wait for it to start. Once it starts, select Custom installation option. This part is important!!! A list of volumes should have appeared now.

Step 7.1, For Dualboot: Select the partition you created earlier for Windows and click Format. When it's done, re-select the Windows partition and press Install. Now just relax and wait for it to finish.

Step 7.1, Remove OS X and install Windows: This will destroy any data on your other volumes! Delete all of your partitions one by one. Once there is only free space left, create a new partition and install Windows on there.

Step 7.2: Wait for the installation to finish.

Step 7.3: Once the computer restarts, hold the alt key and select Windows or EFI Boot option with a hard drive icon.

Step 8: Once you fully setup Windows, select your USB from Windows Explorer and go to WindowsSupport folder. In that folder, run the setup program. Install it like a normal program and you are done!

Solution 2:

I think you'd want to use the bootcamp media creation tool unless you have the windows drivers for that exact model already.

I've done a regular windows install on a mac before and they don't make it too easy to get the drivers. Windows doesn't come with most of them either.

Solution 3:

Yes, it's possible. You can find my tutorial for help here : Installer Windows sur Mac sans Boot Camp