Windows 8 RTM Freezes on Mac Book Pro
Solution 1:
I encountered a similar issue on my MBP when I installed the Windows 8 RTM (also a Core 2 Duo 13" MBP). Reading around, I found the following discussion on the Apple forums that mentions a bcdedit fix, along with updating NVidia drivers. I followed the key "fix" steps on the second post at that link, and they have fixed the issue for me.
To summarise:
- Run a command prompt as administrator and enter the following command:
bcdedit /set disabledynamictick yes - (This step is only relevant if your MBP has NVidia graphics instead of the Intel HD / ATI graphics on more recent models) Download the latest NVidia graphics drivers
If you're interested, this article theorises about the dynamic ticking issue, and why turning it off should fix the freezing.
Solution 2:
I've found that changing my power plan from Balanced to High Performance on my 2011 MacBook Air addresses the random freezing I'd see during install or normal use.
Also, during install of Windows 8 RTM, I also found that not having my power adapter plugged in allowed me to avoid freezing too. So, the general rule of thumb is don't run Windows 8 RP or RTM with your power adapter plugged in with the Balanced power plan -- switch to High Performance if possible.
Solution 3:
As an extension to the answer by Bogie, I can confirm that (at least on a MacBook Air 2011) changing the power profile to either of:
- Power Saver
- High Performance
rather than using "Balanced" results in an entirely stable crash free laptop.
NOTE: I'm making the, perhaps erroneous, assumption that the innards / firmware of a MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are sufficiently similar that this information is useful