Issue while installing Windows 10 on an early 2011 MacBook Pro

Question

I try to install a bootcamp with :

• OSX 10.11 El Capitan
• Windows 10 Pro (from Dreamspark system, its a license for students)

I have succeeded in installing the Windows 10 .iso file on my USB stick. I had to edit the plist file of the Boot Camp Assistant (the last version 6.0). I have succeeded in partitioning my SSD in two parts.

Now I boot on the USB stick by pushing ALT when booting. The install process asks me to enter the license key. I precise that the installation process looks like the old one, the Windows 7's one. After the license has been entered, I have an error :

tabtip.exe - Application error

The exception unknown software exception (some hexadecimal) occurred in the program at location (some hexadecimal)

Click on OK to terminate the program

After clicking OK, I can just cancel the installation.

I have tried to copy again Windows 10 on the USB stick. It doesn't change anything.

I have also tried to avoid entering my license key by using the "next" button of the window, but the error occurs just after.

I have tried to install Windows 8.1, it doesn't change anything.

Answer 1

don't try to force boot using EFI if you have MBP early 2011, I have and it succeeded but without sound. the only way to fix the sound problem is to re install it in BIOS boot not EFI

Answer 2

• Usually, if you had to edit the plist file, then you can not install using a USB.
• You may be able to do a EFI/GPT install, but you have a FAR BETTER CHANCE of succeeding with a BIOS/MBR install.
• According to Apple, your model does not support Windows 10. Well, my model does not support Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 in 64 bit mode and this has not stopped me yet. They all run just fine. You can try using the Boot Camp Assistant to download the Boot Camp Support Software (BCSS) for your model. An alternative would be to use the 64 bit Windows 7 BCSS as specified at Install Windows 7 and earlier on your Mac using Boot Camp. The would be Boot Camp Support Software 5.1.5621.

Virtual Box is a small sized application that can be used to verify your Windows iso is installable. Your probably is, so this step is not necessary. However, Virtual Box and be used as a substitute for the Boot Camp Assistant. In other words, you can use VirtualBox to setup a dual boot. There are certain commands (convert, format, bootsect, bootrec, etc...) that do not exist under OS X. You can boot your Windows 10 iso using VirtualBox and execute these commands on disk images and physical partitions. This allows you to copy the files from the iso to a physical partition and boot from that instead of a DVD or USB flash drive. You never create or boot a Windows 10 virtual machine.

One never really appreciates what effort and time the Boot Camp Assistant application saves you until you try installing Windows without it. The procedure for installing on a machine with an internal SDD and internal HHD is given here.

Others have posted problems with the SSD driver. Basically, they say the problem is with the Digital Signature. You may have to manually fix this problem. If the problem occurs, Let me know.

Answer 3

That probably won't be the only hurdle you'll have to take. I had Windows 7 running nice and smoothly for over 3 years on my Late 2011 MacBook Pro. I've literally never seen Windows run so smooth on a machine even after many years.

Then, ignoring the lack of support for Windows 10 for my model, I stubbornly upgraded to Windows 10 via Windows Update. During the upgrade I found out that the Bluetooth driver was incompatible. So I had to disable that in order to continue the upgrade (I wasn't using it much anyways, I figured).

Besides that I got frequent BSOD's, most of the time a few minutes after startup. I tried to upgrade all sorts of drivers, update / downgrade Bootcamp to a suitable version. I still get the blue screens.

My advice would be to either just install Windows 7 or wait till someone manages to succesfully install Windows 10 on a 2011 model (I haven't seen anyone on the net yet) and follow what they did. I'm doing the latter. I rarely give up on stuff like this, but I have for now.

To comment on the issue at hand: since tabtip.exe is a driver for tablet support and you probably won't need it I would try to remove that driver from the installation following the assumption that what isn't installed can't cause any problems. However I'm not sure if the installation depends on that driver being present. It may very well throw an error because the driver is missing. But that is what I would try in this situation.

[Insert accountability disclaimer]

Oh, and if you do remove the driver from the install, save it to another location so you can restore it if needed or it doesn't work.

EDIT:

You could ofcourse also try a Windows 7 / 8.1 install first and try to upgrade for free from there on via Windows Update. You'll have to be quick though the free upgrade only lasts for a few more days I believe.