Installing Windows 10 on Old Macbook Air Mid 2011 version. After Install, I see only windows logo

Question

I am trying to install Windows 10 on my MacBook Air Mid 2011.

I have created another partition using bootcamp andfollowed some video how to install on an old macbook. I had some issues earlier, but all of those issues are sorted now.

I saw that Windows was installed (I completed setup and it finished all installation steps) and then it rebooted. I saw the Windows Logo, but after I waited a many hours, nothing happened.

I am not sure even what debug info should I provide.

I have downloaded the Win 10 ISO the from Microsoft website and there was issue with Bootcamp where I have to edit a file to make Bootcamp work for my Win 10 version. Then, there was another issue with the USB drive I was downloading where it was always failing because of file size limit. Some file was over 4GB and FAT/exFAT has 4GB limit on file, so I found another video where a big file was split into 2 so another ISO file was created where the big file was split in two files. All of that worked fine and installation went fine, but what do I need to fix this issue? Since there is no error displayed, I'm not sure what to look for?

I have also tried resetting NVRAM. It helped to move forward since I saw some Windows configuring, but later on it crashed and now I am at the same thing.

https://teching.nl/2017/03/bootcamp-windows-10-stuck-on-logo/

Version : High Sierra 10.13.6

     diskutil list
/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *256.1 GB   disk0
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:                 Apple_APFS Container disk1         182.9 GB   disk0s2
   3:       Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP                72.3 GB    disk0s3
   4:           Windows Recovery                         629.1 MB   disk0s4

/dev/disk1 (synthesized):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      APFS Container Scheme -                      +182.9 GB   disk1
                                 Physical Store disk0s2
   1:                APFS Volume MacSSD                  54.9 GB    disk1s1
   2:                APFS Volume Preboot                 24.1 MB    disk1s2
   3:                APFS Volume Recovery                512.1 MB   disk1s3
   4:                APFS Volume VM                      2.1 GB     disk1s4

/dev/disk2 (external, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:     FDisk_partition_scheme                        *64.4 GB    disk2
   1:               Windows_NTFS Untitled                64.4 GB    disk2s1

ls -ltr ( output of USB drive root folder)
total 7680

drwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   131072 Jan 31  2014 $WinPEDriver$
drwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   131072 Jan 31  2014 BootCamp
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff     3219 Jan 31  2014 NoAutoUnattend.xml
drwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   131072 Jul 18 05:45 System Volume Information
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff      128 Apr  9 07:55 autorun.inf
drwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   131072 Jul 17 13:44 boot
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   413738 Apr  9 07:55 bootmgr
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff  1541648 Apr  9 07:55 bootmgr.efi
drwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   131072 Jul 17 13:44 efi
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff    60928 Jul 17 14:30 menu.c32
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff    74184 Apr  9 07:55 setup.exe
drwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   131072 Jul 17 13:44 sources
drwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff   131072 Jul 17 13:44 support
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff      145 Jul 17 14:30 syslinux.cfg
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff    46265 Jul 17 14:30 ubnfilel.txt
-rwxrwxrwx  1 xyz  staff     4013 Jul 17 13:44 ubnpathl.txt

Answer 1

The installation did not go fine. The installation proceeded until the Mac tried to reboot to Windows 10. This is where the installation failed. If you would had successfully completed the Setup.exe application included with the Windows Support Software, then the installation would have gone fine. This includes a reboot with all the hardware working.

The following debug information could have been provided:

• The version of OS X (macOS)
• The output from diskutil list
• The output from sudo fdisk /dev/disk0 (This may require first booting to Recovery mode.)
• A listing of the files and folders in the root folder of the USB Windows 10 installer flash drive.

You stated the following:

I have downloaded Win 10 ISO from Microsoft site and there was issue with Bootcamp where I have to edit a file to make Bootcamp work for Win 10 version

You may have edited the file so that Windows 10 was installed to UEFI boot. Most (if not all) 2011 Macs installed Windows to BIOS boot. This can be confirmed by providing the debug information given above.

You stated the following:

another issue came when USB drive where I was downloading, it was always failing because of file size limit ( some file was over 4GB and FAT/exFAT has 4GB limit on file so I found out another video where big file was spilit into 2 so another ISO file was created where bigfile was split in two files.

This problem was solved for most (if not all) Macs by provided a firmware update included with High Sierra and newer versions of macOS. This update allows Macs to boot from ExFAT formatted volumes. Evidently, your version of the Boot Camp Assistant did not use the ExFAT format when creating the USB Windows 10 installer.

Regardlessly of whether you have installed Windows to BIOS or UEFI boot, you could first determine the boot method, then reinstall Windows to boot using the other method. (Or just change the boot method, but this requires advanced knowledge of the Windows installer CLI.)

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Another solution would be to first install Windows 7 or 8.1, then upgrade to Windows 10. This would probably require purchasing a Windows 7 or 8.1 product key. The advantage to this method is Apple designed your Mac to run the 64 bit versions of both Windows 7 or 8.1, so there should be no problems using the Boot Camp Assistant to install.

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Finally, I should point out that I posted the following question with my own answer: How to install Windows 10 into a 2011 iMac without using the Boot Camp Assistant, an optical (DVD) drive or third party tools?. You might find this useful.

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Update

Your Mac is currently setup to UEFI boot from the Windows 10 installer. I assume you should be BIOS booting from the Windows 10 installer. However, to install Windows 10 to BIOS boot would require your Mac to by hybrid partitioned. Currently, you Mac is not using hybrid partitioning.

I was wondering if the follow procedure would work.

Note: This procedure does not require a product key for Windows 8.1.

1. According to what you posted so far, You modified the Boot Camp Assistant so you could make a USB Windows 10 installer. I assume you still have this installer.

2. Remove the Windows partitions. Basically enter the following commands.

   diskutil erasevolume free none disk0s4
   diskutil erasevolume free none disk0s3
   diskutil apfs resizecontainer disk0s2 0
   

3. Download the Windows 8.1 ISO file.

4. Undo the changes you made to the Boot Camp Assistant.

5. Using a different flash drive, proceed to start installing Windows 8.1 by using the Boot Camp Assistant.

6. When you have reached the following screen, exchange the USB Windows 8.1 installer for the USB Windows 10 installer, then select the red box with the X: .

   

   When the popup shown below appears, select the Yes button.

   

   If the Mac does not boot from the USB Windows 10 installer, then restart the Mac and hold down the option key. When the Mac Startup Manager icons appear, select the external drive icon labeled Windows. In either case, you will see the screen shown below. Proceed to install Windows 10.