0

I have an old iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011) and I wanted to give it a new life with a new SSD. I've installed both Mac & Windows on the SSD and life was good.

Then I decided to format the old HDD to exFat as to use from both Mac & Windows, and now it won't boot to Windows anymore, even though Windows partition was untouched on the SSD.

I think even though it's installed & run Windows on the SSD, it was somehow using the boot from the old bootcamp instalation I had on the HDD. Now that it's removed I get No bootable device error when trying to startup in bootcamp using the Startup disk setting.

Startup disk app with non-working bootcamp: startup disk app with non-working bootcamp

Any advice on how I could recover it withouth a new Windows instalation? If it helps I'm not shy to use terminal commands or create other boot disks.

Disks setup: disk

New SSD with working Mac, and non-working Windows installation: New SSD with working Mac, and non-working Windows installation

Old HDD that was formatted: Old HDD that was formatted

Improve this question
7
  • What happens if use a MBR partitioning scheme on the internal HDD?
    – David Anderson
    Apr 19, 2022 at 10:05
  • Haven't tried it. Also a bit hard to test as would have to make space for a few humdred gb on the ssd to re-fromat. What should I expect on chamge?
    – Stefan Rogin
    Apr 20, 2022 at 16:11
  • 1
    Ok, then hybrid partition the internal HDD. This does not require reformatting. Since Windows was working before you decided to format the old HDD to ExFAT, I was guessing the old HDD was hybrid partitioned. You now show the HDD as having GUID Partition Map and I am guessing the HDD is no longer hybrid partitioned. I am guessing the loss of the hybrid partitioning on the HDD may be causing a failure of Windows to BIOS boot from the SSD.
    – David Anderson
    Apr 20, 2022 at 16:45
  • Ok, I'll give it a try.
    – Stefan Rogin
    Apr 20, 2022 at 23:33
  • I've eventually cleared the HDD and set it up as Master Boot record, but still didn't boot. Also something to mention, if I press alt/option key, in the boot options I only have mac. Bootcamp boot only visible in the restart menu mentioned above.
    – Stefan Rogin
    Apr 30, 2022 at 20:00

0

Reset to default

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .