Can't get windows bootable usb to be recognized on asus x570 pro..(trying to create it on my mac)

snow patrol · 14 Jul 2019 at 18:17

Hi all, i've tried various methods of creating a windows boot usb on my mac to use on my new ryzen 3900x / asus x570 build.

At first, the usb drive wasn't even showing as a boot device, but i quickly figured out that going into 'csm' options solved that.

So now i can select the usb stick as the first boot device, save settings and restart...however. I'm just greeted with the

"reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media..." etc

i've tried: https://www.top-password.com/blog/create-windows-10-bootable-usb-from-iso-on-mac/

and using bootcamp: https://appleinsider.com/articles/1...windows-10-install-media-on-macos-high-sierra

and a couple of apps as well like this one:

https://www.easeus.com/backup-recovery/bootable-usb-drive-not-showing-up-or-recognized.html

but i'm just getting that message. Any ideas??

EsaT · 14 Jul 2019 at 20:54

Is partitioning of stick GPT and file system FAT32?

snow patrol · 14 Jul 2019 at 22:08

EsaT said:
Is partitioning of stick GPT and file system FAT32?

is that what is required? i've tried a lot of variables tonight - a hell of a lot of troubleshooting and trying different methods

got it passed where i was..but now another problem.. now up to the install screen for windows 10.
clicked install but now getting 'windows cannot open the required file c:/sources/install.wim

when i format to fat32 using win xp via parallels on my mac, i cant seem to then mount the iso (via the app here: https://www.top-password.com/blog/create-windows-10-bootable-usb-from-iso-on-mac/)

seem to be somewhat going in circles. Might just order a bootable usb windows 10 with key from ebay. They're actually pretty cheap...

but does anyone have success in installing windows via a mac made usb dive?

LeMson · 14 Jul 2019 at 22:10

Bios, f8, double click on USB stick to start booting from it, shouldn't need a restart

LuckyBenski · 14 Jul 2019 at 23:09

I found an app called Rufus which gives reliable results making bootable USBs for Windows and Linux images. Not sure if it's available for MacOS but it's a godsend.

snow patrol · 15 Jul 2019 at 07:28

LuckyBenski said:
I found an app called Rufus which gives reliable results making bootable USBs for Windows and Linux images. Not sure if it's available for MacOS but it's a godsend.

thanks - unfortunately no dice though. I've tried several apps etc but can't seem to get any to boot. I've actually gone ahead and just ordered a usb win10 bootable drive from ebay for 16 quid to save more going round in circles. Guess the build has to be put on ice for a few more days

seems so odd though - i'm sure it must be possible to create a bootable win10 usb using a mac...?

LuckyBenski · 15 Jul 2019 at 08:49

snow patrol said:
seems so odd though - i'm sure it must be possible to create a bootable win10 usb using a mac...?

Honestly, I tried maybe 20 utilities to make bootable sticks in vain. I was a Linux user at the time but had Windows, and everything had some problem or other. Rufus just... works. I've used it for Windows XP and also 10 (modern stuff like GPT and UEFI compatibility). Also used it for Linux sticks and recovery/backup media too.

It works under XP so worth trying in Parallels next time you get stuck

snow patrol · 16 Jul 2019 at 07:15

LuckyBenski said:
Honestly, I tried maybe 20 utilities to make bootable sticks in vain. I was a Linux user at the time but had Windows, and everything had some problem or other. Rufus just... works. I've used it for Windows XP and also 10 (modern stuff like GPT and UEFI compatibility). Also used it for Linux sticks and recovery/backup media too.

It works under XP so worth trying in Parallels next time you get stuck

struggling with this method too

using an earlier version of rufus on parallels (windows xp) on my old macbook pro. What does the drive need to be formatted as before plugging in to xp? I can't seem to get it to show up. I think i randomly chose rufus 1.3 which is a really old one, as the newest one wouldn't even open...

freddie64 · 16 Jul 2019 at 07:18

Is there a "bootx64.efi" file located at efi/boot on the USB?

Think it needs this to make it bootable. There is a way to add this if it is missing, but can't remember how. (maybe someone on here knows)

snow patrol · 16 Jul 2019 at 07:25

freddie64 said:
Is there a "bootx64.efi" file located at efi/boot on the USB?

Think it needs this to make it bootable. There is a way to add this if it is missing, but can't remember how. (maybe someone on here knows)

yup, can confirm that when i use one of the apps i found (unebootin), that file is present in that location..

freddie64 · 16 Jul 2019 at 08:05

Just remembered. When i did my install, i booted from the USB stick and had three options to choose from. First i just chose the USB by name, in my case Kingstone Data Traveller, but that did not work. I then chose one of the other options named something like UEFI and that did work.

Sorry for being a bit vague, but hopefully you know what i mean.

LuckyBenski · 16 Jul 2019 at 08:12

This isn't tondo with having Secure Boot turned on is it? Yep you do need to pick the UEFI option.

snow patrol said:
struggling with this method too using an earlier version of rufus on parallels (windows xp) on my old macbook pro. What does the drive need to be formatted as before plugging in to xp? I can't seem to get it to show up. I think i randomly chose rufus 1.3 which is a really old one, as the newest one wouldn't even open...

I think Rufus should just see the drive itself no matter what the format. Certainly if it's visible from file explorer.

an0nym0us · 16 Jul 2019 at 08:44

LuckyBenski said:
Honestly, I tried maybe 20 utilities to make bootable sticks in vain. I was a Linux user at the time but had Windows, and everything had some problem or other. Rufus just... works. I've used it for Windows XP and also 10 (modern stuff like GPT and UEFI compatibility). Also used it for Linux sticks and recovery/backup media too.

It works under XP so worth trying in Parallels next time you get stuck

New versions of Rufus have dropped support for XP and Vista.

Rufus changelog:
https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/blob/master/ChangeLog.txt

Version 2.18 (2017.11.07)
Ensure that the same drive is reselected on device refresh
Add a cheat mode to cycle the USB port of currently selected device
Make lookup for updatable .cfg file more generic (e.g. ESET SysRescue)
Fix handling of multiextent ISOs (e.g. BlackArch Linux)
Fix propagation of image decompression errors
Update grub4dos to latest

IMPORTANT: THIS IS THE LAST RELEASE TO SUPPORT WINDOWS XP AND WINDOWS VISTA
SUBSEQUENT RUFUS RELEASES ARE *NO LONGER* COMPATIBLE WITH THESE PLATFORMS

an0nym0us · 16 Jul 2019 at 08:55

snow patrol said:
struggling with this method too using an earlier version of rufus on parallels (windows xp) on my old macbook pro. What does the drive need to be formatted as before plugging in to xp? I can't seem to get it to show up. I think i randomly chose rufus 1.3 which is a really old one, as the newest one wouldn't even open...

Have you tried installing Windows 10 in Parallels, then use Microsoft's own media creation tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

snow patrol · 16 Jul 2019 at 19:34

freddie64 said:
Just remembered. When i did my install, i booted from the USB stick and had three options to choose from. First i just chose the USB by name, in my case Kingstone Data Traveller, but that did not work. I then chose one of the other options named something like UEFI and that did work.

Sorry for being a bit vague, but hopefully you know what i mean.

managed to get to the windows install screen....Used the terminal method here:

https://www.top-password.com/blog/create-windows-10-bootable-usb-from-iso-on-mac/

and selected uefi volume 2 from the usb boot options. Managed to get to 'installing windows' but it doesn't get passed 0 percent before throwing up an error (i forgot to note it down).

Now when i go back to try again, it's created 4 separate partitions on my 1tb nvme drive but won't let me install. This is horrible.

The chick of possible light is that i have an ebay windows10 boot usb and key coming in a day or two, but now i'm worried about this whole 4 partitions think and whether i've broken something

I really appreciate all the help guys.

snow patrol · 16 Jul 2019 at 19:38

an0nym0us said:
New versions of Rufus have dropped support for XP and Vista.

Rufus changelog:
https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/blob/master/ChangeLog.txt

thanks, 2.18 is working and i'm creating the usb stick as we speak. But i'm worried what i've just done (See above) may have scuppered things!

LuckyBenski · 16 Jul 2019 at 19:47

snow patrol said:
thanks, 2.18 is working and i'm creating the usb stick as we speak. But i'm worried what i've just done (See above) may have scuppered things!

But you can just delete those partitions surely. I just delete all partitions and set the installer loose on a bare drive.

snow patrol · 16 Jul 2019 at 20:07

an0nym0us said:
New versions of Rufus have dropped support for XP and Vista.

Rufus changelog:
https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/blob/master/ChangeLog.txt

omg it's working! Rufus was the trick! Installed windows, it's just finalising a few things. I had to delete the other partitions from the windows install screen before it would let me proceed with installation. It wouldn't let me delete the 1.2gig recovery partition it had already made but we'll see if i can do that once in windows...

thank you!

LuckyBenski · 16 Jul 2019 at 20:13

I told you, I <3 Rufus and would fully marry it sometimes.

snow patrol · 16 Jul 2019 at 20:19

LuckyBenski said:
But you can just delete those partitions surely. I just delete all partitions and set the installer loose on a bare drive.

yeah, did that and it's working thanks to the rufus app via windows xp on parallels on the mac. It's the only boot usb method that's worked, after trying almost ten other ways and spending many hours process of eliminating.

haha, how i've missed pc

seriously though, can't wait to get up and running properly on this new beast. I was editing in photoshop earlier on my 2011 mac and it was unbearably slow. I don't think the 3900x is going to suffer to much