7/1/2019 How to edit Boot Camp to install Windows from a USB flash drive - TechRepublic

How to edit Boot Camp to install Windows from a USB

flash drive
By Jesus Vigo in Software on February 9, 2016, 2:27 PM PST

Tired of burning DVDs to install Windows 7 or later in Boot Camp? If so, with a bit of editing,
you can get it to use USB flash drives instead.

Image: Apple

One of the great features of using a Mac in recent times has been the ability to install
Windows and some other operating systems and use applications written for them without
any boundaries. Unfortunately, the process of installing Windows on a Mac is still stuck in
the dark ages for all users except those running the newest hardware that does not require
optical media.

Users with older gear to even recently released MacBook Pros and iMacs are denied using
a USB flash drive, though every Apple computer made since Boot Camp
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(https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/apple-in-the-enterprise/three-things-to-know-about-apple-boot-camp/)'s
inception in 2006 has had at least one usable USB port. With a few well-placed edits, you
can force Boot Camp to evolve with the times. Follow along the three-step process.

Step 1: Get Model Strings

1. Open System Report, Applications | Utilities | System Information.app

2. Make a note of the Model Identifier and Boot ROM Version and save these for the next
section (Figure A).

Figure A

Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

Step 2: Edit Boot Camp .plist

1. To make the modifications to modernize Boot Camp, you'll need to edit the .plist file for
the app. Before committing any changes, let's first make a backup of the file just in case.
Open Terminal and execute the command below.

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7/1/2019 How to edit Boot Camp to install Windows from a USB flash drive - TechRepublic

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sudo cp /Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/Info.plist

/Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/Info.plist.backup

2. With a backup created, proceed to edit the file within Terminal by executing the
command below (Figure B).

sudo nano /Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app/Contents/Info.plist

Figure B

Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

3. Scroll down the list until you reach the section labeled DARequiredROMVersions.
Remembering the information collected in the first section, copy and paste the Boot Rom
Version on that list. Be sure to include the <string></string> tags, which signify to open and
close an entry (Figure C).

Figure C

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7/1/2019 How to edit Boot Camp to install Windows from a USB flash drive - TechRepublic

Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

4. Scroll down to the PreUSBBootSupportedModels section and copy and paste the Model
Identifier information in that section.

5. Delete the word Pre from the section to leave it as USBBootSupportedModels (Figure
D).

Figure D

Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

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6. Add the Model Identifier to the PreESDRequiredModels and PreUEFIModels sections as

well (Figure E).

Figure E

Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

7. Remove the entire Win7OnlyModels section, including the strings as highlighted (Figure
F).

Figure F

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Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

8. To save your changes, press Ctrl+X. At the exit prompt, type Y to acknowledge you'd like
to save, and then press Enter to save the file. The file will be closed upon saving and you'll
return to the Terminal prompt.

Step 3: Sign the .plist file and launch Boot Camp

1. With our model information stored and the file updated, enter the following command to
sign the file and make it executable in OS X.

sudo codesign -fs - /Applications/Utilities/Boot\ Camp\ Assistant.app

2. When complete, quit Terminal and launch Boot Camp. You should see that Boot Camp
offers to create a Windows 7 or later installer and requires a USB drive and ISO image of
the Windows OS (Figure G).

Figure G

Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

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7/1/2019 How to edit Boot Camp to install Windows from a USB flash drive - TechRepublic

3. The following page will request the location of an ISO image that will be used to create
the USB installer for your version of Windows; Boot Camp will use that drive to install
Windows on your Mac (Figure H).

Figure H

Image: Jesus Vigo/TechRepublic

We'd love to hear from you

Did this article help you use Boot Camp? Tell us about your experiences with Boot Camp.

Also see
Running Windows 10 on a Mac: Frequently asked questions
(http://www.zdnet.com/article/running-windows-10-on-a-mac-frequently-asked-questions/) (ZDNet)
The hidden costs of running Windows on a Mac (http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-hidden-costs-of-
running-windows-on-a-mac/) (ZDNet)
Pro tip: How to disable System Integrity Protection (https://www.techrepublic.com/article/pro-tip-
(TechRepublic)
how-to-disable-system-integrity-protection/)
Tips for configuring Boot Camp partitions for business users
(https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/apple-in-the-enterprise/tips-for-configuring-boot-camp-partitions-for-
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/pro-tip-edit-boot-camp-to-install-windows-from-a-usb-flash-drive/ 7/12
7/1/2019 How to edit Boot Camp to install Windows from a USB flash drive - TechRepublic

business-users/) (TechRepublic)
How to back up and restore Boot Camp partitions (https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/apple-in-
the-enterprise/how-to-back-up-and-restore-boot-camp-partitions/) (TechRepublic)

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crisis century

By Jesus Vigo
Jesus Vigo is a Network Administrator by day and owner of Mac|Jesus, LLC, specializing
in Mac and Windows integration and providing solutions to small- and medium-size
businesses. He brings 19 years of experience and multiple certifications from seve...

SOFTWARE MICROSOFT ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE DEVELOPER OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE

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is going high tech computer that changed the world

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