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I also have a small problem with my Mac Pro...

2x 2.66 GHz dual core
nvidia GT 420 1GB
8 original RAM

I had a 2.5 inch HDD on which I had windows 10 pro and it ran on my mac 1.1 and I wanted to upgrade to an SSD (even though I know that the port is SATA I and is limited to 150/160mbps.

I installed Windows 10 PRO 64 bit on a laptop with windows, I removed the hard drive from the laptop, put it in the mac and it worked directly. Some drivers went wrong and that's it. If I put the HDD with Windows in the Mac Pro, it works.

I installed windows 10 pro on an ssd on a macbook pro 2011 and after I finished the complete set, I closed the laptop, took out the hard drive, put it in the mac pro and now nothing is displayed on the monitor.

I also tried with the original video card, but it still doesn't work. If I put the old HDD back, it starts and everything is ok.

What do you think he has?

David Anderson
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Forest
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  • Not quite an answer: but your best bet would probably be to clone the hard drive to the SSD. That way it will be an exact copy. – trlkly Mar 31 '23 at 04:13

2 Answers2

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You can't just move a Windows boot drive around from machine to machine like you can a Mac boot drive & expect it to work. Windows installs only drivers for the computer it was installed to; Mac boot drives carry drivers for all compatible Macs.

That's ignoring the 1,1 is completely incompatible with Win 10 [no drivers at all] or that a newer Mac will be using EFI boot & an old one probably needs a protected MBR [of which my knowledge is very vague.] The 1,1 can only run Windows 32-bit too [qualified to Win7 32], you didn't mention which you'd installed.

Tetsujin
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  • I installed Windows 10 PRO 64 bit on a laptop with windows, I removed the hard drive from the laptop, put it in the mac and it worked directly. Some drivers went wrong and that's it.

    If I put the HDD with Windows in the Mac Pro, it works.

     – Forest Mar 30 '23 at 10:34
  • Apple only ever supported Win7 32-bit on Boot Camp. That's for certain. Apparently there is some deep & devious hack to get Win10 64 on it - have fun ;) https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2006-mac-pro-easy-64-bit-windows-10-native-installation-no-bootloaders-or-efi-hacks.1905564/ …and no, I have never used sysprep, though I've heard of it. If do official processes in official ways, I don't hack at underlying structures. Other people can play in that ;) I have CampTune, WinClone & Acronis Universal Restore for that kind of thing. – Tetsujin Mar 30 '23 at 10:59
  • I'm really not sure what you're trying to say - https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/specs/mac-pro-quad-2.66-specs.html – Tetsujin Mar 30 '23 at 12:41
  • Both the MacPro 1,1 and 2,1 came only with a 32-Bit EFI (not BIOS) bootloader. On Mac OS X, their 32-bit EFI bootloader would boot a 64-bit kernel (10.6+) up until around 10.10. (El Capitan works with a modified EFI file). 32-bit OS's should work fine, but a 64-Bit OS would require a 32-bit EFI bootloader that chain loads the 64-bit bootloader in order to run a 64-bit OS. I've done this with Linux, but it's non-trivial for most users. – NuclearPeon Mar 30 '23 at 18:30
  • @DavidAnderson I missed that part sorry, though I guess I shouldn't be surprised as 64-bit versions of windows have the ability to run 32-bit programs so a 32-bit EFI bootloader is probably included. I have a MacPro 1,1 and 2,1 I could try it on. Edit: I got mbr and bios mixed up. – NuclearPeon Mar 30 '23 at 20:58
  • Tetsujin: I think we have different philosophies. Here is mine: With respect to what the OP is trying to accomplish, the following does not exist: OS X, dual boot, Boot Camp Assistant, protected MBR, hybrid partitioning and The Golden Rule. The Mac becomes just another PC. Except for the Windows Support Software (Boot Camp Support Software), the tools used to install come from Microsoft and not from Apple. The OP may need to enter many commands provided by Microsoft in order to install to the SSD. You have indicated many commands (or steps) equals hacking. I do not see it that way. – David Anderson Mar 31 '23 at 02:19
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The OP has not posted enough informal to absolutely confirm why the SSD did not boot. If feel there is no point in asking the OP any questions, since I never received a response to the questions I asked regarding Monday's post about this same Mac.

Here is one possible explanation.

The OP was able to boot a 64 bit Windows 10 Pro on a HDD taken from a laptop. The simplest explanation is Windows BIOS booted when installed the laptop and the Mac Pro.

The OP used a 2011 MacBook Pro to install Windows 10 Pro on a SSD. Most likely the OP installed a 64 bit Windows 10 Pro to 64 bit UEFI boot. The OP claims to have taken a HDD out of the MacBook Pro and place the drive in the Mac Pro. I will make a assumption here that OP meant the SSD and incorrect typed HDD. The drive would not boot because the Mac Pro does not have a 64 bit EFI. The existing 32 bit EFI in the Mac Pro can not boot a 64 bit Windows installation.

Some additional comments.

  • 64 bit Windows 10 has a minimum memory requirement of 2 GB. The OP states "8 original RAM". The original memory was 1 GB. Perhaps the OP meant the Mac Pro contained 8 GB of memory when the machine was donated.

  • 32 bit Windows 7 drivers can often be used by a 64 bit Windows 10 installation. In other words, Microsoft designs there operation systems to use legacy drivers when necessary.

  • The Mac Pro is approximately 17 years old. At this point, a fairly current release of Windows 10 would probably contain most (if not all) of the drivers needed for the Mac Pro. So it is plausible that the HDD could successfully BIOS boot when placed in the Mac Pro.

  • 2011 MacBook Pro models where originally designed by Apple for a BIOS booting Windows. However, it is plausible that a 64 bit UEFI booting Windows could be installed. Especially, after the firmware update performed when installing High Sierra.

  • The OP states the use of SATA I. However, the Mac Pro can accommodate four SATA II (3 Gbps) drives in its four internal hard drive bays.

Here is what I would try.

I would put both the HDD and SSD in the Mac Pro. Boot from the HDD and use Windows 10 to install Windows 10 to the SSD. This answer does not include the instructions on how to do so.

David Anderson
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