Creating a Windows 10 USB Install Drive

This is a support article for a series I wrote on how to upgrade a 2009 Mac Pro to run Windows 10 and macOS Sierra for VR and gaming. Here’s the original article, and part I and part II of the how-to documents I wrote.

Method One: Do it from Windows 10

Do it from Windows 10 — download the Windows Media Creation Tool and use it to create the USB install image.

Method Two: Bootcamp Assistant

From Bootcamp Assistant, if you’re lucky.

If you have a Mac the supports Windows 10 and doesn’t have a super drive built into it, this should be a piece of cake.

1. Download the Windows 10 ISO image — currently the image to get is the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. There are three versions listed:
   - Windows 10
   - Windows 10 N
   - Windows 10 single language

I believe I have selected both “Windows 10” and “Windows 10 single language” at different iterations of this project. Pick your poison.

2. Plug the USB drive you want to use for the Windows Installer into your Mac. Kiss any data on it bye bye.

3. Go to Application->Utilities in the Finder and launch Bootcamp Assistant

4. Hit Continue

5. For now, just select “Create a Windows 7 or later install disk” and hit Continue

6. Bootcamp is really good about automatically finding the Windows ISO image, but make sure that it’s preparing to zot the correct USB drive if you have more than one connected to your Mac.

7. Hit Continue one last time and let nature take its course.

Method Three: Plist Hacking

The 5.1 Mac Pros come with a built-in superdrive, so it will not provide you with a USB drive option (for the love of god WHY NOT?). It’s also not a supported platform, so it won’t let you create a Windows 10 installer…because you might turn around and use that very Mac.

NO USB FOR YOU!

This requires you to modify Bootcamp Assistant’s Info.plist file a little. I’m a coward, so I duplicated Bootcamp Assistant first and then did all of my work with Bootcamp Assistant Copy, which I renamed Bootcamp Assistant hacked.

1. Right click on Bootcamp Assistant Hacked and select Show Package Contents

2. Double click on Contents to open it

3. Right click on Info.plist and select Open With->TextEdit or use your text editor of choice.

4. Add the following lines, shown in green below.

<key>USBBootSupportedModels</key>
<array>
<string>MacPro5,1</string>
</array>

5. Remove the MacPro5,1 line from the PreUSBBootSupportedModels array.

6. Add the following line to the PreWindows10OnlyModels array block: <string>MacPro5,1</string>

7. Remove the <string>MacPro5,1</string> line from the end of the “SupporedNonWin10Models” (sic) array block.

8. Save the file. Close the Finder window. Go wash your hands a couple of times.

9. Now go back to Applications->Utilities in the Finder and double click on your hacked copy of Bootcamp Assistant.

Et Voila!

At this point you can go ahead and follow the regular Bootcamp Assistant procedure listed previously.