How to install Windows 10 on 2009 Macbook Pro with Intel Processor

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How to install Windows 10 on 2009 Macbook Pro with Intel Processor

I have a 2009 Macbook Pro running OS X El Capitan 10.11.6, the last version Apple will allow on this laptop. It's getting so you can't do much but check email and edit Word documents so I want to partition it and install Windows 10. Apple just says start Bootcamp Assistant and follow instructions. The first thing BA did was make me update it to 6.0.1. Now I can't get past "Download the latest Windows support software from Apple," which it installs in a folder on a removable USB storage device. It repeats this every time even though I already the Windows Support folder is already on the USB.

So I created a bootable Windows 10 USB using Windows and partitioned my hard drive using the disk utility by holding the Options key and rebooting into Recovery mode. Yet I still cannot find a way to install Windows on the partition using Boot Camp, the Disk Utility, or trying to boot directly to the USB device. When I run BA I get this warning: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition. The startup disk must be formatted as a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume or already partitioned by Boot Camp Assistant for installing Windows." Disk Utility says this partition is formatted as "OS X Extended."

I can no longer even get to the Recovery mode. It allows me to select Recovery then boots up normally and does not go to Recovery.

MacBook Pro 13″, OS X 10.11

Posted on May 22, 2025 8:30 AM

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Answer 1

May 22, 2025 8:58 AM in response to kcomst

Repartitioning storage is always hazardous, as are mixed operating systems attempting co-residency on the same storage device. Backups of all partitions with data, and a local and direct recovery path that doesn’t involve a network boot are preferable.

Recovery as far back as this Mac limited and dicy. This far back, it was usually partially based on installed software on the storage device, and that was erased here and a without having a bootable installer or other means available.

Later Macs moved Recovery into the firmware. Things got better around OS X 10.12.

Does the DVD in that Mac still work? If so, burn and boot a Linux or BSD installer, and load that. Or build a bootable USB installer for Linux, BSD, or Mac OS X 10.11, and boot that.

To get back to the state where you can attempt to install Windows, wipe, install OS X 10.11, then try Bootcamp Assistant again. And maybe using Brigadier might help. If that works for this combination.

As an alternative to Windows on Mac, a micro PC might serve, and those start well under US$100.

Here is info on macOS bootable installer: Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support. This if there’s another working Mac around, and that Mac can download OS X 10.11 directly via DMG and launch the PKG package file to prepare the installer, and then build the installer.

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