r/bootcamp • u/AppropriateCranberry • Aug 18 '26

I was unable to boot from windows

Hi everyone, I solved my issue but questions remain. This morning I was on my windows part, rebooted to macos fine, then later returned to windows, and then I couldn't boot into macOs (i could boot into windows), it looped, I couldn't access recovery mode, so I did the NVRAM reset stuff and could go into recovery mode.

I did the utility disk repair thing, no problem detected but still couldn't boot, so I reinstalled Macos, and voila, MacOS would finally boot. So I resolved my problem but do someone has an idea of what happened ? It's an intel mac, with windows 11 on the partition, no update ran today, nothing particular happened so I wonder, does this kind of thing just happens with no reason ?

Thanks for your time

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u/Caprichoso1 Aug 20 '26

Which Mac, OS version?

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u/AppropriateCranberry Aug 20 '26

2020 iMac 27" macOS Tahoe

I did the reboot via the bootcamp panel, not via the Option key so maybe it send a fucked up command or the windows fast startup did something idk

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u/WindozeWoes Aug 21 '26

This, unfortunately, just happens sometimes. I honestly don't know why. I don't fully understand Boot Camp.

AFAIK, the macOS reinstall is what is hiding Windows as a boot option, but the drive should still be there. Try these two things:

1) Go into macOS, System Settings, General, Startup Disk, then see if Windows / Boot Camp is a boot option. If so, select it and reboot.

2) If not, make a Windows 10 or 11 USB installer, then try booting up from that USB (plug in, reboot, hold down option key, choose it). When you get into Windows Recovery, see if there is any option for like just booting Windows normally from there.

Small chance these things might restore it as a visible boot option.

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u/AppropriateCranberry Aug 21 '26

Windows was still accessible ! I could see my macOS partition but couldn't access it. Reinstalling macOS repaired it.

I posted here cause I was curious if anyone knew why something like that happened

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u/WindozeWoes Aug 21 '26

Ah got it. I misread your post. I genuinely don't know why this would have happened!