[Solved] Cannot boot from USB drive after EFI partition from bootable SSD copied to USB... What am I missing?

[macfanatic]

So I'm tweaking my MacOS Mojave 10.14.3 installation and have installed the system on my SSD (including clover bootloader and the Mac OS itself). While I was playing around making changes and experimenting, if something went wrong I didn't want to lose the ability to boot from the SSD so I installed an EFI partition using Clover on a USB drive and used that as a bootloader (ignoring the bootloader in the SSD). I would go from the BIOS directly to Clover on the USB drive and then select my SSD which would boot MacOS up.

After some playing around, I started getting this error where the Clover would go fine, and then I start seeing the Apple Logo with the progress bar, and then bzeerk... all of a sudden the screen goes black with some weird colored pixels. Nothing else comes up, but the mouse itself is working. I posted a video of this error on youtube.

Here's the crazy thing.... To fix whatever caused the bootloader on USB drive to break, I booted back to the SSD using the bootloader residing there and then made a copy of the EFI partition from the SSD directly into the EFI partition on the USB drive (essentially deleted the EFI folder on the USB and copied over the EFI folder from the SSD) and when I booted, I still get this problem. I tried different USB drives... same problem. I tried recreating the exact combination of EFI drivers, kexts and config.plist and still I get the same.

It's like I can't boot from a USB drive no matter what I do without getting this error, but I ***can*** boot directly from the SSD although the files in the EFI partition are identical. Am I missing something here about the way hackintoshes work? I thought that you could essentially separate the bootloader from the OS and play around with your EFI partition without losing emergency access to your data drive.

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong and if so, how do I fix it?

My config.plist is attached. I've also included my kexts and driver64UEFI folder.

 

[cmn699]

So I'm tweaking my MacOS Mojave 10.14.3 installation and have installed the system on my SSD (including clover bootloader and the Mac OS itself). While I was playing around making changes and experimenting, if something went wrong I didn't want to lose the ability to boot from the SSD so I installed an EFI partition using Clover on a USB drive and used that as a bootloader (ignoring the bootloader in the SSD). I would go from the BIOS directly to Clover on the USB drive and then select my SSD which would boot MacOS up.

After some playing around, I started getting this error where the Clover would go fine, and then I start seeing the Apple Logo with the progress bar, and then bzeerk... all of a sudden the screen goes black with some weird colored pixels. Nothing else comes up, but the mouse itself is working. I posted a video of this error on youtube.

Here's the crazy thing.... To fix whatever caused the bootloader on USB drive to break, I booted back to the SSD using the bootloader residing there and then made a copy of the EFI partition from the SSD directly into the EFI partition on the USB drive (essentially deleted the EFI folder on the USB and copied over the EFI folder from the SSD) and when I booted, I still get this problem. I tried different USB drives... same problem. I tried recreating the exact combination of EFI drivers, kexts and config.plist and still I get the same.

It's like I can't boot from a USB drive no matter what I do without getting this error, but I ***can*** boot directly from the SSD although the files in the EFI partition are identical. Am I missing something here about the way hackintoshes work? I thought that you could essentially separate the bootloader from the OS and play around with your EFI partition without losing emergency access to your data drive.

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong and if so, how do I fix it?

My config.plist is attached. I've also included my kexts and driver64UEFI folder.

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong and if so, how do I fix it?

• Try the following and after that I may be able to shed some light on what could be happening.

1. Boot using the current Clover USB Flash disk you had created with EFI from SSD and reach Clover Boot Manager(CBM) Screen
2. At CBM screen, scroll your way to Options>System Parameters > System Integrity Protection>
3. Place [√] as shown in the uploaded image
4. Return to CBM Screen and boot your SSD Mojave in Verbose MODE
5. Upload any problem Verbose Boot screen or Gui Screen image

 

[macfanatic]

Hey Cmn699,

Thank you for your suggestion. Did exactly as you asked. Even went back and verified that my SIP was disabled (0x67), and on the CBM made the changes you suggested. Still, right after the Apple logo and progress bar, I get the black screen, turquoise pixelation and a working mouse.

Again, this is from the SSD's EFI image. If I pull the USB out and ask the same EFI image to boot the SSD from the SSD itself, boom... It boots fine. The point where it gets pixelated it's like everything is still there (mouse works) but nothing on the screen except those bizarre pixels. But, I tried putting my password to login to the computer nothing happens. One more thing, I started paying attention to what happens at the point at which things get funky with the screen turning black etc, on a normal boot. What usually happens is that the screen refreshes to the native resolution and the progress bar continues just before it shows the login screen. When that happens I typically notice the GPU (AMD Vega 64 FE) get active. It seems like on this step, that doesn't happen. It's like the GPU doesn't kick in.

I took another video of what you suggested. If you note, here you will see that in the CBM under SIP -> The checkboxes are all checked.

This is stressing me out a bit, because I am on thin ice if something happens to my EFI partition on the SSD.

As always, thanks for your help.

 

[cmn699]

Hey Cmn699,

Thank you for your suggestion. Did exactly as you asked. Even went back and verified that my SIP was disabled (0x67), and on the CBM made the changes you suggested. Still, right after the Apple logo and progress bar, I get the black screen, turquoise pixelation and a working mouse.

Again, this is from the SSD's EFI image. If I pull the USB out and ask the same EFI image to boot the SSD from the SSD itself, boom... It boots fine. The point where it gets pixelated it's like everything is still there (mouse works) but nothing on the screen except those bizarre pixels. But, I tried putting my password to login to the computer nothing happens. One more thing, I started paying attention to what happens at the point at which things get funky with the screen turning black etc, on a normal boot. What usually happens is that the screen refreshes to the native resolution and the progress bar continues just before it shows the login screen. When that happens I typically notice the GPU (AMD Vega 64 FE) get active. It seems like on this step, that doesn't happen. It's like the GPU doesn't kick in.

I took another video of what you suggested. If you note, here you will see that in the CBM under SIP -> The checkboxes are all checked.

This is stressing me out a bit, because I am on thin ice if something happens to my EFI partition on the SSD.

As always, thanks for your help.

• In your original config.plist I noted the SIP was ENABLED with CsrActiveConfig= 0x0.
• Since you had Pasted the same EFI in macOS USB Installer disk, I expected your Macos Mojave USB Installer to have the same config.plist with CsrActiveConfig= 0x0.
• That's why suggested the temporary fix for that boot through CBM_Options_System Parametesr_System Integrity Protection to make SIP DISABLED so that the macOSMojave USB Installer can let the kexts from CLOVER/kexts/Other to be loaded and used to boot the System Disk util SSD's System files are loaded to the RAM disk that is created to continue to boot.

Did exactly as you asked. Even went back and verified that my SIP was disabled (0x67), and on the CBM made the changes you suggested. Still, right after the Apple logo and progress bar, I get the black screen, turquoise pixelation and a working mouse.)

• Are you saying that you edited the config.plist on the macOS Mojave USB Installer Disk and changed Rt Variables> CsrActiveConfig from 0x0 to 0x67 and saved?

I took another video of what you suggested. If you note, here you will see that in the CBM under SIP -> The checkboxes are all checked.

• I noted in CBM Screen you are booting the macOS Mojave SSD.
• I noted the SIP as Disabled in the Video shot.
• I noticed it failed to load your Graphics and consequently did not see a Login Screen and Desktop.
• Are you saying, if you ENABLE SIP it will boot OK without Pixelated Screen?
• If that is the case Reboot the SSD without USB installer.
• In CBM screen go to try Enabling SIP through CBM>Options_System Parametesr_System Integrity Protection remove all check marks .
• Return to CBM and reboot macOSMojave SSD in Verbose.
• Upload Image

 

[macfanatic]

OK I followed EXACTLY what you asked and here's what happened.

When Clover/CBM is on the SYSTEM SSD + MacOS is on the SYSTEM SSD :
- MacOS boots up fine whether SIP is OFF (0x67) or ON (0x0)

When Clover/CBM is on the USB DRIVE + MacOS is on the SYSTEM SSD :
- MacOS boots up when SIP is OFF (0x67)
- MacOS DOES NOT boot up when SIP is ON (0x0) -- EVEN IF, the checkboxes are turned on.

I am confused. Why is SIP disabling proper booting from the USB, not doing anything when I am booting from the SSD?

By the way, may I just say that you are an INCREDIBLE human being for taking your time out to help a stranger like this. Just INCREDIBLE. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

 

[cmn699]

OK I followed EXACTLY what you asked and here's what happened.

When Clover/CBM is on the SYSTEM SSD + MacOS is on the SYSTEM SSD :
- MacOS boots up fine whether SIP is OFF (0x67) or ON (0x0)

When Clover/CBM is on the USB DRIVE + MacOS is on the SYSTEM SSD :
- MacOS boots up when SIP is OFF (0x67)
- MacOS DOES NOT boot up when SIP is ON (0x0) -- EVEN IF, the checkboxes are turned on.

I am confused. Why is SIP disabling proper booting from the USB, not doing anything when I am booting from the SSD?

By the way, may I just say that you are an INCREDIBLE human being for taking your time out to help a stranger like this. Just INCREDIBLE. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Try editing config.plist of USB Installer Disk using Clover Configurator Global>Rt Variables>CsrActiveConfig=0x67 and save. For USB Installer disk kext loading SIP must be Disabled.