<< Solved >> Black screen with mouse after updating to Catalina

[Fjordn]

Since we're all stuck inside for a few weeks (thanks, COVID-19), I decided to update my Hackintosh. Yosemite 10.10.5 to Catalina 10.15.3.
I done goofed a couple different times (didn't update Clover on the Yosemite drive before installing Catalina, namely) but I've been muddling through. I also didn't create a bootable "Install Catalina USB" because I was updating from the Mac App Store. If I were smart, I'd learn something from this, but...

I installed Clover (r5103) on a USB drive, and have been using that as my bootloader. It functions as intended, as far as I can tell. I went through the Catalina update process outlined here by tonymcx86, with mixed success. The install happened, and later during one of the boot cycles it appears to have installed the supplemental update.

Now, whenever I make it through a boot cycle, I am presented with a black screen with the mouse pointer on it. The mouse responds normally, and even moves across multiple displays like it did on my Yosemite install. When I click, it disappears, and any typing attempts are met with a screen flash (typical macOS "You can't do that" behavior). I'm wondering: Is this Catalina installing a supplemental update? I've read posts from people booting from the Catalina - Data partition to complete the update, but it doesn't show in Clover (even as a hidden option).

Worth noting: I can boot to the Recovery partition just fine. Spent some time zooming around Disk Utility and the Terminal and verified the presence of the Catalina - Data partition.

More details regarding EFI folder and other stuff in the next post

Edit for clarity:
When I enter the Clover screen, I only have the option to boot macOS, Recovery, and FileVault Prebooter

I can boot to the Recovery partition just fine. Using Terminal and Disk Utility, I've looked at the system drive and verified that the OS files are present. The APFS volume seems fine.

When I boot to macOS, I get through the loading bar with Apple logo. Takes a bit longer than it used to (hangs on AppleKeyStore: Operation failed for about 30 seconds, then quickly prints two lines of IOConsoleUsers [see attached image] and immediately finishes booting). I reach a blank, black screen. When I power cycle my HDMI display, a mouse pointer appears. (This is just a TV. I use DVI and VGA for the two monitors on my desk)

This pointer moves as expected with my mouse, and across multiple displays exactly like it did in my Yosemite install. When I click within my primary display, the mouse disappears. It reappears briefly if I power cycle any one of my displays, or unplug/replug them from the video card.

 

[Fjordn]

My EFI folders are a mess, because I didn't update Clover on the system drive before updating (you know, like an idiot). I've been using the EFI shell in Clover to copy kexts into the correct folders. It's a pain, but I'm familiar enough with Terminal to use cp, ls, and cd

Attached are some images, listing the contents of EFI/Clover/Kexts/Other as well as EFI/Clover/Drivers64UEFI. Taken while booted in the recovery partition. Since the EFI folder on the system drive (120GB SSD) was made with an older version of Clover, it's structured differently. Also posted the EFI folder on the USB drive for reference.

Edit: Here's a .zip containing the EFI folder from my USB stick. In the /Clover/misc/ folder is a preboot.log file I generated using F2 at the Clover screen. I also pressed F4 which put something in the ACPI folder--maybe a DSDT file.

 

[Big-W]

If you're updating Clover from 49xx to 51xx EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI has been replaced by EFI/CLOVER/drivers/BIOS/UEFI

 

[Fjordn]

If you're updating Clover from 49xx to 51xx EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI has been replaced by EFI/CLOVER/drivers/BIOS/UEFI

I don't know if this counts as updating Clover; since I can't boot any version of OS X/MacOS on the target system, I can't run Clover to update the bootloader on my system drive. So, my system drive's EFI partition doesn't have a "Drivers" folder. I could make one using mkdir and cp the necessary kexts into it, I suppose.

I was able to make a Clover USB stick using an external Mac after it became apparent that I made mistakes. This USB drive is using the latest version of Clover.

 

[Fjordn]

More data!
Since macOS appears to be doing something while only displaying the cursor, I thought to check the log files in /var/log. So, here's the whole folder. Today (March 27 2020) I booted one time and let it sit for an hour or so. Check that timestamp in whichever log files are relevant.

I've also included system.log and install.log filtered to just show today's activity.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I can infer what I'm missing based on these logs.

 

[Big-W]

Try this;

 

[Fjordn]

Try this;

This EFI setup doesn't show any macOS drives at all.
I tested it, then edited the config.plist to not hide the Recovery and PreBoot partitions. Still no dice.
Replaced /Drivers/UEFI/ApfsDriverLoader-64.efi with the ApfsDriverLoader I had previously been using, as well as replacing Aptiomemoryfix with my OsxAptiofixDrv; still not showing up.
Edited config.plist again; under "Boot" I set defaultVolume to LastBootedVolume (for parity with my EFI file)
I'm not sure what it takes for Clover to recognize APFS partitions or else I'd try that.

I appreciate the help

 

[Fjordn]

SOLVED

Don't be a big dummy! Check your /clover/Kexts/Other folder for Lilu.kext, WhateverGreen.kext, and FakeSMC.kext

Somewhere along the line, in my many re-builds of the Clover installer, I lost the three mandatory kexts and never put them back. Then I proceeded to assume they were in there for the next several days of banging my head against a wall. You can't use macOS without them; that's why they're m a n d a t o r y

@Big-W, sincere thanks for giving me something to compare my /EFI folder to. Gah.

Let this be a cautionary tale.