Booting clover from a different config file

[ricky7]

Did some research and can't find an answer. If I have 2 different config.plists in my EFI, can I choose which one to boot from? and how? basically I want one to be the one I know works without problems, and the other file to be one I can mess with setting to try and get things running or fix problems

 

[Going Bald]

Did some research and can't find an answer. If I have 2 different config.plists in my EFI, can I choose which one to boot from? and how? basically I want one to be the one I know works without problems, and the other file to be one I can mess with setting to try and get things running or fix problems

Best way to do that is use a USB drive for the experimental and leave the HDD/SSD EFI for the one you know works.

 

[justr]

Did some research and can't find an answer. If I have 2 different config.plists in my EFI, can I choose which one to boot from? and how? basically I want one to be the one I know works without problems, and the other file to be one I can mess with setting to try and get things running or fix problems

You can just save the experimental file with a different name, like: "configE.plist"

When you get to the Clover boot screen/gui, go to options, and there is an obvious place to specify a different config file. I say obvious, because it should/will likely have the default choice already entered "config.plist." In any case, change that to the name of your experimental version, say, "configE.plist" and hit enter. Then go back out to the Clover boot screen and boot your computer!

One of the many nice, in-built features of Clover!

As for GB's suggestion to experiment using a USB drive, that seems more dangerous to me, or at least requires extra USB drives, since it's nice to keep your initial, working USB drive as a last-resort way to save yourself if you really hose your system.

It's possible I'm missing something that GB knows about, but booting from experimental config.plists works for me as I tinker with framebuffer/connection patching to get my R9 290 working. And it saves having to plug/unplug a usb drive, or mess with a USB drive I want to be more universally bootable rather than very specifically configured for max performance.

 

[justr]

If you're going to be doing lots of iterative tinkering and rebooting with the experimental config.plist, a slightly different approach:

Name your working conflig.plist something like configB.plist (B, for backup). And leave your experimental one called config.plist-- so you only need to go into the options menu in clover if you screw up. That way you'll automatically boot using the experimental config file.

While you're doing this, take the time to put a backup of the working config file somewhere safe/offsite. Hell, better than that make a copy of your whole, working EFI folder somewhere safe, but accessible-- say to your favorite cloud storage platform.

 

[themaus]

HI, I have similar situation - I have two config lines under option menu in clover (1. Config, 2. Config2) but only one config.plist on EFI partition. If I chose "config" computer keeps restarting after ca 1 minute. If I chose "config2" everything works perfectly. How should I make the "config2" permanent? I searched all over the internet but found nothing. I made clean install twice but no luck. Can someone help me out? Thanx!

 

[aikido14]

Hi, sorry if the is not the place but here I go : on same hardware I've got two disks; one running HighSierra the other Mojave; the thing is that each one need different config.plist file and kext folder to be fully functional so as for now I've installed clover on each drive ( and use F11 to chose the drive to get the correct clover and its config.plist), but would like to be able to make it work no matter which clover I boot from.
Can it be done ? TIA

 

[Nodarkthings]

Hi, sorry if the is not the place but here I go : on same hardware I've got two disks; one running HighSierra the other Mojave; the thing is that each one need different config.plist file and kext folder to be fully functional so as for now I've installed clover on each drive ( and use F11 to chose the drive to get the correct clover and its config.plist), but would like to be able to make it work no matter which clover I boot from.
Can it be done ? TIA

You might find something that suits your needs with Custom Entries.
This thread might help you: https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/solved-clover-the-miracle-of-custom-entries-revealed.265446/
You can put "10.11.x" or "10.1x.x" in the MatchOS column — I have used it only for 10.9/10.11 but I suppose it would work the same if you use "10.13.x" if your main settings are for 10.14 or "10.14.x" the other way around.

 

[aikido14]

ok thanks a lot.