[Solved] Can't boot into High Sierra installer

[cmn699]

Sorry. Here it is.

• Is the above error occurring after you highlight your macOS High Sierra System Hard disk and press ENTER in CBM Screen as stated in your post without the Screen shot: #40 or does this occur before the CBM Screen is expected to show up? I want to be certain about the timing of "...AptioFixDrv...." error in relation to the CBM screen.
• In the CBM Screen, in addition to the macOS High Sierra USB Installer (I am presuming you are using a USB installer for a Clean Installation), what other icons you see? [had you uploaded the image of CBM screen, I wouldn't have to ask this question]
  
• If you force reboot on this "AptioFixDrv error screen", does the same error show up again and again?
• Is your Windows 10 Disk stay connected to the Motherboard while you are trying to boot the macOS High Sierra Installer leading to the AptioFixdrv boot error?

With the answers to the above, we might consider the next best option to proceed.

 

[MrModZix]

• Is the above error occurring after you highlight your macOS High Sierra System Hard disk and press ENTER in CBM Screen as stated in your post without the Screen shot: #40 or does this occur before the CBM Screen is expected to show up? I want to be certain about the timing of "...AptioFixDrv...." error in relation to the CBM screen.
• In the CBM Screen, in addition to the macOS High Sierra USB Installer (I am presuming you are using a USB installer for a Clean Installation), what other icons you see? [had you uploaded the image of CBM screen, I wouldn't have to ask this question]
  
• If you force reboot on this "AptioFixDrv error screen", does the same error show up again and again?
• Is your Windows 10 Disk stay connected to the Motherboard while you are trying to boot the macOS High Sierra Installer leading to the AptioFixdrv boot error?

With the answers to the above, we might consider the next best option to proceed.

1. Yes.
2. I am actually attempting a direct upgrade. I am now just starting to realize using a USB installer would perhaps allow me to get to the installer. However, I’m wondering if it would still allow me to preserve my current setup and only upgrade from the installer, not do a clean install. Is this possible? If it’s not, I guess I’ll be forced to do a clean install.
3. Yes.
4. I tried to disconnect my SSD and HDD and just leave my external HDD (my Hackintosh disk) and it gave me the same OsxAptioFixDrv error.

 

[mutatio]

1. Yes.
2. I am actually attempting a direct upgrade. I am now just starting to realize using a USB installer would perhaps allow me to get to the installer. However, I’m wondering if it would still allow me to preserve my current setup and only upgrade from the installer, not do a clean install. Is this possible? If it’s not, I guess I’ll be forced to do a clean install.
3. Yes.
4. I tried to disconnect my SSD and HDD and just leave my external HDD (my Hackintosh disk) and it gave me the same OsxAptioFixDrv error.

Historically, you typically have been able to upgrade (so long as it's an upgrade supported by Apple) or reinstall the OS over your current setup. e.g., You keep your accounts, apps, etc. Before Clover and the direct App Store updates, that's how we upgraded, using Unibeast to create the install USB for the new OS release and then using the USB to upgrade/install over the older system. Hopefully that makes sense.

Also worth noting that before the App store, that's how you would upgrade your official Macs. e.g., DVD installer and then briefly USB installers.

 

[cmn699]

1. Yes.
2. I am actually attempting a direct upgrade. I am now just starting to realize using a USB installer would perhaps allow me to get to the installer. However, I’m wondering if it would still allow me to preserve my current setup and only upgrade from the installer, not do a clean install. Is this possible? If it’s not, I guess I’ll be forced to do a clean install.
3. Yes.
4. I tried to disconnect my SSD and HDD and just leave my external HDD (my Hackintosh disk) and it gave me the same OsxAptioFixDrv error.

• If you are doing a direct upgrade from your previous macOS Sierra Disk and you had updated the Clover EFI on that disk as answered in #44 , did you check its
  • Clover/kexts/Other for all the drivers for any change? : It will be good if you list them for us
    
  • Did you check its drivers64UEFI folder for all the EFI files . I am specifically interested to know the OsxAptioFix... files there . [The complete list will be useful to know]

I tried to disconnect my SSD and HDD

What is in the SSD?
What is in the HDD?

and just leave my external HDD (my Hackintosh disk) and it gave me the same OsxAptioFixDrv error.

This answer baffles me.
Your macOS Sierra is an external HDD?
How is it connected to the Motherboard. Please provide details about the Disk such as Make and Model.

Before I can answer the #2, I really like to know your hard disk setup.

My assumption on trying to answer was, like the usual cases, you are trying to install a High Sierra on a blank SATA Spin disk or SSD or on a SATA disk with prior macOS Sierra . Whenever I hear of an 'external HDD', I think of an HDD with a USB connection to the MoBO or an eSATA disk, both usually used for Storage. Please clarify.

 

[mntbighker]

I have direct updated my Sierra SSD to High Sierra. I found I needed drop MATS for the installer and the installed OS to boot. And I had to switch from UEFI to Legacy in BIOS. My only issue at the moment seems to be that the Nvidia web driver refuses to load, and it always boots in Default Driver mode. Perhaps the status on my card changed with HS (GTX 650 Ti)?

 

[MrModZix]

If you are doing a direct upgrade from your previous macOS Sierra Disk and you had updated the Clover EFI on that disk as answered in #44 , did you check its

• Clover/kexts/Other for all the drivers for any change? : It will be good if you list them for us
  
• Did you check its drivers64UEFI folder for all the EFI files . I am specifically interested to know the OsxAptioFix... files there . [The complete list will be useful to know]

Yes, Clover/kexts/Other is the same as before (see pic 1). The drivers64UEFI folder is also the same (see pic 2)

What is in the SSD?
What is in the HDD?

SSD: Windows 10 + and a few games.
HDD: Documents and downloads.

Your macOS Sierra is an external HDD?
How is it connected to the Motherboard. Please provide details about the Disk such as Make and Model.

Correct. It's connected via a USB 3.0. It's a WD Elements 1042.

 

[cmn699]

Yes, Clover/kexts/Other is the same as before (see pic 1). The drivers64UEFI folder is also the same (see pic 2)

SSD: Windows 10 + and a few games.
HDD: Documents and downloads.

Correct. It's connected via a USB 3.0. It's a WD Elements 1042.

• This is going to be really hard but doable. But the final result will be a Slowcoach Hackintosh you may not like at all! I certainly won't like to 'run' my Hackintosh Sierra or High Sierra from an external USB HDD even if it has USB 3.0 .

• It can also pose difficulties during setup as now you have a USB installer disk and a USB System Disk for your BIOS to deal with. The BIOS might sometimes display only the USB System disk that does not have a Clover EFI installed yet and if you try to boot it, you will get the annoying "non-boot disk" error and you won't be able to see your USB installer even when you press F12 hot key and look inside the Boot menu. You will continue to see the External USB hard disk without a bootloader!
  
• If you are not a hackintosh troubleshooter wanting to test and learn about troubleshooting in a Hackintosh system from an External USB disk, my advice is to use this disk just for storage and use an Internal SATA Spin Disk ( cheaper) or SSD disk for your macOS High Sierra.
• If you insist you want to use this disk as your System disk, I will post the steps with images later.

 

[MrModZix]

• This is going to be really hard but doable. But the final result will be a Slowcoach Hackintosh you may not like at all! I certainly won't like to 'run' my Hackintosh Sierra or High Sierra from an external USB HDD even if it has USB 3.0 .

• It can also pose difficulties during setup as now you have a USB installer disk and a USB System Disk for your BIOS to deal with. The BIOS might sometimes display only the USB System disk that does not have a Clover EFI installed yet and if you try to boot it, you will get the annoying "non-boot disk" error and you won't be able to see your USB installer even when you press F12 hot key and look inside the Boot menu. You will continue to see the External USB hard disk without a bootloader!
  
• If you are not a hackintosh troubleshooter wanting to test and learn about troubleshooting in a Hackintosh system from an External USB disk, my advice is to use this disk just for storage and use an Internal SATA Spin Disk ( cheaper) or SSD disk for your macOS High Sierra.
• If you insist you want to use this disk as your System disk, I will post the steps with images later.

I decided to attempt a clean install. Formatted my external drive and put HS on my USB before formatting. Literally nothing changed about the OsxAptioFixDrv errors. Don't know what's up with HS.

 

[cmn699]

I decided to attempt a clean install. Formatted my external drive and put HS on my USB before formatting. Literally nothing changed about the OsxAptioFixDrv errors. Don't know what's up with HS.

I suggest installing High Sierra using a High Sierra USB Installer Flash Disk built with Unibeast 8 or the Terminal command +Latest Clover+ Essential kexts [FakeSMC.kext + Ethernet kext, +/- Lilu + NvidiaGraphicsFix ] in the CLOVER/kexts/Other on an Internal SATA disk (Ex:500GB). You may use the EXT USB disk for Storage.

Using your current USB External HDD for a System disk is NOT A GOOD IDEA.

I have created as a "Test System", macOS High Sierra on a Buffalo HD-PNTU3 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EJLFVK/?tag=tonymacx86com-20] It is v----e----r----y s......l....o.....w to boot and use. I have that only to show what I should not do!

 

[MrModZix]

I suggest installing High Sierra using a High Sierra USB Installer Flash Disk built with Unibeast 8 or the Terminal command +Latest Clover+ Essential kexts [FakeSMC.kext + Ethernet kext, +/- Lilu + NvidiaGraphicsFix ] in the CLOVER/kexts/Other on an Internal SATA disk (Ex:500GB). You may use the EXT USB disk for Storage.

Using your current USB External HDD for a System disk is NOT A GOOD IDEA.

I have created as a "Test System", macOS High Sierra on a Buffalo HD-PNTU3 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EJLFVK/?tag=tonymacx86com-20] It is v----e----r----y s......l....o.....w to boot and use. I have that only to show what I should not do!

Sorry, I meant to say I created a USB installer. I didn't actually put High Sierra on the USB itself.
Also, what I said isn't actually the case. I actually got further now than I did when I tried to update from my existing Sierra Hackintosh to High Sierra.

So: I created a High Sierra USB installer and attempted to boot the installer using nothing in CLOVER\drivers64UEFI. This got me to the first picture. Then I decided to use OsxAptioFixDrv and put it into CLOVER\drivers64UEFI. See second picture. Then I removed OsxAptioFixDrv and put OsxAptioFixDrv2 in CLOVER\drivers64UEFI instead. See third picture. "The way I see it is OsxAptioFixDrv2 is suited for my hardware but there's something wrong with it (maybe outdated or patched by Apple?) that doesn't allow it to work properly with High Sierra the way it did with Sierra." Edit: <- I was wrong about this. At the time I wrote this I forgot that OsxAptioFixDrv was best suited on my Sierra Hackintosh, not OsxAptioFixDrv2. In the end it didn't matter because the combination of all the kexts I used for Sierra got me to the installer.