Did not find config.plist/quirks. Fatal Error System Halted.

[BillG66]

Guys, I'm freaking... had some app issues today on my main system, went to restart and got the above message. Have attempted to boot from my backup disk... I get to the Clover screen and whether I select my main drive or my backup drive, I just get the Apple logo... no progress bar or anything. All my data is backed up on Time Machine, thank goodness... but I can't get the OS to load. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[jaymonkey]

@BillG66,

You must have recently updated Clover without reading the release notes :-

Releases · CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader

Bootloader for macOS, Windows and Linux in UEFI and in legacy mode - CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader

github.com

In summary Clover r5120 and beyond contains Open Core code extensions which are required to run Big Sur so you need to set up the OC Quirks section up in your config.plist and ensure that the Open Core efi drivers/extensions are installed in your EFI folder correctly.

If you want to run Clover without the Open Core extensions then down grade to Clover r5119.

Cheers
Jay

 

[BillG66]

@BillG66,

You must have recently updated Clover without reading the release notes :-

Releases · CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader

Bootloader for macOS, Windows and Linux in UEFI and in legacy mode - CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader

github.com

In summary Clover r5020 and beyond contains Open Core code extensions which are required to run Big Spur so you need to set up the OC Quirks section up in your config.plist and ensure that the Open Core efi extensions are installed in your EFI folder correctly.

If you want to run Clover without the Open Core extensions then down grade to Clover r5019.

Cheers
Jay

Thanks, Jay. 5119 did the trick, but it was a bit of a journey to get there. Up and running now. Is there a guide to setting the OC Quirks section in config.plist to which you might point me? Can it be done in Clover Configurator?

 

[jaymonkey]

Thanks, Jay. 5119 did the trick, but it was a bit of a journey to get there. Up and running now. Is there a guide to setting the OC Quirks section in config.plist to which you might point me? Can it be done in Clover Configurator?

@BillG66,

There is a new sample config.plist in the latest Clover release package which details how the Quirks section should be added to an existing config.plist. I believe that Clover Configurator now also supports Clover OC Quirks.

The Clover Devs seem to be merging more and more code from Open Core into Clover with each new release to get around its underlining problems ... mostly in order to run Big Sur, the very latest release of Clover now uses Open Core's kext Injection method.

Personally I feel this hybrid approach of patching certain elements of Clover with code form OC but keeping what still works in Clover is not the correct route forwards.

Clover has had it's time in the Hackintosh lime light for several years now and it opened up a new and exciting way to allow us to run MacOS on non-Apple hardware. But at a low level, Clover is very 'clunky' in many of the methods it uses to patch MacOS and it tends to patch way more than is actually needed.

The Devs of Open Core have learned from what Clover did well and what it did not, as a result Open Core is a lean and highly optimised efi based boot-loader.

Personally I would stick with Clover 5119 for now and start experimenting with Open Core on a clone of your system drive or a test drive and learn how to use it, it's not that hard and there are some really great Open Core guides out there.

Make no mistake, Open Core is the future for running MacOS on non-Apple hardware, not some hybrid Clover Release (IMHO.)

Cheers
Jay

 

[BillG66]

Thank you, Jay. I greatly appreciate that response. I have done some Googling and found a "Dortonia" migration guide that seems like I'll be able to follow even at my relatively modest level of knowledge/experience. I do maintain a clone drive (as well as a Time Machine backup), and as soon as I can find some time... I'll attempt the migration on that drive.

 

[jaymonkey]

I have done some Googling and found a "Dortonia" migration guide that seems like I'll be able to follow even at my relatively modest level of knowledge/experience.

@BillG66,

The "Dortonia" guide/site is currently the best Open Core guide there is IMO as it is regally updated and kept current.

There are some great utilities also that can help you generate your OC config.plist and ensure that it is correct.
These are the ones that I use :-

OC GenX

GitHub - Pavo-IM/OC-Gen-X: OpenCore Config Generator

OpenCore Config Generator. Contribute to Pavo-IM/OC-Gen-X development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

ProperTree

GitHub - corpnewt/ProperTree: Cross platform GUI plist editor written in python.

Cross platform GUI plist editor written in python. - corpnewt/ProperTree

github.com

Open Core Configurator

OpenCore Configurator - mackie100 projects

mackie100projects.altervista.org

OC Sanity Checker

OpenCore config.plist Sanity Checker

Sanity check your OpenCore config.plist

opencore.slowgeek.com

My method:-

1. Use OC GenX to create the initial OC EFI Folder and config.plist (it puts it on the desktop)
2. Copy your kexts and SSDT's to the generated OC EFI sub folders and use ProperTree to add your SSDT's and kexts to the OC config.plist by means of the "Snapshot" feature.
3. Manually add any PCI device properties/Injections from your clover config.plist using a code editor.
4. Use Open Core Configurator to add additional ACPI patches if required and fine tune the SMBIOS settings such as S/N, SMUUID, ROM .. etc
5. Finally use OC Sanity Checker to check your OC config.plist for any errors and ensure that you have all the correct settings applied.

Cheers
Jay

 

[BillG66]

Thank you, Sir!

 

[BillG66]

Jay, thanks for everything. I appear to be up and running on OpenCore. Couldn't quite figure out ProperTree, so I used OpenCore Configurator to add my SSDTs to my config.plist. Everything appears to be working (so far), and I verified that emulated NVRAM is working... so fingers crossed that I'm ready for the future!

 

[JeffB1960]

@BillG66,

You must have recently updated Clover without reading the release notes :-

Releases · CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader

Bootloader for macOS, Windows and Linux in UEFI and in legacy mode - CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader

github.com

In summary Clover r5120 and beyond contains Open Core code extensions which are required to run Big Sur so you need to set up the OC Quirks section up in your config.plist and ensure that the Open Core efi drivers/extensions are installed in your EFI folder correctly.

If you want to run Clover without the Open Core extensions then down grade to Clover r5119.

Cheers
Jay

What is the correct way to downgrade to 5119 (from 5122)? I can access the EFI partition from Windows (dual-boot), but have no access to Mac OS. I have a USB key with 5107 on it but that locks up mid-boot.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[jaymonkey]

@JeffB1960,

If you cant get into MacOS then one possible way to do it would be to download the version of Clover you want to downgrade to as a Zip file and extract the files. Then mount your EFI in Windoze and manually copy the Clover system files to it. Make sure to delete any unneeded efi drivers and don't forget to copy the BootX64.efi file in the /EFI/BOOT folder.

Cheers
Jay