Help for a beginner

[matthiggins87]

Hi there,

I have actually built a few Hacks, or at least a few versions using the same setup (which is quite old now). My problem is i do not really understand what I am doing most of the time, I just keep stumbling around and clicking on stuff until it works! My current hack is working 99% running Catolina 10.15.7, only problem seems to be when I startup, 4 out of 5 times it just hangs on the black screen/white apple logo and the progress bar eventually stops filling up and nothing happens. If I just keep rebooting eventually I get into my Hack - no idea why it is inconsistent like this. Id really like to be able to sort this, I just keep sleeping the hack because I don't want to waste 30 mins rebooting next time I need to use it.

I realise I am probably posting this in the wrong place and am not providing anywhere near enough info for someone to be able to diagnose the problem so any guidance on what/where I should post would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Feartech]

Hi there,

I have actually built a few Hacks, or at least a few versions using the same setup (which is quite old now). My problem is i do not really understand what I am doing most of the time, I just keep stumbling around and clicking on stuff until it works! My current hack is working 99% running Catolina 10.15.7, only problem seems to be when I startup, 4 out of 5 times it just hangs on the black screen/white apple logo and the progress bar eventually stops filling up and nothing happens. If I just keep rebooting eventually I get into my Hack - no idea why it is inconsistent like this. Id really like to be able to sort this, I just keep sleeping the hack because I don't want to waste 30 mins rebooting next time I need to use it.

I realise I am probably posting this in the wrong place and am not providing anywhere near enough info for someone to be able to diagnose the problem so any guidance on what/where I should post would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks!

best to add -v boot argument to your config.plist, this way you may have an idea of the cause where it hangs, also take a picture to upload here if you need some advice on it

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Hi there,

I have actually built a few Hacks, or at least a few versions using the same setup (which is quite old now). My problem is i do not really understand what I am doing most of the time, I just keep stumbling around and clicking on stuff until it works! My current hack is working 99% running Catolina 10.15.7, only problem seems to be when I startup, 4 out of 5 times it just hangs on the black screen/white apple logo and the progress bar eventually stops filling up and nothing happens. If I just keep rebooting eventually I get into my Hack - no idea why it is inconsistent like this. Id really like to be able to sort this, I just keep sleeping the hack because I don't want to waste 30 mins rebooting next time I need to use it.

I realise I am probably posting this in the wrong place and am not providing anywhere near enough info for someone to be able to diagnose the problem so any guidance on what/where I should post would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks!

Hello.

There are two things you can post/upload ....

Tum-ti-tum Mr @Feartech !!

 

[Feartech]

Hello.

There are two things you can post/upload ....

Tum-ti-tum Mr @Feartech !!

you realise that all these incidents are accidents?

 

[UtterDisbelief]

you realise that all these incidents are accidents?

We're obviously the only two mods up and about this Sunday morning!

 

[matthiggins87]

best to add -v boot argument to your config.plist, this way you may have an idea of the cause where it hangs, also take a picture to upload here if you need some advice on it

Thanks very much for your quick response! Is this really easy to do? I really cant ever get my head around Clover, kexts, boot arguments etc - Im totally alien to it even though Ive been using my hack for years. I'm worried if I tamper with anything I'll get locked out.

 

[Feartech]

Thanks very much for your quick response! Is this really easy to do? I really cant ever get my head around Clover, kexts, boot arguments etc - Im totally alien to it even though Ive been using my hack for years. I'm worried if I tamper with anything I'll get locked out.

yes, it is quite easy

mount your EFI partition, navigate to your config.plist, open it up with PlistEditPro, find the section for boot arguments and enter in -v

save file and reboot

 

[matthiggins87]

Apologies I had to leave this on the back burner but now I am back and hoping to fix it. So I downloaded Clover Configurator, mounted the EFI partition, found the config.plist, opened with PListEditPro. I then wasn't sure where I should enter '-v', I put it at the bottom in the box with all the text that I don't understand, saved it and the -v disappeared so I'm not sure I put it in the right place.... I then rebooted and am back to the initial problem where it either hangs on the Apple logo and eventually restarts or my monitor displays 'no signal' and goes to sleep. Next time it rebooted I got to the Clover boot screen, navigated to Options, and next to where it says Boot Args: dart=0 I typed -v then hit return and booted from Mac OS. This time a load of text came up, the final page of which I have photographed and attached.

Thank you for all of your help so far, it is hugely appreciated!

 

[matthiggins87]

yes, it is quite easy

mount your EFI partition, navigate to your config.plist, open it up with PlistEditPro, find the section for boot arguments and enter in -v

save file and reboot

Ive been searching around for a few days and have made some progress. I'm sure it is a Graphics Card problem, I found a thread which said:

At Clover Boot Screen press space bar and select Set Nvidia to VESA (nv_disable=1)
Update Nvidia Web Drivers

I did this and I managed to get into my hack albeit with weird resolution because Im bypassing the GPU or something?? I don't know, I really dont have the brain space for this stuff! Anyway, I opened Multibeast and changed the system definition to (I think) 19,1. I then rebooted. Everything worked properly apart from there is no output to my second display. I checked it was all plugged in correctly (it was) and rebooted. However this time it was back to slow progress bar on Apple logo and when it finally filled up it just rebooted itself

I just keep going round in circles, I have tried multiple System definitions and some work and some don't. And then the ones that do work only work some of the time...the inconsistency is baffling me. And I haven't had my second monitor working for over a week now, regardless of whether I get past the Apple logo, but I have had it working before so I know it is possible, even though I cannot seem to find nvidia drivers for Catalina?

If anyone out there has the time to save a noob from punching a computer I'd be very grateful!

My graphics card is EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2048 MB if that helps.

 

[trs96]

I did this and I managed to get into my hack albeit with weird resolution because Im bypassing the GPU or something??

NV_disable=1 does what it says, disables your graphics card. You don't want that. The GTX 670 has native support, doesn't even need web drivers to work. Make sure you do connect the second monitor to the DP output on the graphics card. Use a DP to HDMI adapter if need be. DP is the top port in the pic. Most well supported.