[Solved] Cannot boot to Mojave post-Multibeast

[Gigamaxx]

I could really do with some help here.

I have installed Mojave and migrated apps and users from a Time Machine backup and I can no longer boot to Mojave, either directly or from the Unibeast USB.

It was working and now it's not and I have no idea what to do next.

I've spent three days on this. If I can't sort it out soon, I shall be off to buy a mac mini from Apple. And that will P*** me off.

Boot into bios and select the USB as boot option 1. UEFI PMap.

 

[bungalow]

Boot into bios and select the USB as boot option 1. UEFI PMap.

Thanks, Gigamaxx. I'm not clear if this is a BIOS problem or an EFI problem or an OSX problem.

Twice now I have started from scratch and it's been fine until using Migration Assistant to reload Users and Apps, then it won't boot from either USB or SSD.

But I will check out your suggestion.

 

[Gigamaxx]

Thanks, Gigamaxx. I'm not clear if this is a BIOS problem or an EFI problem or an OSX problem.

Twice now I have started from scratch and it's been fine until using Migration Assistant to reload Users and Apps, then it won't boot from either USB or SSD.

But I will check out your suggestion.

It may not like the Users transfer. Can you just break down your folders and load them one at a time. Then create new user profiles.

 

[bungalow]

It may not like the Users transfer. Can you just break down your folders and load them one at a time. Then create new user profiles.

Yes, i think i must.

I did a CCC clone before the upgrade, so i can copy from there.

The users home folders were/are on a separate drive anyway, so that's easy-ish, apart from getting the permissions right.

 

[bungalow]

Latest in this saga: I have started again and now have a working Mojave, on which I am posting this.

The damage was done (I think) by importing "users" from a Time Machine backup using Migration Assistant. It must have damaged something - although that seems unlikely.

I have just used MA to import my old Apps, and that seems to have worked OK.

I am now trying to sort out new user accounts, wrestling with permissions, etc.

Thanks for reading and I hope my story helps others. Donation will be in your account shortly, Tonymac.

 

[bungalow]

As an afterthought, here's a way I might have been able to shortcut my route to a fix.

Remove my SSD from the machine, put it into a USB-driven enclosure and run Multibeast from my MacBook, with the SSD as the target. Would that have worked, do you think?

 

[bungalow]

Another afterthought. I had an issue with the ASrock MB, which ASrock support solved for me.

My boot menu in BIOS (I flashed to latest revision, btw) and was corrupted and I could not select the EFI to boot from.

I quote the email from ASRock below.

Hello,

Thanks for the picture. Looks like some orphan Linux boot entry. You can try removing that specific entry:

https://askubuntu.com/a/527890

If after removing it you still see any strange blocks in the boot menu or BIOS that you can “paint” with your mouse pointer then please try setting:

BIOS > Boot > CSM > Launch Video OpROM Policy > UEFI Only.

I didn't understand the first part, so I ignored it, but the second part fixed the problem enough for me to continue.

The BIOS does seem buggy in that area. I can upload the photo if anyone is interested.

 

[bungalow]

I fixed this by copying the EFI partition files from the USB into the EFI partition files of the partitioned SSD. I first had to unmount both of them using Clover Configurator. I hope that helps anyone else who had the same problem as I did.

Interesting....did you do that from with the shell in Clover? Bit beyond my pay grade that.

 

[cmn699]

Interesting....did you do that from with the shell in Clover? Bit beyond my pay grade that.

• Clover Configurator Global (CCG) is an EFI Mounter cum Clover Editor in one tool . You can download CCG from Clover Configurator (Global Edition)
• When you launch it after install, on its LEFT panel top half contains SECTIONS for Clover/config.plist editor menu that can be used in GUI Mode (not Terminal commands) and the bottom half of LEFT panel has TOOLs one of which is "Mount EFI"
• If you click Mount EFI all Disks with EFI Partitions will be displayed in the RIGHT panel bottom Half .
• You can easily identify your Hard disk with its EFI Partition containing CLOVER (if installed) or the USB Installer disk with its EFI Partition among the listed disks.
• Next to each is a button you can click that says "Mount Partition"
• When you click "Mount Partition" the EFI Partition from the corresponding disk will appear on the Desktop [ provided you have configured your desktop to display connected Disks icons on Desktop through Finder>Preferences [√] Hard Disks [√] External Disk [√]CD,DVDs and iPods as shown in image 1]
• The EFI Partition of hard disk will be black or grey like the hard disk icon and the EFI of USB white like the USB disk icon.
• All you have to do is to click open the Desktop EFI and you will find the EFI Folder with in it.
• If you copy the EFI folder from the USB Installer and then open the EFI Partition of HDD and delete its "defective EFI. folder" and paste the Good Copied EFI folder from the USB , you are actually giving the Hard disk a working copy of EFI which it did not have before.
• Attached CCG images of the whole procedure will visually explain much better than all of the above text.

 

[bungalow]

Wow, thanks so much!

I will keep that information for problem-solving in the future.

I learned my IT skills at college in 1971-75 (paper tape, punch cards, etc) when it was all much easier!

I'm greatly tempted to delve into this stuff, but I know I would be absorbed for weeks.


Thanks again.

• Clover Configurator Global (CCG) is an EFI Mounter cum Clover Editor in one tool . You can download CCG from Clover Configurator (Global Edition)
• When you launch it after install, on its LEFT panel top half contains SECTIONS for Clover/config.plist editor menu that can be used in GUI Mode (not Terminal commands) and the bottom half of LEFT panel has TOOLs one of which is "Mount EFI"
• If you click Mount EFI all Disks with EFI Partitions will be displayed in the RIGHT panel bottom Half .
• You can easily identify your Hard disk with its EFI Partition containing CLOVER (if installed) or the USB Installer disk with its EFI Partition among the listed disks.
• Next to each is a button you can click that says "Mount Partition"
• When you click "Mount Partition" the EFI Partition from the corresponding disk will appear on the Desktop [ provided you have configured your desktop to display connected Disks icons on Desktop through Finder>Preferences [√] Hard Disks [√] External Disk [√]CD,DVDs and iPods as shown in image 1]
• The EFI Partition of hard disk will be black or grey like the hard disk icon and the EFI of USB white like the USB disk icon.
• All you have to do is to click open the Desktop EFI and you will find the EFI Folder with in it.
• If you copy the EFI folder from the USB Installer and then open the EFI Partition of HDD and delete its "defective EFI. folder" and paste the Good Copied EFI folder from the USB , you are actually giving the Hard disk a working copy of EFI which it did not have before.
• Attached CCG images of the whole procedure will visually explain much better than all of the above text.