macOS boot.efi developer's thread

[Pike R. Alpha]

Tested 70f77b1a86590bdce100b5eda2f7cd574d47be1e on MBP2,2:

· legacy Installer (Hennesie-Guide) - boots into the Installer-GUI, install starts, but Kernel Panic after 2 mins.
· createinstallmedia Installer(*) - doesn't boot at all, loads the default OSX.
· transferred OSX - boots into Desktop, but Kernel Panic shortly after.

(*) createinstallmedia-Installer: Apple-native created via Terminal-command, only the 2 Boot.efi in /S/L/C and u/s/i386 replaced. With the Boot.efi v3.0 and all 3 Boot.efi files replaced plus Board-IDs in both PlatformSupport.plist as well as in OSInstall.mpkg added, the createinstallmedia-Installer booted into the Installer-GUI but couldn't proceed to part 2 of the install (see Post #363).

Ok. So the legacy installer is starting up, which is good, but the rest is seriously F'edup. I have no idea what, but let's start with the board-id.

1.) Can you download El Capitan from the App Store, yes or no?
2.) Is your board-id "Mac-F42187C8", yes or no? If yes, then there is no need to mod the PlatformSupport.plist anymore

Also. createinstallmedia should adds a folder named "./IABootFiles" or "/OS X Install Data" and there you need to replace the boot.efi file as well.

And when you, or anyone else here, runs into a KP, then at least take a photo and include it. Without that, I can't do anything but guess.

Edit: New commit available for compilation/testing. Look for the string data: "Kernelpatcher: Found symbol @ 0x...."

 

[atvusr]

Also. createinstallmedia should adds a folder named "./IABootFiles" or "/OS X Install Data" and there you need to replace the boot.efi file as well.

With the Boot.efi also replaced in ./IABootFiles the createinstallmedia-Installer boots now into the Installer-GUI and the install runs at the moment. I had it misunderstood that the Boot.efi in ./IABootFiles will be automatically replaced.

Part 2 of the install ended with a Kernel Panic after some minutes.

My genuine Board-ID is Mac-F42187C8, the Board-ID Mac-F4238BC8 is a MacBookPro3,1 then.

The Debug-info of the Boot.efi shows:

PIKE: SMBIOS board-id found
PIKE: SMBIOS factory board-id: Mac-F42187C8
PIKE: SMBIOS board-id: Mac-F42187C8 replaced with: Mac-F4238BC8
PIKE: SMBIOS fake board-id: Mac-F4238BC8

Due to the Kernel Panics I cannot test the El Capitan download from the App-Store at the moment.

 

[Pike R. Alpha]

With the Boot.efi also replaced in ./IABootFiles the createinstallmedia-Installer boots now into the Installer-GUI and the install runs at the moment. I had it misunderstood that the Boot.efi in ./IABootFiles will be automatically replaced.

More infos soon.

Great!

Sorry that you missed it; I planned to release a new launch daemon for this, but I found something that I am working on right now and that is far better and more user friendly.

Edit: Don't forget the photo of that KP. Thanks!

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Reenable second kernel patch.

To everyone interested in this project:

[P]eople must be aware that [this and other] interim future versions are NOT intended as a replacement for the official repository versions. Until further notice, those of you who want to use Pike's boot.efi ought to go to http://piker-alpha.github.io/macosxbootloader/ and download either the "black" version or the "grey" one, according to your particular preference (the change is purely cosmetic; otherwise, they are exactly the same; the choice is irrelevant as far as the operating system is concerned). Pike alone will decide when such repository versions will be updated with a newer version.

Please, notice that the [enclosed and other] upcoming experimental versions might contain bugs that could cripple your ability to boot your old Mac. So, unless you are absolutely certain of what you are doing and know how to reverse such undesirable situations, KEEP AWAY FROM THEM. In general terms, [these] versions ARE NOT FOR YOU!

 

[Sko]

nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:IASCurrentInstallPhase
nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:IASInstallPhaseList
nvram 8D63D4FE-BD3C-4AAD-881D-86FD974BC1DF:boot-info-payload

This always gives me 'data was not found'. Official:

Legacy:


With 70f77b1a86590bdce100b5eda2f7cd574d47be1e.zip I tried both installers on an empty disk, both successfully. But while 'official' booted in the full environment

legacy only booted into installer, missing the ability to restore Time Machine backups.

 

[Sko]

New commit available for compilation/testing. Look for the string data: "Kernelpatcher: Found symbol @ 0x...."

Check.

 

[Pike R. Alpha]

legacy only booted into installer, missing the ability to restore Time Machine backups.

Isn't that normal?

Thanks. More debug output added (second line is still missing).

 

[Sko]

Isn't that normal?

Yes, I thought I mention it so that everybody is aware.

 

[randyoo]

Isn't that normal?

Thanks. More debug output added (second line is still missing).

Commit 557f3d.

Not sure what you mean about 2nd line of debug missing. But hope this is useful.

Edit: maybe I jumped the gun? Will post results of Peter's new build momentarily.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

More debug output.

To everyone interested in this project:

[P]eople must be aware that [this and other] interim future versions are NOT intended as a replacement for the official repository versions. Until further notice, those of you who want to use Pike's boot.efi ought to go to http://piker-alpha.github.io/macosxbootloader/ and download either the "black" version or the "grey" one, according to your particular preference (the change is purely cosmetic; otherwise, they are exactly the same; the choice is irrelevant as far as the operating system is concerned). Pike alone will decide when such repository versions will be updated with a newer version.

Please, notice that the [enclosed and other] upcoming experimental versions might contain bugs that could cripple your ability to boot your old Mac. So, unless you are absolutely certain of what you are doing and know how to reverse such undesirable situations, KEEP AWAY FROM THEM. In general terms, [these] versions ARE NOT FOR YOU!

 

[randyoo]

More debug output.

Commit c558015.

 

[splifingate]

commit c558015a

output, attached, from boot into legacy installer

 

[Pike R. Alpha]

Oops. Forgot to add the FileOffset. New commit available for compilation/testing.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Add segment->FileOffset.

To everyone interested in this project:

[P]eople must be aware that [this and other] interim future versions are NOT intended as a replacement for the official repository versions. Until further notice, those of you who want to use Pike's boot.efi ought to go to http://piker-alpha.github.io/macosxbootloader/ and download either the "black" version or the "grey" one, according to your particular preference (the change is purely cosmetic; otherwise, they are exactly the same; the choice is irrelevant as far as the operating system is concerned). Pike alone will decide when such repository versions will be updated with a newer version.

Please, notice that the [enclosed and other] upcoming experimental versions might contain bugs that could cripple your ability to boot your old Mac. So, unless you are absolutely certain of what you are doing and know how to reverse such undesirable situations, KEEP AWAY FROM THEM. In general terms, [these] versions ARE NOT FOR YOU!

 

[Pike R. Alpha]

With the Boot.efi also replaced in ./IABootFiles the createinstallmedia-Installer boots now into the Installer-GUI and the install runs at the moment. I had it misunderstood that the Boot.efi in ./IABootFiles will be automatically replaced.

Part 2 of the install ended with a Kernel Panic after some minutes.

My genuine Board-ID is Mac-F42187C8, the Board-ID Mac-F4238BC8 is a MacBookPro3,1 then.

The Debug-info of the Boot.efi shows:

PIKE: SMBIOS board-id found
PIKE: SMBIOS factory board-id: Mac-F42187C8
PIKE: SMBIOS board-id: Mac-F42187C8 replaced with: Mac-F4238BC8
PIKE: SMBIOS fake board-id: Mac-F4238BC8

Due to the Kernel Panics I cannot test the El Capitan download from the App-Store at the moment.

I cannot help you without first having seen a picture of the KP!

 

[atvusr]

I cannot help you without first having seen a picture of the KP!

It's not easy to get a picture of the Kernel Panic because it comes very suddenly and then the MBP restarts.
But here it is:



Transferred OSX 10.11 - only both Boot.efi replaced.
The fake Board-ID seems to work (MBP3,1 instead of MBP2,2).

 

[splifingate]

commit 52959456 booted into legacy install

 

[splifingate]

commit 52959456 booted into createinstallmedia

btw, I now boot straight to the "To set up the installation of..." in both legacy and createinstallmedia; both also now have "System Information..." listed under menu > Utilities

 

[splifingate]

...'official' booted in the full environment
...legacy only booted into installer, missing the ability to restore Time Machine backups.

Isn't that normal?

Yes, I thought I mention it so that everybody is aware.

This is a new development, for me, both in createinstallmedia and legacy . . . iirc boot into either installer has been as if I were booting into Recovery HD, with OS X Utilities open at the end of the process ('Restore From Time Machine Backup', 'Reinstall OS X', 'Get Help Online', and 'Disk Utility').

I may be mis-taken, but going straight to the 'Install OS X' dialogue--while not unwelcome--is a very new result, for me.

menu > Utilities > System Information is now included by virtue of these latter builds

attached is the response I have always had (and expected).

 

[splifingate]

commit 52959456 booted into El Cap

 

[splifingate]

commit 52959456 booted into 10.11 Recovery HD environment

 

[F1Mac]

Odd. We've had several confirmation that the board-id replacement works, but maybe that was added in a later version. Not in v3.0. Please try the one from #466 because I lost track of all changes.

I've changed it for the one from #466.
- my board-id is now "Mac-F42C88C8"
- SIP stayed disabled
- verbose is on
- my startup screen is still grey - not that I care that much actually, but if #466 is supposed to be black, well it's not

 

[clawfinger]

As a sanity check, I've just confirmed the results of Post #480 as normal on a supported Mac Pro 3,1.

 

[randyoo]

Commit 529594... Booting into createinstallmedia installer.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

my startup screen is still grey - not that I care that much actually, but if #466 is supposed to be black, well it's not

You are mistaken. The build of #466 was NOT supposed to be black. I know this for a fact, because I made it. Whenever I caused a commit to generate a "black" boot.efi I explicitly said so. I haven't done that for some time now.