macOS 12 Monterey on Unsupported Macs Thread

[joevt]

This is my 6th time installing Big Sur because each time I couldn't get OCLP/Monterey to load to that final desktop screen. I've been using Macs for decades including development. Also isn't my first Hackintosh.

I've followed Mr. Macintosh's video and the OCR instructions several times.

I get to the startup disk EFI boot screen, then install Monterey, the the Recovery window opens then install Monterey, Apple logo betting then instead of the final Monterey desktop I get the "startup disk" selection screen again.

If the startup disk selection screen is OpenCore, then it's behaving as expected - during the install process, you'll see OpenCore a few times, and each time it will continue the installation process without you having to press a key.

I have erased the SSD and formatted several times using (Command-Option-R) OTA Big Sur installer.

I don't think Command-Option-R is required.

After installing OpenCore using OCLP to an EFI partition (the EFI partition of the internal SSD), you should be able to boot into it by holding the option key at boot to get into the Mac's Startup Manager (boot picker). Use the arrow keys to select the OpenCore EFI option, hold the Control key down, and press enter to make it the default boot loader. This will also startup OpenCore, where you select the installer.

The installer has Disk Utility which you can select from the Utilities menu in the installer.

I know for OCLP we have to use Mac OS Extended (Journaled) to format the USB flash drive but I'm wondering if we can use AFPS? Also, should I be using a non-flash drive? i.e. a proper external SATA/SSD drive or doesn't matter?

The installer is only ≈13 GB. It should be HFS+. It's simpler that way. I don't think you gain anything if it was APFS.
You can create a 16 GB HFS+ partition on your internal SSD and use that as the destination for the createmedia command to put the installer there so it loads/runs faster.

The partition that you install Big Sur or Monterey to should be APFS. If it were HFS+, the installer will convert it to APFS but I got some weird errors from the Finder after booting into the new OS saying "The home folder for user "joevt" isn't located in the usual place or can't be accessed." and I had to manually fix the permission and owner of the Data volume at /System/Volumes/.

 

[0134168]

Good to know. With dGPU disabled, you'd be on HD 3000, right? So maybe there is hope for my 8,1, too...

Right.

 

[patent10021]

After installing OpenCore using OCLP to an EFI partition (the EFI partition of the internal SSD), you should be able to boot into it by holding the option key at boot to get into the Mac's Startup Manager (boot picker). Use the arrow keys to select the OpenCore EFI option, hold the Control key down, and press enter to make it the default boot loader. This will also startup OpenCore, where you select the installer.

Sorry, maybe I'm misunderstanding you. The instructions say to install OpenCore to the EFI partition on the USB flash drive. When we run the patcher at Option #2 we install the patcher to the USB EFI partition. Why are you saying the EFI partition on the internal SSD?

 

[Tockman]

Why are you saying the EFI partition on the internal SSD?

Because if you want to load your system directly, without USB, you need to copy EFI onto your boot volume.

 

[patent10021]

Because if you want to load your system directly, without USB, you need to copy EFI onto your boot volume.

Ah ok. So on option #2 in OCLP app where it says "Install OpenCore to USB/internal drive" we can instead install to the EFI partition on the internal SSD (209.7 MB disk0s1).

Then during startup disk selection (Option-key), when we select the EFI, that EFI will be from the internal SSD's EFI not the USB flash drive's EFI. That's why it's faster naturally. So the USB flash drive is only needed for the Monterey OS Installer.

Speaking of the installer, can we use a partition on an external SATA HDD for the Monterey OS Installer? I'm asking because since it's a partition (of a volume), there is no erase option to assign a GUID Partition Map. It only has the AFPS/OS Extended Journaled option.

 

[Tockman]

As my experience says, if you make an upgrade from previous version of Monterey, you can first copy EFI partition on your volume by OCLP and then start macOS installation onto it. The most important is to choose right boot volume after reboot

 

[patent10021]

As my experience says, if you make an upgrade from previous version of Monterey, you can first copy EFI partition on your volume by OCLP and then start macOS installation onto it. The most important is to choose right boot volume after reboot

I'm saying that I want to put the "Install macOS Monterey" installer on a partition of an external USB hard drive instead of a USB flash drive. But the problem is when we erase/format the partition, there is no "GUID Partition Map" option with partitions. But I guess a GUID partition is NOT needed because I am putting the OCLP in the EFI partition of the internal SSD right?

So this means I can go ahead and put the "Install macOS Monterey" installer on a (partition) of an external SATA USB hard drive. This has another advantage because a SATA HDD is faster than an old USB flash drive.

Right?

 

[Tockman]

But the problem is when we erase/format the partition, there is no "GUID Partition Map" option with partitions.

I believe, it has to be there. For SATA external drives as good as for USB ones.

If you don't see that option just go to View menu and choose "Show all devices" instead of default "Show only volumes". If you selected the drive name instead of its description you won’t see the Scheme option.

 

[patent10021]

I believe, it has to be there. For SATA external drives as good as for USB ones.If you don't see that option just go to View menu and choose "Show all devices" instead of default "Show only volumes". If you selected the drive name instead of its description you won’t see the Scheme option.

Yup, I know. I already have selected "Show all devices".

But what I'm saying is that my SATA volume has three partitions (Bootcamp Backup, CCC Backup and Install macOS Monterey). When I choose to install the Monterey Installer on a partition, there is no "GUID Partition Map" option (because it's only a partition). It is not the root volume.

Check out my attachments.

Anyway, it's ok. I think this will work. I'll try it out.

Peace

 

[Tockman]

Yup, I know. I already have selected "Show all devices".

But what I'm saying is that my SATA volume has three partitions (Bootcamp Backup, CCC Backup and Install macOS Monterey). When I choose to install the Monterey Installer on a partition, there is no "GUID Partition Map" option (because it's only a partition). It is not the root volume.

Check out my attachments.
View attachment 1930806
View attachment 1930807

Anyway, it's ok. I think this will work. I'll try it out.

Peace

I'd prefer a separate volume to install Monterey. But it's up to you. Good luck!

 

[coords]

I have a MacPro5,1 @ work & would so love to update it to a more recent macOS version but that damn ATI video card it's using does not support metal so I'm stuck. Any suggestion would be welcome!!

 

[Ausdauersportler]

I have a MacPro5,1 @ work & would so love to update it to a more recent macOS version but that damn ATI video card it's using does not support metal so I'm stuck. Any suggestion would be welcome!!

Get an AMD card with metal support. Check this post or this thread - I would pick a RX560 or similar.

 

[amishallin]

Using OCLP 0.3.3 I decided to update my test drive today from 12.01 to 12.1 via OTA (machine info in signature). The installation went as normal as can be expected but on the final reboot the screen was scrolling quite rapidly with the following text. Waited a few minutes before doing a hard reset.

After the hard reset the machine booted normally into 12.1. While restarting the machine a 2nd time I noticed something in the early stage of booting to I restarted the machine again with camera ready.

The machine did boot successfully again but the same Lilu error is present but "went away" as the boot progressed. After booting back into 11.6.2 I noticed there was only 2 of these Lilu errors at the beginning. Is this normal? Never really paid any attention to the scrolling text unless it stops.

 

[roysterdoyster]

Remake the installer USB, Mr. Macintosh has the Installers on his site. Learn how to use createinstallmedia which is super-reliable. Like this - After the Monterey installer is in the /Applications ƒ. Name the USB MyVolume, it will be erased and prepared for use when running sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume in the Terminal.

I successfully built the installation USB with Mr. Macintosh's method, the Dortania Guide method and with OpenCore-patcher TUI, which is built-in and a fire-and-forget reliable operation. The method of choice, as far as I'm concerned so far. Isn't the built-in method the most recommendable?

 

[Tockman]

I successfully built the installation USB with Mr. Macintosh's method, the Dortania Guide method and with OpenCore-patcher TUI, which is built-in and a fire-and-forget reliable operation. The method of choice, as far as I'm concerned so far. Isn't the built-in method the most recommendable?

Ain't Dortania Guide and OCLP the same one?

 

[roysterdoyster]

Ain't Dortania Guide and OCLP the same one?

Dortania is a manual procedure, while the OpenCore-patcher TUI method is built-in and a one-click operation. OC-patcher TUI takes care of the whole procedure: downlods installer, builds installer into the Applications folder, erases/formats USB, writes installer to USB, renames USB appropriately. Perfect. Fabulous work by the the OCLP programmers.

 

[Tockman]

Dortania is a manual procedure

Oh, you mean just Open Core, not OCLP. I see
In my opinion, OCLP gives the simplest and fastest way to install macOS on unsupported Macs.

 

[joevt]

Sorry, maybe I'm misunderstanding you. The instructions say to install OpenCore to the EFI partition on the USB flash drive. When we run the patcher at Option #2 we install the patcher to the USB EFI partition. Why are you saying the EFI partition on the internal SSD?

Ah ok. So on option #2 in OCLP app where it says "Install OpenCore to USB/internal drive" we can instead install to the EFI partition on the internal SSD (209.7 MB disk0s1).

OCLP can be installed to any EFI partition. You might want to choose a USB drive so you can just disconnect the USB drive in case something goes wrong. My Mac has boot screen so I can easily bypass any EFI problem. I am confident enough in OCLP and my Mac to just install OCLP once to where I want its permanent location to be - the internal SSD.

Speaking of the installer, can we use a partition on an external SATA HDD for the Monterey OS Installer? I'm asking because since it's a partition (of a volume), there is no erase option to assign a GUID Partition Map. It only has the AFPS/OS Extended Journaled option.

I'm saying that I want to put the "Install macOS Monterey" installer on a partition of an external USB hard drive instead of a USB flash drive. But the problem is when we erase/format the partition, there is no "GUID Partition Map" option with partitions. But I guess a GUID partition is NOT needed because I am putting the OCLP in the EFI partition of the internal SSD right?

So this means I can go ahead and put the "Install macOS Monterey" installer on a (partition) of an external SATA USB hard drive. This has another advantage because a SATA HDD is faster than an old USB flash drive.

I think you meant partition of a disk?
Partition and volume usually mean the same thing, except that a volume is contained by a partition. For APFS, the partition is a APFS container that contains one or more APFS volumes.
To erase a disk, you have to select the disk, not a partition of the disk.

You only need to erase a disk if it doesn't have a GUID partition map (GPT). Many new USB flash drives are formatted as MBR instead of GPT. If it's a new drive (USB or SATA or NVMe or whatever), then erase it as GUID partition Map.

You can put the installer anywhere that will be bootable. USB, external SATA or internal SATA. Just make a partition big enough for it (16 GB) and change the destination of the createmedia command.

 

[K two]

I successfully built the installation USB with Mr. Macintosh's method, the Dortania Guide method and with OpenCore-patcher TUI, which is built-in and a fire-and-forget reliable operation. The method of choice, as far as I'm concerned so far. Isn't the built-in method the most recommendable?

Same exact methods except they are simplified for newbiez.

 

[roysterdoyster]

Same exact methods except they are iconnizd for newbiez.

 

[roysterdoyster]

Oh, you mean just Open Core, not OCLP. I see
In my opinion, OCLP gives the simplest and fastest way to install macOS on unsupported Macs.

OCLP 0.3.3>Menu Item #6

 

[Tockman]

Yes, that's OCLP. And what you've called "manual procedure" is OpenCore, if I catch you right. Both by Dortania, for you to know

 

[K two]

Simplified for newbies, no offence intended

 

[Tockman]

OCLP 0.3.3>Menu Item #6

Got it. You meant procedure of installation USB creating. But in this case I don't see any significant difference. Just because you make it once, then copy EFI to your internal disk and update OS as usually.

 

[roysterdoyster]

Simplified for newbies.

Newbie Q: My MBP4,1 is on 12.1. Is it advantagious to update to current beta versions? Why?