How to install macOS Sierra on your intel desktop pc? this article will show you the basic guide to build a hackintosh on your general intel desktop pc by creating usb boot with clover bootloader for UEFI and Legacy bios.
Currently, Apple has released an update 10.12.1 for MacOS Sierra. and now they are currently processing the latest beta updates to 10.12.2.
If you don't want to upgrade your Hackintosh without direct upgrade method as I post on this article a few days ago. so the best option is to upgrade your Hackintosh by creating USB boot instead.
especially if you have been or will be using clover bootloader, it is very appropriate if you want to install the MacOS Sierra to your computer.
By using clover bootloader will greatly help you in matters of patchings and other optimizations.
What you need to prepare before doing the installation of MacOS Sierra was set up a few things, to make it easier if you have any problem after installation.. such as the possibility of errors or other things you do not want.
MacOS Sierra has many new features and the addition of some abilities on pre-existing features. so it is a pity if you miss it without trying this new operating system.
if you will be using a Hackintosh or want to replace your old MacOS version into the latest version.
So prepare some requirements below:
- USB Drive with 8 Giga or more.
- Download macOS Sierra
- Download Latest Clover Bootloader
- Some Clover Config & Kext
- Backup your existing macOS
After all the things that you need to prepare are fulfilled, what you need to do is make your USB drive as macOS Sierra. installation media.
and to create this macOS USB boot, you need a mac computer. if you do not have, you can borrow your friend's MacBook pro or rent it into computer rent if exist at around your place. 😀
Create MacOS Sierra USB Boot
- At the first stage, insert your USB drive into your real mac or Hackintosh.
- Open Disk Utility (DU) in /Application >> Utilities folder
- After DU opened, select your USB drive in the left pane of DU app.
- Click on partition tab.
- Click current and choose 1 partition.
- Click Options button and choose GUID Partition Table.
- For USB name, you can type any new name.
- And under format, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
- Click Apply button and create partition
Now your USB Drive has been formatted in MacOSX journaled with GUID Partition. now for the next step is copying macOS Sierra into your USB Drive. to complete this job, open Terminal application inside /Application/Utility folder, then copy and paste this command below on to terminal screen then press Enter key on your keyboard and wait until process finish.
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app --nointeraction*Make sure your downloaded MacOS Sierra still placed in /Application folder when did this task.
Install Clover Bootloader
When above process has been completed. the next step is installing clover bootloader into your EFI USB disk partition.
Because in this case to discuss for two different needs, so I will split into two parts. which is a setting for legacy bios, and the other setting for UEFI bios.
In this case, we need to install clover bootloader into EFI partition into your USB drive. so make sure you follow below step to know where's your EFI path that belongs to your USB Drive.
because we need to format it first before installing clover files. and follow this step first:
Knowing EFI partition for installation of clover bootloader
- Open Terminal then type diskutil list while your USB drive with MacOS Sierra still plugs into your PC.
- then note your EFI identifier of your USB drive, to knowing it, read at TYPE NAME that shows on your terminal screen. and follow the line for EFI that belongs to your USB Drive. after you find it, note at the IDENTIFIER at the right side of the terminal screen for your EFI partition that belongs to USB Drive. for example, your EFI identifier is disk1s1.
- After we know that identifier related to EFI of USB drive, the next step is formatting it with bellow command according to clover suggestion.
newfs_msdos -v EFI -F 32 /dev/rdisk1s1 (change the red sign according to your EFI identifier).
Process completed, the next is installing clover bootloader.
Install Clover Bootloader for Legacy Bios
 |
| for legacy bios |
Summary :
➤ Select Install Clover in the ESP
➤ Select Clover EFI >> CloverEFI 64 bit SATA
➤ The other option are optional.
And press install button then selects your USB Disk.
Install Clover Bootloader for UEFI
 |
| for UEFI |
Summary :
➤ Select Install for UEFI booting only
➤ Select Install Clover in the ESP
➤ Select Drivers64UEFI
➤ The other option are optional.
And press install button then selects your USB Disk.
After completing install clover bootloader into your USB flash drive, now extract the kext file that had been downloaded from above link.. then copy config.plist & all kext and places them at inside clover folder on the EFI partition. so follow below instruction.
Open your Finder, then navigate into the EFI partition, and place the config.plist at below path:
/EFI/Clover//EFI/CLOVER/kexts/10.12/Notes
- Select the config.plist file accordance with your bios type (legacy & UEFI)
- Delete NullCPUPowerManagement if you want to use native AppleIntelPowerManagement.kext by apple or want to use patched AppleIntelPowerManagement.kext. this only applies to intel computer above / newer than LGA775 series, for example, LGA1155, LGA1150 and so on.
if your computer still uses LGA775 socket, so NullCPUPowerManagement is a mandatory kext.
At this stage, the process of making macOS Sierra USB boot has been completed. and was able to install the MacOS sierra to your customac computer.
Hint
If this a first time for you to install macOS operating system into your desktop/laptop.
make sure your bios configuration is set as below (commons bios setting):
- SATA set to AHCI is a must.
- HPET set to enable you can try between 32 or 64-bit mode.
- Set Legacy USB to enable
- For UEFI, also change first boot option into Clover UEFI USB drive. set xHCI to auto set XHCI & EHCI Hand-Off to enable. set Wake on Lan to disable.
if you experience in shutdown or reboot issues, set PWR-BTTN to delay with X second.
Ok.. after adjustment your bios setting. you can save. and install macOS Sierra into your Hard drive.
after installation complete.. repeat the above step to install Clover Bootloader into EFI partition belong to Hard disk partition where macOS Sierra installed. and repeat to copy config.plist and kext into each folder as above instruction. and now you can adjust clover configuration with Clover Configurator to find the best setting for your customac computer.
Happy Hackintoshing.
