Booting Windows with OpenCore on a Hackintosh Setup

GUIDE STEP BY STEP:

1. Backup Your Existing EFI Folder:

   • Before making any changes, back up your current EFI folder. This is crucial in case you need to restore your Windows boot functionality.
   • Mount your EFI partition using a tool like MountEFI or Clover Configurator.
   • Copy the entire EFI folder to a safe location on your computer or an external drive.

2. Prepare Your OpenCore EFI Folder:

   • Ensure your OpenCore EFI folder is properly configured for both macOS and Windows.
   • The EFI folder should contain the following:
     • EFI/BOOT/BOOTx64.efi: This is the boot file that will launch OpenCore.
     • EFI/OC/: This directory contains OpenCore’s configuration files, including config.plist, drivers, and kexts.
     • EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi: This file is necessary for booting Windows. Ensure it remains in place within the EFI partition.

3. Replace the EFI Folder:

   • Once your OpenCore EFI is prepared, you can replace the existing EFI folder on your EFI partition.
   • Delete the existing EFI folder on your EFI partition.
   • Copy the new OpenCore EFI folder to the EFI partition.

4. Configure OpenCore to Boot Windows:

   • Open the config.plist file within the EFI/OC/ directory using ProperTree or OpenCore Configurator.
   • Ensure that the following entry is set up to allow Windows to appear in the OpenCore boot menu:

     xml
     Copy code
     <key>Misc</key>
     <dict>
         <key>Boot</key>
         <dict>
             <key>ShowPicker</key>
             <true/>
             <key>Timeout</key>
             <integer>5</integer>
         </dict>
     </dict>
     

   • Under UEFI -> Drivers, ensure OpenRuntime.efi is included and properly configured.
   • Under UEFI -> APFS, make sure that the APFS driver is enabled if you are dual-booting macOS from an APFS volume.

5. Test the Setup:

   • Reboot your computer and you should see the OpenCore boot picker.
   • Both macOS and Windows should appear in the list of bootable drives.
   • Select Windows to verify that it boots correctly from OpenCore.

6. Troubleshooting:

   • If Windows does not boot, ensure that the Windows Boot Manager entry exists in the UEFI firmware settings.
   • You may need to reset NVRAM using the OpenCore picker if you encounter boot issues.
   • Recheck your config.plist settings to ensure there are no misconfigurations that could prevent Windows from booting.

Conclusion:

Replacing your Windows EFI folder with OpenCore is straightforward but requires careful preparation. With the correct setup, OpenCore can boot both macOS and Windows, offering a seamless dual-boot experience on your Hackintosh.

This guide should help you replace the Windows EFI folder with the OpenCore EFI folder while maintaining the ability to boot Windows.