Installing macOS on an Alder Lake Laptop (Core i5-1245U)

Guide Step-by-Step:

1. Prepare Your Hardware:

   • Use an external drive or partition to avoid overwriting your primary OS.
   • Ensure you have a USB drive (16GB or more) for creating the macOS installer.

2. Download macOS and Tools:

   • Obtain a macOS installer from a compatible device or trusted source.
   • Download OpenCore (recommended version) and relevant tools (ProperTree for editing config.plist, GenSMBIOS for serial generation).

3. Create a macOS Bootable USB:

   • On a Mac or Hackintosh, format your USB drive to macOS Extended (Journaled) and GUID Partition Map.
   • Use createinstallmedia in Terminal to create the macOS installer on your USB drive:

     bash
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     sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ [Version].app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/[USB-Drive-Name]
     

   • Copy OpenCore files to the USB’s EFI partition.

4. Configure BIOS Settings:

   • Access your BIOS by pressing F2 or Delete during startup.
   • Disable Secure Boot, VT-d, and CFG Lock (required for macOS).
   • Set SATA Mode to AHCI.
   • Disable E-cores temporarily, as macOS lacks native support for Alder Lake’s hybrid cores.

5. Set Up OpenCore for Alder Lake:

   • Open the EFI/OC/config.plist file using ProperTree.
   • Configure Booter Quirks and Kernel Patches as per Alder Lake requirements (reference OpenCore’s official documentation).
   • Disable unused devices (e.g., Serial port) to improve stability.
   • For the Intel Iris Xe graphics, apply framebuffer patches to attempt partial graphics support.

6. Add Kexts for Compatibility:

   • Download necessary kexts and place them in the EFI/OC/Kexts folder:
     • Lilu.kext and WhateverGreen.kext for graphics adjustments.
     • AppleALC.kext for audio support.
     • IntelMausi.kext or RealtekRTL8111.kext for Ethernet (based on your laptop’s network chip).
   • Update config.plist to load these kexts.

7. Generate SMBIOS:

   • Use GenSMBIOS to create a MacBook identifier. Choose a model close to your hardware, like MacBookPro16,1.
   • Add the generated Serial Number, Board Serial, and other SMBIOS info to config.plist.

8. Initial Boot into macOS:

   • Insert the USB installer into your laptop and boot from it.
   • Use OpenCore’s boot menu to select the macOS installer.
   • Proceed with the macOS installation, following prompts to select the partition.

9. Post-Installation:

   • Install OpenCore on your macOS disk to make it bootable without the USB.
   • Copy the EFI folder from the USB to the EFI partition on the internal disk.
   • Test your macOS setup and verify all hardware functionality (e.g., network, audio, USB).

10. Final Adjustments:

    • Re-enable E-cores gradually if you wish to test stability.
    • Update OpenCore and kexts periodically to maintain compatibility.

Example config.plist (Snippet)

xml
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<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Booter</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Quirks</key>
        <dict>
            <key>ProvideCustomSlide</key>
            <true/>
            <!-- Other necessary quirks for Alder Lake -->
        </dict>
    </dict>
    <key>Kernel</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Quirks</key>
        <dict>
            <key>DisableIoMapper</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
    </dict>
    <key>PlatformInfo</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Generic</key>
        <dict>
            <key>SystemProductName</key>
            <string>MacBookPro16,1</string>
            <!-- Generated serials go here -->
        </dict>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

This guide should help set up macOS on an Alder Lake laptop with a Core i5-1245U processor. Since macOS support for hybrid architectures is limited, adjustments may be needed over time.