macOS installer is getting stuck at the Apple logo with the progress bar stopping halfway

If the macOS installer is getting stuck at the Apple logo with the progress bar stopping halfway, there could be several reasons for this issue, especially on a Hackintosh or an older Mac. It can range from hardware incompatibility, missing kexts, or incorrect bootloader configuration. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and potentially fix the problem:

1. Boot in Verbose Mode to Identify the Problem

Verbose Mode will give you more detailed information about where the installer is hanging.

• How to Enable Verbose Mode:
  • If you're using a Hackintosh and OpenCore or Clover bootloader, you can add the -v boot flag in the bootloader options.
  • For a regular Mac, press Command + V when booting.

Verbose Mode will show a list of system messages as the installer loads. Take note of the last message or error before the system stops. This can give you clues about what's causing the problem (e.g., kext issues, hardware drivers, or file system errors).

2. Check Your USB Installer

If the installer gets stuck, it's possible that your USB installer may be corrupted or not properly configured.

• Recreate the USB Installer:
  • Use Disk Utility to erase the USB in GUID Partition Map and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format.
  • Re-create the macOS installer using this command in Terminal (adjust for your macOS version):

    bash
    Copy code
    sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ [Your macOS Version].app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyUSB
    

  • Replace [Your macOS Version] with the correct version (e.g., High Sierra or Catalina) and replace MyUSB with the name of your USB drive.

3. Ensure Correct BIOS Settings (Hackintosh)

Incorrect BIOS settings can lead to boot problems during installation. Make sure the following settings are configured:

• VT-d: Disabled (unless using OpenCore's patch).
• CFG Lock: Disabled.
• Secure Boot: Disabled.
• XHCI Hand-off: Enabled.
• SATA Mode: Set to AHCI.
• CSM: Disabled (use UEFI boot mode).

4. Check Your Kexts (Hackintosh)

For Hackintosh users, getting stuck at the Apple logo is often related to missing or incorrect kexts (kernel extensions) for your hardware.

• Make sure you have the latest versions of essential kexts in your EFI folder:
  • Lilu.kext: General system compatibility.
  • VirtualSMC.kext or FakeSMC.kext: For emulating the system management controller.
  • WhateverGreen.kext: For GPU and display support.
  • AppleALC.kext: For audio support.
  • USBInjectAll.kext: For USB support.
  • Ethernet/Wi-Fi Kexts: For network support (if needed).

Check the compatibility of each kext with the version of macOS you're trying to install, and make sure they are properly loaded in config.plist.

5. Verify Your Bootloader Configuration (Hackintosh)

Your bootloader configuration (OpenCore or Clover) may have incorrect settings for your system, causing the installation to hang.

• OpenCore:

  • Double-check your config.plist for compatibility with the macOS version you're trying to install.
  • Make sure SMBIOS is set correctly (e.g., using iMacPro1,1 or MacPro7,1 for newer macOS versions).
  • Ensure kernel patches for AMD or Intel CPUs are applied if needed.

• Clover:

  • Ensure that the boot flags like -v (verbose), -no_compat_check, and any CPU-specific flags (e.g., cpus=1) are set properly.

6. Disconnect Unnecessary Peripherals

Sometimes peripherals such as external drives, USB hubs, or even additional RAM sticks can interfere with the installation process.

• Disconnect all non-essential hardware, leaving only the keyboard, mouse, and the drive you're installing macOS on.

7. Repair or Reformat the Target Drive

If there is an issue with the target drive (e.g., bad sectors or improper formatting), the installer may hang during boot.

• How to Repair or Reformat the Drive:
  1. Boot into Recovery Mode by holding Command + R (for Macs) or through the installer USB on a Hackintosh.
  2. Open Disk Utility and select your target installation drive.
  3. Run First Aid to check for disk errors and repair them if possible.
  4. If necessary, erase the drive and reformat it as APFS (for High Sierra and later) or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) (for older versions of macOS) with GUID Partition Map.

8. Check for GPU/Graphics Issues

If the installer gets stuck halfway, it could be related to graphics card issues, especially for Hackintosh users.

• For systems with dedicated AMD or NVIDIA GPUs, ensure WhateverGreen.kext is installed, and double-check your config.plist for the correct DeviceProperties settings related to your GPU.
• If you're using an older Mac, booting with the nv_disable=1 boot flag (for systems with NVIDIA cards) may help bypass graphics-related issues during installation.

9. Update Firmware (Mac Only)

If you're installing a version of macOS that requires a firmware update (like High Sierra for APFS support), ensure that your Mac's firmware is up to date. This could be a reason why the installation is stalling.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot why your macOS installer is getting stuck at the Apple logo with the progress bar halfway. Booting in Verbose Mode will be key to diagnosing the exact issue. Whether it's reconfiguring your bootloader, updating kexts, fixing BIOS settings, or addressing a disk issue, you should be able to move forward with the installation.

Let me know what happens after trying these solutions, and we can further refine the troubleshooting process!