Installing macOS on Tecra X40-F Laptop – Troubleshooting Boot Errors for Hackintosh

Guide Step-by-Step:

Problem Overview:

The error logs suggest an issue related to reading the OS.dmg.root_hash file, often encountered during macOS boot on certain Hackintosh setups. This error is commonly associated with Secure Boot or improper kernel configurations.

Step 1: Update OpenCore and Kexts

• Ensure that you are using the latest OpenCore version and update all required kexts, particularly VoodooI2C.kext, VoodooI2CHID.kext, WhateverGreen.kext, Lilu.kext, and AppleALC.kext.
• Download updates from the official source repositories.

Step 2: Configure BIOS Settings

• Enter BIOS by pressing F2 on startup.
• Disable Secure Boot: This setting prevents non-signed OS from loading, which affects macOS boot on Hackintosh setups.
• Enable AHCI for SATA Mode.
• Disable VT-d and CFG-Lock if available.
• Enable XHCI Hand-off and Above 4G Decoding if present.

Step 3: Adjust config.plist for Secure Boot Compatibility

• Open your config.plist in ProperTree or OpenCore Configurator and ensure the following settings:

  • Misc > Security:

    • SecureBootModel: Set to Disabled (macOS doesn’t require secure boot on Hackintosh systems).
    • Vault: Set to Optional.
    • AllowNvramReset: Set to True for initial troubleshooting.

  • UEFI > APFS:

    • MinDate: Set to -1.
    • MinVersion: Set to -1.

  • Misc > Boot:

    • Arguments: Add -v for verbose mode and keepsyms=1 to make debugging easier.
    • Optional: Add amfi_get_out_of_my_way=1 to bypass SIP issues during installation.

Step 4: Modify config.plist for APFS and Kernel Caches

• APFS Loading: If you're using macOS versions that include the OS.dmg.root_hash (Big Sur and later), configure your config.plist to correctly handle kernel cache files.
• Set Kernel > Quirks to include:
  • DisableLinkeditJettison: True – Helps prevent kernel cache issues.
  • DevirtualiseMmio: True – Can fix memory mapping issues on some laptops.

Step 5: Add Required Kexts

• Ensure the following kexts are included in EFI/OC/Kexts:
  • Lilu.kext and WhateverGreen.kext for graphics and system patching.
  • AppleALC.kext for audio.
  • VoodooI2C.kext and VoodooI2CHID.kext (latest version) for touchscreen and I2C support.
• Add XHCI-unsupported.kext if you experience USB-related boot errors.

Step 6: Address Boot Loader and OS File Errors

• Add boot arguments -no_compat_check to disable hardware compatibility checks if the boot process stalls.
• Adjust Booter > Quirks:
  • AvoidRuntimeDefrag: Set to True.
  • EnableWriteUnprotector: Set to True for compatibility with certain macOS protections.
• Kernel > Quirks:
  • Enable AppleXcpmCfgLock and DisableIoMapper if VT-d cannot be disabled in BIOS.

Step 7: Troubleshoot Boot Process

• If the boot process fails, check the verbose output for the error message.
• Common fixes:
  • Err(0xE) or OS.dmg.root_hash errors: These indicate issues with reading the APFS volume or Secure Boot configurations. Recheck config.plist for settings mentioned above.
  • I/O Errors: These might be related to kext versions or incompatible boot arguments.

Example config.plist Snippet

xml
Copy code
<dict>
    <key>Misc</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Boot</key>
        <dict>
            <key>Arguments</key>
            <string>-v keepsyms=1 -no_compat_check amfi_get_out_of_my_way=1</string>
        </dict>
        <key>Security</key>
        <dict>
            <key>SecureBootModel</key>
            <string>Disabled</string>
            <key>Vault</key>
            <string>Optional</string>
            <key>AllowNvramReset</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
    </dict>
    <key>UEFI</key>
    <dict>
        <key>APFS</key>
        <dict>
            <key>MinDate</key>
            <integer>-1</integer>
            <key>MinVersion</key>
            <integer>-1</integer>
        </dict>
    </dict>
    <key>Kernel</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Quirks</key>
        <dict>
            <key>DisableLinkeditJettison</key>
            <true/>
            <key>DevirtualiseMmio</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
    </dict>
</dict>

By following these steps, your Tecra X40-F should boot macOS successfully.