Steps to Troubleshoot USB Boot Issue

Here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue of being unable to boot from the USB, potentially seeing kernel panics or the system reverting to booting into Windows:

Steps to Troubleshoot USB Boot Issue

1. Boot in Verbose Mode:

   • Restart your computer and enter the bootloader.
   • At the boot options screen, press the appropriate key (e.g., F8 or Enter) and type -v to boot in verbose mode. This will display diagnostic messages that can help pinpoint the issue​​.

2. Check for Kernel Panic:

   • If you see a kernel panic (screen stops with errors), it could be due to:
     • Incompatible kexts.
     • Incorrect BIOS settings.
     • Unsupported hardware​​.

3. Verify BIOS Settings:

   • Enable AHCI: Ensure AHCI is enabled in your BIOS under storage settings​​.
   • USB Configuration: Verify that the USB drive is set as the first boot device and is detected in the BIOS​.

4. Kexts and Drivers:

   • Ensure all required kexts for your hardware (e.g., USB, chipset) are present in the EFI partition of your USB. Use a tool like Clover Configurator to confirm​​.

5. Bootloader Configuration:

   • Verify that your config.plist is configured correctly. Common issues include:
     • Incorrect SMBIOS configuration.
     • Missing or incorrect boot arguments​​.
   • Try adding dart=0 or npci=0x3000 to the boot arguments.

6. Rebuild the Kext Cache:

   • On the USB, rebuild the kext cache using commands:

     bash
     Copy code
     sudo kextcache -i /
     

   • This ensures that all required drivers are properly cached for booting​​.

7. Check Boot Disk Identification:

   • Use the rd=diskXsY parameter to specify the correct boot disk. Replace X and Y with the disk and partition numbers of your USB drive​​.

8. Hardware Compatibility:

   • Double-check your hardware's compatibility with macOS. Unsupported GPUs, chipsets, or peripherals can cause issues​​.

9. Test with Another Bootloader:

   • If the issue persists, try using an alternative bootloader like OpenCore or a different version of Clover tailored for your hardware​​.

If these steps do not resolve your issue, provide specific error messages or screenshots for a more targeted solution. Additionally, share details about your hardware configuration and the macOS version you are attempting to install.