How to Create OpenCore EFI using OpenCore Auxiliary Tools (OCAT)
Not long ago, we have covered an extensive guide to create OpenCore EFI and booting the macOS installer on Intel and AMD Desktops as well as Laptops, the idea of this guide is to make new users more familiar with OpenCore EFI creation guide, yet keeping it short and simple. Let's accept the fact that beginners users obtain the EFI from somewhere, instead of creating one on their own for the respective hardware.The idea of the guide is to keep things as less complex as possible and use a pre-defined set of config.plist and only add/remove whatever is needed by the target platform
Do not just copy the settings shown as an example in this guide. Instead, look for the recommended settings in the OpenCore Install Guide or refer to the Summary section relevant for your CPU generation. To keep the guide as simple as possible, the guide is categorized by the CPU generation as that's the main essence involved in creating the EFI.
What is OpenCore Auxiliary Tools?
OpenCore Auxiliary Tool or OCAT in short, is a cross platform based tool developed by ic005k. It is all in one tool, packed by multiple features. Similar to Hackintool, it is mainly used for editing OpenCore config.plist and also allows creating a complete OpenCore based EFI from scratch. The tool also supports creation of config.plist as standalone. Beside creating and configuring the EFI, it can be used to perform backups and can also mount the EFI partition as well. In addition, you can use it to update OpenCore and the related kexts on the fly.Do I need access to Mac to follow/use this guide?
One of the main advantage of OCAT is that it supports cross platform. This means, you no longer require a working Mac to create an EFI for your target system. Being said that, you can follow this guide either on Windows, Linux or even macOS (if you have one). If you have access to macOS, that's more than good but if not you are still good to go as the tool can be run on Windows and Linux as well.Can i skip the main EFI Creation Guide by following this guide?
Well, not really. This guide is not an alternative and/or replacement to creating EFI but it automates most of the manual steps/work involved during the process of creating EFI such as downloading OpenCore Package, adding drivers, kexts, etc. Thus, the time involved is way less than the main OpenCore Installation guide. However, you still need to read those guides to fully understand the OpenCore settings and configuration. We have covered an extensive guide/walkthrough on using OCAT to perform several functions which you can read below:What hardware is supported by this guide?
This guide supports mainly Desktops from Intel and AMD, including HEDT platforms as well. Please note that only UEFI based systems are supported at the moment. Both, UEFI and Legacy methods are described in this guide.As Laptops involve several factors in order to boot the installer and a lot may differ for some rare/unique hardware, its our of the scope of this guide. In addition, this guide only supports UEFI based systems and Legacy is not covered as such.
I. Requirements
Before you jump into making an OpenCore based EFI, you need to take care of the following:Hardware Information
You should have at least the following information to check the compatibility of your system:- Motherboard Chipset Series
- CPU Model and Generation
- GPU Model
- Storage Devices and their Configuration (AHCI/RAID/IDE)
- Laptop/Desktop model if it is branded/OEM
- Ethernet chip Model
- WiFi/BT Model
A Compatible Hardware
This guide requires compatible hardware to work. Even if you manage to install OS X/macOS, some features either may work partially or may not work at all. See the compatibility section for more information.Storage Devices and Space
- A Compatible HDD or SSD (NVMe/PCIe/SATA SSD) for installation. If you're using High Sierra and later, an SSD is recommended for optimal performance.
- At least 16GB of USB if you're going to use macOS to create the Bootable USB using the Offline Method.
- At least 2GB of USB if you're going to use macOS, Windows, or Linux to create the Bootable USB using the Online Method.
- At least 30GB of space for macOS/OS X installation on the target Drive.
An internet connection is required to download the files. If using the Online Method for Installation, you'll also require a compatible working Ethernet or WiFi connection with a proper speed. Ethernet is generally preferred over WiFi or any other network setup to avoid hassles. However, if you do not wish to use Ethernet or don't have a proper setup yet, you can also use a Compatible WiFi Card to achieve the same. Please be advised that a majority of WiFi Cards are not supported under macOS. USB based WiFi Dongles and USB to LAN Adapters may not work in this case. iPhone/iPad supporting Mobile Data can be used but requires proper USB mapping (since Big Sur 11.3 and later). If you do not have a compatible Ethernet, WiFi Card, or iPhone/iPad, you can use HoRNDIS to tether your Android's Mobile Data. In addition, please be advised that carrier charges may apply if using Mobile Data for the internet.
A Computer
To create the OpenCore EFI, you'll need a computer with either macOS (preferred) or Windows (Windows 10 or newer) or any Linux distribution (Ubuntu preferred), and the OS must be functioning properly. In addition, you'll need at least 30GB (macOS) and 15GB (Windows or Linux) of disk space to download the required files.BIOS
Although always recommended, you must flash the latest available BIOS/UEFI on the target system, if not already. However, there could be exceptional cases where the new/latest BIOS has bugs which can prevent from booting the macOS/OS X Installer. In such cases, you'll need to roll back the BIOS until you find the stable version.
Time and Patience
To create a clutter-free, highly reliable OpenCore EFI especially curated for your particular system, you'll get to know the basics of the OpenCore EFI and how to build it for a target system, you should be prepared to read, learn, and even search for the specific issue on the internet if you're encountering one. This is not a simple one-click setup or the copy/paste method. Having said that, please be advised that it would require a tremendous amount of patience and time to get the expected results.
Experience
Although this guide includes every crucial step, including the basic ones, having experience with the basic usage of tools such as Command Prompt, Terminal or File Explorer can be really helpful when following the guide.
II. Gathering System Info
Before you start, get to know about your hardware. This is mainly required for OEM machines like Laptops and pre-built systems. Starting your journey without knowing your hardware will make your journey difficult with no chance of success. Also when seeking support on this forum, the hardware details should be present in your profile. Before asking for support, make sure your profile includes the hardware details.
To find out the complete details of your system, refer to the following guide linked below for more information.
How to find Complete System Information
Before you start to install, we recommend you to find out the complete system specification which will speed up the installation process and you can complete the post installation, very easily. Without knowing the complete system specification, you'll not be able to install or fix the issues...
You can skip this section and head to Creating macOS Bootable USB if you're already aware of the system specifications.
III. Checking Compatibility
Once you have gathered the system details, the next step is to perform a compatibility check against the hardware you have. This step is important as it will give you an exact idea of whether your system is compatible or not, what exact hardware is compatible, what hardware needs to be replaced with a compatible one, and whether you can proceed with the purpose of installing macOS or not. To check whether your hardware is compatible or not, simply match your hardware from the compatibility list given below.
If you determine that your hardware is compatible, you can proceed to the next step. If not, you'll have to replace the hardware with a compatible one if you're willing to have a perfect setup with general functionality such as graphics acceleration and network. Make sure you pay attention to the hardware limitations while checking the compatibility. You'll find the limitations for each of the hardware types.
CPU Compatibility
CPU Compatibility List For macOS [Intel/AMD]
CPU Compatibility List For OS X and macOS [Intel/AMD] Overview OS X and macOS do not support a major number of CPUs, unlike Windows or Unix. QUICK INFO: OS X & macOS support all CPUs till date, starting from Pentium 4 CPUs with 32-bit architecture only support OS X 10.4.1 to 10.6.8 CPUs...
GPU Compatibility
Intel GPU Compatibility List for macOS
Intel GPU Compatibility List for macOS QUICK INFO: Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge display must specify AAPL00,DualLink in Device Properties. 0 for 1366x768 and 1 for 1600x900 and higher displays. Some Haswell systems may require Legacy/CSM in BIOS to fix the glitches and artifacts. Haswell...
AMD APU Compatibility List for macOS
AMD APU Compatibility List for macOS Limitations Only supports Metal 2 and Metal 3 compatible APUs. Supports macOS Big Sur 11.x to macOS Sonoma. Only supports UEFI Motherboards. DP/HDMI Audio isn't supported at the moment. VGA isn't supported at the moment. Sleep/Wake is broken at the moment...
AMD GPU Compatibility List for macOS
AMD GPU Compatibility List for macOS AMD APU Compatibility https://elitemacx86.com/threads/amd-apu-compatibility-list-for-macos.1157/ 1. Desktop Series II. Radeon X500 Series Supported Since: 10.3 Max Native Support: 10.7.5 Max Patched Support: Metal: Not Supported H.264: H.265: Not...
NVIDIA GPU Compatibility List for macOS
NVIDIA GPU Compatibility List for macOS 100 Series (Tesla) Model Metal 10.6.x 10.7.x 10.8.x 10.9.x 10.10.x 10.11.x 10.12.x 10.13.x 10.14.x 10.15.x 11.x 12.x 13.x GeForce G 100 Yes Yes Yes (With patch No No No No GeForce GT 120 Yes Yes No No No No No GeForce...
Storage Compatibility
Storage Compatibility for macOS
Storage Compatibility for macOS Intel AHCI and RAID Controllers Vendor Chipset Series VEN ID:EV ID Support Kext Intel 5 Series Chipset 8086:3b29 8086:3b22 8086:3b2f Intel 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset SATA RAID Controller 8086,3b25 8086,3b2C Intel 6 Series Chipset 8086:1c02 8086:1c03...
Network Compatibility
Ethernet Compatibility List for macOS [1GbE, 5GbE, 10GbE, 25GbE, 40GbE, 50GbE, 100GbE]
Ethernet Compatibility List for macOS AQuantia AQC-107 AQC-113 ASUS XG-C100C TP-Link TX401 GIGABYTE GC-AQC113C Myri10G Drivers and Tools Supported models: 10G-PCIE-8A-xx, 10G-PCIE2-8B-xx, 10G-PCIE2-8C-xx and 10G-PCIE3-8E-xx Manufacturer Model Chipset Speed 10.6.x 10.7.x 10.8.x 10.9.x...
WiFi Compatibility List for OS X and macOS [Broadcom, Atheros, Intel and Realtek]
WiFi Compatibility List for OS X and macOS [Broadcom, Atheros, Intel and Realtek] Following are the list of compatible and non-compatible WiFi models for Mac. For Broadcom https://www.elitemacx86.com/threads/how-to-enable-broadcom-wifi.606/ For Atheros...
Thunderbolt Compatibility
IV. Setup OCAT
Now before you start creating the EFI, it is highly recommended to setup the OCAT for the first time usage. If you already have a copy installed, see Step #.1. Download OC Auxiliary Tools.
2. Move the Application to a working writable directory.
For macOS
Mount the .DMG file by openening the .dmg file
Move the OCAuxiliaryTools to your Applications folder
Open OCAuxiliaryTools.app to launch the Application
For Windows
Extract the zip and you'll get the OCAT-Win64 folder
Use OCAuxiliaryTools.exe to launch the Application
For Linux
Update OC Auxiliary Tools
Perform an upgrade check for OC Auxiliary Tools App using Help>Download Upgrade Packages. If there's any available package for an upgrade, it will download it. Once it finishes downloading, click on Close and start upgrade and the App will upgrade to its latest version. After the upgrade, when the App reopens, check for an update using Help> Update Check. If you're using the latest version, you'll see the followingNote that you don't need to follow this step if you have downloaded the latest OC Auxiliary Tools.
Update OpenCore Package
Now, click on the Sync icon Upgrade OpenCore and Kexts icon and you'll see something similar to the followingSelect Latest Version from Choose OpenCore Version option.
Click on Get OpenCore and it will update the OpenCore Database.
Once the OpenCore Database is updated, you'll see the following
Creating OpenCore EFI
