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How to Enable SATA and eSATA HotPlug on macOS [Clover/OpenCore]
This guide describes how to enable SATA and eSATA HotPlug on macOS. This guide is supported by both the bootloaders i.e Clover and OpenCore. By following this guide, you'll be able to enable HotPlug for SATA and eSATA based devices.
Overview
By default, the SATA HotPlug function is not available on macOS. Although the SATA HotPlug can be mostly seen on HEDT and Server grade systems, it can also benefit consumer-grade systems. Although, implementing the SATA HotPlug function will enable HotPlug on every SATA Port for a particular SATA Chipset, please note that one should not attempt to change the boot drive in such cases as it can lead to data corruption.
What is HotPlug?
HotPlug is a combination of hardware and software which provides the ability to connect or remove HotPlug capable devices from a computer system without the need to restart the system for its initialization. This feature allows greater flexibility and convenience when using USB, Thunderbolt, FirewWire, SATA, and eSATA powered devices, without interrupting the workflow as it enables users to quickly and easily switch between different devices without needing to restart their computer. The system automatically detects the newly connected device and configures it appropriately, without requiring any user input. This feature is commonly found in modern operating systems like Linux, Windows, and macOS.
What is SATA HotPlug?
SATA Hotplug is a feature that allows SATA devices to be removed and added to a computer system while the system is still powered on and running. This means that the user can connect or disconnect a SATA device such as a hard drive, without having to shut down the computer or reboot the system. The hotplug feature requires support from both the motherboard and the SATA device itself. This feature is commonly used in applications that require high availability, such as servers or storage systems.
What is eSATA HotPlug?
eSATA HotPlug is a feature that allows a user to connect and disconnect an external hard drive or storage device to a computer while the computer is still running, without the need to restart the computer or turn off the device. This feature is useful in situations where a user needs to quickly swap out storage devices or perform backups on multiple drives without interrupting other processes on the computer.
Requirements
Following are the requirements for enabling SATA HotPlug on macOS. Please ensure you meet the requirements before proceeding with this guide.
STEP 1: Configure BIOS
The very first step is to configure BIOS to have the Hotplug function on your System.
1. On your target computer, boot to BIOS. Refer to your user manual for the BIOS Key.
2. Set the following parameters as shown.
3. Save & Exit Setup
STEP 2: Adding HotPlug Patch
The next step is to add the hotplug patch to enable the SATA HotPlug.
1. Mount your ESP
2. Depending on your bootloader,
For Clover:
Open your config.plist using any XML editor from
Add the following patch under
For OpenCore
Open your
Add the following patch under Kernel>Patch section in your
3. Save
STEP 3: Restart your System
After performing all the above steps, restart your system for the applied changes to take effect. It is recommended to reset NVRAM twice at least.
This guide describes how to enable SATA and eSATA HotPlug on macOS. This guide is supported by both the bootloaders i.e Clover and OpenCore. By following this guide, you'll be able to enable HotPlug for SATA and eSATA based devices.
Overview
By default, the SATA HotPlug function is not available on macOS. Although the SATA HotPlug can be mostly seen on HEDT and Server grade systems, it can also benefit consumer-grade systems. Although, implementing the SATA HotPlug function will enable HotPlug on every SATA Port for a particular SATA Chipset, please note that one should not attempt to change the boot drive in such cases as it can lead to data corruption.
What is HotPlug?
HotPlug is a combination of hardware and software which provides the ability to connect or remove HotPlug capable devices from a computer system without the need to restart the system for its initialization. This feature allows greater flexibility and convenience when using USB, Thunderbolt, FirewWire, SATA, and eSATA powered devices, without interrupting the workflow as it enables users to quickly and easily switch between different devices without needing to restart their computer. The system automatically detects the newly connected device and configures it appropriately, without requiring any user input. This feature is commonly found in modern operating systems like Linux, Windows, and macOS.
What is SATA HotPlug?
SATA Hotplug is a feature that allows SATA devices to be removed and added to a computer system while the system is still powered on and running. This means that the user can connect or disconnect a SATA device such as a hard drive, without having to shut down the computer or reboot the system. The hotplug feature requires support from both the motherboard and the SATA device itself. This feature is commonly used in applications that require high availability, such as servers or storage systems.
What is eSATA HotPlug?
eSATA HotPlug is a feature that allows a user to connect and disconnect an external hard drive or storage device to a computer while the computer is still running, without the need to restart the computer or turn off the device. This feature is useful in situations where a user needs to quickly swap out storage devices or perform backups on multiple drives without interrupting other processes on the computer.
Requirements
Following are the requirements for enabling SATA HotPlug on macOS. Please ensure you meet the requirements before proceeding with this guide.
| Motherboard | macOS/OS X Compatible Intel or AMD Motherboard. See Motherboard Compatibility for more information. |
| SATA Chipset | macOS/OS X compatible SATA Chipset with HotPlug Support. See SATA Compatibility for more information. |
| macOS | OS X Mountain Lion or Later |
| Tools |
STEP 1: Configure BIOS
The very first step is to configure BIOS to have the Hotplug function on your System.
1. On your target computer, boot to BIOS. Refer to your user manual for the BIOS Key.
2. Set the following parameters as shown.
| Settings | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SATA Controller(s) | Enabled | This is usually found in Peripherals>SATA and RST Configuration. |
| SATA Mode Selection | AHCI | This is usually found in Peripherals>SATA and RST Configuration. |
| Hot Plug | Enabled | Enable Hot Plug for the selected SATA Device or all of them. |
3. Save & Exit Setup
STEP 2: Adding HotPlug Patch
The next step is to add the hotplug patch to enable the SATA HotPlug.
1. Mount your ESP
2. Depending on your bootloader,
For Clover:
Open your config.plist using any XML editor from
EFI/Clover directory.Add the following patch under
Kernel and Kext Patches>KextsToPatch section in your config.plist.For OpenCore
Open your
config.plist using any XML editor from the EFI/OC directory.Add the following patch under Kernel>Patch section in your
config.plist.| Arch | Identifier | Base | Comment | Find | Replace | Mask | ReplaceMask | MinKernel | MaxKernel | Count | Limit | Skip | Enabled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any | com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort | SATA Hot Swap I/O Error Fix | 40600200 | 00000000 | YES |
3. Save
config.plist.STEP 3: Restart your System
After performing all the above steps, restart your system for the applied changes to take effect. It is recommended to reset NVRAM twice at least.
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