TABLE of CONTENTS (Click to reveal)
Although installing macOS Ventura and newer on systems with Intel CPUs of the Sandy Bridge family can be achieved with OpenCore and the OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP), it's not officially supported nor documented by Dortania since they only provide support for legacy Macs by Apple.
This guide was created based on my experiences root patching my 27" iMac12,2 with a Sandy Bridge CPU and an NVIDIA Quadro GPU as well as analyzing the EFI folder content, config and log after building OpenCore with OCLP.
| All good. |
In macOS Ventura+, support for CPU families prior to Kaby Lake was dropped. For Sandy Bridge systems this mainly affects the CPU (missing AVX 2.0 and rdrand instructions), CPU Power Management (removed ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin), integrated Graphics and Metal support. So what we will do is prepare the config with the required patches, settings and kexts for installing and running macOS Ventura and then add iGPU/GPU drivers in Post-Install using OpenCore Legacy Patcher.
This guide is intended to provide general information for adjusting your EFI and config.plist to install and run macOS Ventura and newer on unsupported Wintel systems. It is not a comprehensive configuration guide. Please refrain from using the "report issue" function to seek individualized assistance for fixing your config. Such issue reports will be closed immediately!
This is what you need to know before attempting to install macOS Monterey and newer on unsupported systems:
⚠️ Backup your working EFI folder on a FAT32 formatted USB flash drive just in case something goes wrong because we have to modify the config and content of the EFI folder.- iGPU/GPU:
- Check if your iGPU/GPU is supported by OCLP. Although Drivers for Intel, NVIDIA and AMD cards can be added in Post-Install, the list is limited
- AMD Navi Cards (Radeon 5xxx and 6xxx) can't be used with Sandy Bridge CPUs since they require the AVX 2.0 instruction set which is only available on Haswell and newer.
- Networking:
- For Ethernet, there are kexts for legacy LAN controllers available here
- Wifi and Bluetooth:
- For enabling Broadcom Wifi/BT Cards, you will need a different set of kexts to load which need to be controlled via
MinKernelandMaxKernelsettings. On macOS 12.4 and newer, a new address check has been introduced inbluetoothd, which will trigger an error if two Bluetooth devices have the same address. This can be circumvented by adding boot-arg-btlfxallowanyaddr(provided by BrcmPatchRAM kext). - Same applies to Intel WiFi/BT cards using OpenIntelWirless kexts
- Enabling Wifi in macOS Sonoma requires additional kext and also applying root patches in Post-Install!
- For enabling Broadcom Wifi/BT Cards, you will need a different set of kexts to load which need to be controlled via
- Security: Modifying the system with OCLP Requires SIP, Apple Secure Boot and AMFI to be disabled so there are some compromises in terms of security.
- System Updates:
- Incremental (or delta) updates won't be available after applying root patches with OCLP. Instead, the whole macOS Installer will be downloaded every time (approx. 12 GB)!
⚠️ Don't install Security Response Updates (RSR) introduced in macOS 13! They will fail to install on pre-Haswell systems. More info here.
- Other: Check the links below for in-depth documentation about components/features that have been removed from macOS 12 and newer and the impact this has on systems prior to Kaby Lake. But keep in mind that this was written for real Macs so certain issues don't apply to Wintel systems.
I assume you already have a working OpenCore configuration for your Sandy Bridge system. Otherwise follow Dortania's OpenCore Install Guide to create one. The instructions below are only additional steps required to install and boot macOS Monterey and newer.
Update OpenCore to 0.9.2 or newer (mandatory). Because prior to 0.9.2, AppleCpuPmCfgLock Quirk is skipped when macOS Ventura is running so the kexts required for re-enabling SMC CPU Power Management can't be injected and the system won't boot unless you have a (modded) BIOS where CFG Lock can be disabled. To check which version of OpenCore you're currently using, run the following commands in Terminal:
nvram 4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102:opencore-versionUpdate your kexts to the latest version as well to avoid compatibility issues with macOS!
Listed below, you find the required modifications to prepare your config.plist and EFI folder for installing macOS Monterey or newer on Sandy Bridge systems. If this is over your head, there's an accompanying plist that contains the necessary settings that you can use for cross-referencing.
💡 If your system (or components thereof) doesn't work afterwards, please refer to OCLP's patch documentation and see if need additional settings or kexts.
| Config Section | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
Booter/Patch |
Add and enable the following Booter patch from OCLP's config: |
|
DeviceProperties/Add |
PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0) – Verify/Adjust AAPL,snb-platform-id (optional,, relevant for CPUs with integrated grapics only)
|
iGPU Support: Intel HD 2000/3000.
|
Kernel/Add and EFI/OC/Kexts |
Add the following Kexts:
|
|
Kernel/Block |
Block com.apple.iokit.IOSkywalkFamily:  |
Blocks macOS'es IOSkywalk kext, so the injected one will be used instead. Only required for "Modern" Wifi Cards (→ Wifi Patching Guide). |
Kernel/Emulate |
Disable DummyPowermanagement (if enabled) |
If you imject the Kexts to re-instatate ACPI CPU Power Management on macOS13+ while this setting is still enabled, the system will freeze 10 to 15 seconds after booting. |
Kernel/Patch |
Add and enable the following Kernel Patches from OCLP (apply MinKernel and MaxKernel settings as well):
|
|
Kernel/Quirks |
|
Apple SMC CPU Management requirements. |
NVRAM/Add/...-4BCCA8B30102 |
Add the following Keys:
|
|
Misc/Security |
|
Required when patching in graphics drivers for AMD and NVIDIA cards. Intel HD graphics might work with SecureBootModel set to Default. Try for yourself. |
NVRAM/Delete/...-4BCCA8B30102 (Array) |
Add the following Strings:
|
Deletes NVRAM for these parameters before writing them. Otherwise you would need to perform an NVRAM reset every time you change any of them in the corresponding Add section. |
NVRAM/Add/...-FE41995C9F82 |
Change csr-active-config to 03080000 Add the following boot-args:
|
|
UEFI/Drivers and EFI/OC/Drivers |
|
Adds a boot menu entry to perform an NVRAM reset but without resetting the order of the boot drives. Requires a BIOS with UEFI support. |
Caution
Don't add the NVRAM parameter OCLP-Version to your config – it's meant for real Macs only! It checks if your config.plist is up to par with the one provided by OCLP. If the version in your config is lower, a pop-up will appear asking you if you would like to update OpenCore:
If you would press "OK" in this scenario, your OC folder would be replaced by the one created for the corresponding Mac model leaving your macOS installation in an unbootable state!
Once you've added the required kexts and made the necessary changes to your config.plist, save, reboot and perform an NVRAM Reset. If your system still boots fine after that, you can now prepare the system for installing macOS 13.
If your system reboots successfully, we need to edit the config one more time and adjust the SMBIOS depending on the macOS Version currently installed.
When upgrading from macOS 11.3 or newer, we can use macOSes virtualization capabilities to trick it into thinking that it is running in a VM so spoofing a compatible SMBIOS is no longer a requirement.
Based on your system, use one of the following SMBIOSes for Sandy Bridge CPUs. Open your config.plist and change the SMBIOS in the PlatformInfo/Generic section.
- For Desktops:
iMac12,1oriMac12,2 - For Laptops:
MacBookPro8,1(= 13″ Display, Core i5)MacBookPro8,2(= 15″ Display, Core i5)MacBookPro8,3(= 17″ Display, Core i7)
- For NUCs:
Macmini5,x
Note
Once macOS 12 or newer is installed, you can disable the "Reroute kern.hv" and "IOGetVMMPresent" Kernel Patches. RestrictEvents will handle the VMM-Board-id spoof from now on. Only Exception: Before running the "Install macOS" App, you have to re-enable the kernel patches again. Otherwise the installer will say the system is incompatible because of the unsupported SMBIOS it detects.
Since macOS Catalina and older lack the virtualization capabilities required to apply the VMM Board-ID spoof, switching to a supported SMBIOS temporarily is mandatory in order to be able to install macOS Ventura. Otherwise you will be greeted by the crossed-out circle instead of the Apple logo when trying to boot.
Supported SMBIOSes:
- Desktop:
iMac18,1or newerMacPro7,1oriMacPro1,1(High End Desktops)
- Laptop:
MacBookPro14,1orMacBookAir8,1
- NUC:
Macmini8,1
- Generate new Serials using GenSMBIOS
Note
- Once macOS 12 or newer is installed, you can switch to an SMBIOS best suited for your Ivy Bridge CPU and reboot to enjoy all the benefits of a proper SMBIOS.
- You may want to generate a new SSDT-PM in Post-Install to optimize CPU Power Management.
- You can also disable the "Reroute kern.hv" and "IOGetVMMPresent" Kernel Patches. RestrictEvents will handle the VMM-Board-id spoof from now on. Only Exception: Before running the "Install macOS" App, you have to re-enable the kernel patches again. Otherwise the installer will say the system is incompatible because of the unsupported SMBIOS it detects.
With all the prep work out of the way you can now upgrade to macOS Ventura. Depending on the version of macOS you are coming from, the installation process differs.
- Download the latest release of OpenCore Patcher GUI App and run it
- Click on "Create macOS Installer"
- Next, click on "Download macOS Installer"
- Select the macOS version you want to install
- Once the download is completed, the "Install macOS…" app will be located the "Programs" folder.
Note
OCLP can also create a USB installer if you want to perform a clean install (highly recommended). Creating a USB installer is a necessity if you want to install an older OS since macOS does not allow downgrading.
Only applicable when upgrading from macOS 11.3+. If you are on macOS Catalina or older, use Option 2 instead.
- Run the "Install macOS…" App
- There will be a few reboots
- Boot from the new macOS install partition until it's no longer present in the Boot Picker
Once the installation is completed and the system boots it will run without graphics acceleration if you only have an iGPU or if you GPU is not supported by the newer version of macOS. We will address this next in Post-Install.
Tip
Instead of upgrading your runnning macOS installation, create a new APFS volume and install macOS on there. This way you can always revert back to your previous macOS installation if you are facing issues with the new macOS version.
When upgrading from macOS Catalina or older a clean install from USB flash drive is recommended. To create a USB Installer, you can use OpenCore Legacy Patcher:
- Run Disk utility
- Create a new APFS Volume on your internal HDD/SSD or use a separate internal disk (at least 60 GB in size) for installing macOS 13 – DON'T install it on an external drive – it won't boot!
- Attach an empty USB flash drive for creating the installer (16 GB+)
- Run OCLP and follow the instructions
- Once the USB Installer has been created, do the following:
- Copy the OpenCore-Patcher App to the USB Installer
- Add Optional tools (Optional, in case internet is not working):
- Add Python Installer
- Add MountEFI
- Add ProperTree
- Reboot
- Select "Install macOS…" from the BootPicker
- Install macOS on the volume you prepared earlier
- There will be a few reboots during installation. Boot from the new "Install macOS" Partition until it's no longer present in the Boot Picker
- Once the macOS Ventura installation is finished, switch back to an SMBIOS best suited for your Sandy Bridge CPU mentioned earlier.
After the installation is completed and the system boots it will run without hardware graphics acceleration if you only have an iGPU or if you GPU is no longer supported by the newer version of macOS. We will address this in Post-Install.
OpenCore Legacy patcher can re-install components which were removed from macOS, such as Graphics Drivers, Frameworks, etc. This is called "root patching". For Wintel systems, we will make use of it to install iGPU and GPU drivers primarily.
Once you reach the set-up assistant (where you select your language, time zone, etc), you will notice that the system feels super sluggish – that's normal because it is running in VESA mode without graphics acceleration, since the friendly guys at Apple removed the Intel HD 2000/3000 drivers from macOS.
To bring them back, do the following:
- Run the OpenCore Patcher App
- In the OpenCore Legacy Patcher menu, select "Post Install Root Patch":
- Follow the instructions of the Patcher App (I don't have a Sandy Bridge so I can't capture screenshots. I also couldn't find any online.)
- Works basically the same way as installing iGPU drivers
- OCLP detects the GPU and if it has drivers for it, they can be installed. Afterwards, GPU Hardware Acceleration should work. Note that additional settings in OCLP may be required based on the GPU you are using.
- After the drivers have been installed, disable the following
boot-argsprior to rebooting to re-enable GPU graphics acceleration:-radvesa– put a#in front to disable it:#-radvesanv_disable=1– put a#in front to disable it:#nv_disable=1
Note
Prior to installing macOS updates you probably have to re-enable boot-args for AMD and NVIDIA GPUs again to put them into VESA mode so you have a picture and not a black screen!
To verify that SMC CPU Power Management is working, enter the following command in Terminal:
sysctl machdep.xcpm.modeIf the output is 0, the legacy ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin is used for CPU Power Management and everything is ok. If the output is 1, the X86PlatformPlugin for XCPM is active, which is not good since Sandy Bridge CPUs don't support XCPM. In this case, check if the necessary kexts for SMC CPU Power Management were injected by OpenCore. Enter in Terminal:
kextstat | grep com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementThis should result in the following output:
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement (222.0.0)
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient (222.0.0)
If the 2 kexts are not present, they were not injected. So check your config and EFI folder again. Also ensure that the AppleCpuPmCfgLock Quirk is enabled.
Once you've verified that SMC CPU Power Management (plugin-type 0) is working, monitor the behavior of the CPU using Intel Power Gadget. If it doesn't reach its maximum turbo frequency or if the base frequency is too high/low or if the idle frequency is too high, generate an SSDT-PM to optimize CPU Power Management.
After macOS Ventura is installed and OCLP's root patches have been applied in Post-Install, remove or disable the following boot-args:
ipc_control_port_options=0: ONLY when using a dedicated GPU. You still need it when using the Intel HD 4000 so Firefox and electron-based apps will work.amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1: ONLY needed for re-applying root patches with OCLP after System Updates- Change
-radvesato#-radvesa→ This disables the boot-arg which in return re-enables hardware acceleration on AMD GPUs. - Change
nv_disable=1to#nv_disable=1→ This disables the boot-arg which in return re-enables hardware acceleration on NVIDIA GPUs.
Note
Keep a backup of your currently working EFI folder on a FAT32 USB flash drive just in case your system won't boot after removing/disabling these boot-args!
We can check whether or not AMFI is enabled by entering the following command in Terminal:
sudo /usr/sbin/nvram -p | /usr/bin/grep -c "amfi_get_out_of_my_way=1"- The desired output is
0: this means, theamfi_get_out_of_my_way=1boot-arg which disables AMFI is not present in NVRAM which indicates that AMFI is enabled. This is good. - If the output is
1: this means, theamfi_get_out_of_my_way=1boot-arg which disables AMFI is present in NVRAM which indicates that AMFI is disabled.
Since the new AMFIPass.kext allows booting macOS with applied root patches and SIP as well as SecureBootModel disabled but AMFI enabled, we want the output to be 0!
The major advantage of using OCLP over other Patchers is that it remains on the system even after installing System Updates. After an update, it detects that the graphics drivers are missing and asks you, if you want to to patch them in again, as shown in ths example:
You just click on "Okay" and the drivers will be re-installed. After the obligatory reboot, everything will be back to normal.
OCLP can also inform you about availabled updates of the Patcher app itself. But this requires adding the key OCLP-Versionto the NVRAM/Add section of your config.plist:
This ke is optional for Hackintosh users, since the OCLP app also informs you about updates once you run it. If you choose to add it to your config, you also have to add a reset key to the corresponding NVRAM/Delete section, so that new values can be applied:
After that, you will be notified whenever an update for the OpenCore Patcher is available:
Note that this Pop-up refers to "OpenCore" and not the Patcher because OCLP was designed with real Macs and Mac users in mind. For "regular" Mac users, using OCLP is most likely the only way they update OpenCore, config and kexts. So after downloading the latest OCLP update, they, just rebuild the EFI, mount the ESP, replaces the EFI/OC folder, apply reoo patches, reboot and that's it.
But as Hackintosh users, we only care about the App updates to apply new, updated or refined root patches for iGPUs, Wi-FI, etc. Please keep in mind that you have to manually adjust the OCLP version number after each update so that you won't be notified about a possibly outdated patcher app although the newest version is installed already. So adding the OCLP-Version Key to a Hackintosh build is not really a necessity.
Tip
If your system won't boot after patching it with OpenCore Legacy Patcher, you have several options to revert root patches.
- Applying Root Patches to the system partition breaks its security seal. This affects System Updates: every time a System Update is available, the FULL Installer (about 12 GB) will be downloaded. There is a workaround to this but it's only applicable to Haswell/Broadwell and newer.
- After each System Update, the iGPU/GPU drivers have to be re-installed. OCLP will take care of this. Just make sure to re-enable the appropriate boot-args to put AMD/NVIDIA GPUs in VESA mode prior to updating/upgrading macOS.
⚠️ You cannot install macOS Security Response Updates (RSR) on pre-Haswell systems. They will fail to install (more info here).
- Non-Metal Wiki by Moraea
- SMBIOS Compatibility Chart
- Enabling NVIDIA WebDrivers in 11+ by elitemacx86.com
- Acidanthera for OpenCore and numerous Kexts
- Corpnewt for MountEFI, GenSMBIOS and ProperTree
- dhinakg for AMFIPass
- Dortania for OpenCore Legacy Patcher and Guide
- Rehabman for Laptop framebuffer patches