👋 Introduction#

Hackintosh refers to running macOS on non-Apple hardware. If you have an Intel Haswell processor and want to install macOS, this guide will walk you through the process. Be prepared for some troubleshooting, as Hackintosh installations can be complex.

What we’re going to do today is, we will installing a macOS Sequoia 15.2 on this Haswell PC.

🔧 My configuration#

Here are what I’m using during this process. If your processor was different (Core i3 or Core i7 4th-Generation), you can still follow this guide since 4th Generation is still on Haswell family groups.

📦 Prerequisites#

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

• A compatible Intel Haswell-based computer
• A USB drive (at least 16GB)
• A macOS installation file (preferably macOS Ventura or Sequoia)
• A working macOS or Windows system to create the installer
• OpenCore or Clover bootloader
• Internet access for downloading necessary kexts and drivers

Step 1: Prepare the macOS Installer#

Step 2: Install OpenCore or Clover Bootloader#

1. Mount the EFI partition of your USB drive.
2. Download OpenCore or Clover and copy the EFI folder to the EFI partition.
3. Configure the config.plist file using ProperTree or OpenCore Configurator.
4. You can read OpenCore Guide to make your own fit configuration for your PC. If you were choosing to trying my complete config, you can access the GitHub repository below.

5. You will also need to grab some required kexts such as Lilu.kext, WhateverGreen.kext, AppleALC.kext, and fixing the USB mapping with USBMap.kext
6. Copy your fine-assembled EFI folder into the flashdisk.

Step 3: Configure BIOS Settings#

Restart your PC and enter BIOS (usually by pressing F2, DEL, or F12). Change the following settings:

• Disable VT-d (unless using OpenCore with DisableIoMapper.kext)
• Enable XHCI Hand-off
• Disable CSM (Compability Support Module)
• Set SATA Mode to AHCI
• Set DVMT Pre-Allocated (iGPU) to 64MB or higher

Step 4: Boot and Install macOS#

1. Insert the USB and boot into OpenCore or Clover.
2. Select “Install macOS” and follow the installation process.
3. Once installation is complete, reboot into macOS.

Step 5: Post-Installation Setup#

After the installation succeed, you’re not done yet. Without your flashdisk plugged in, you can’t boot into OpenCore since the EFI files are still in your flashdisk. To move the EFI to the disk, follow this steps

1. Mount EFI partition of your macOS disk using MountEFI
2. Select your macOS drive, and enter your password
3. Go to your flashdisk and copy the entire EFI folder
4. A new partition named EFI is available on the Finder sidebar
5. Go to the EFI partition, and paste the EFI folder you just copied
6. You can now boot to macOS without flashdisk
7. Eject and remove your flashdisk

🔨 Troubleshooting#

• Black screen after boot → Check WhateverGreen.kext and framebuffer patches.
• No audio → Use AppleALC.kext and set the correct layout ID.
• Ethernet/Wi-Fi not working → Ensure you have the correct kext for your network adapter.
• Kernel panic on boot → Check config.plist settings and disable unnecessary ACPI patches.

🤔 Conclusion#

Installing macOS on PC (or called Hackintosh) can be very challenging for first-time user who were on process with familiarizing with their PC hardware name, specification, etc. I was the same when I was discovered this on March 2024 back then. But, if you were managed to install the macOS successfully, congratulations! 🎉 Some functions like AirDrop, Bluetooth may require additional hardware and steps. You can find what you need in their guide as their docs was completely covering everything related to Hackintosh.

I was coding amaris.space on this macOS setup and it was perfect. 💯 This project is intended as gift for Selena AmariS【We Livers】.