How to Fix Migration Assistant authorization problems During macOS Boot or Installation
Boot failures need a predictable pass through firmware, USB, storage, EFI and verbose logs before reinstalling macOS. Most installer stalls come from firmware settings, an invalid config.plist, wrong SSDTs, bad USB mapping or unsupported storage/controller settings.
Quick Checks
- Backup current state: Save a copy of your working EFI and run a full system backup before changing settings.
- Identify hardware components: Note down your exact CPU, GPU, Wi-Fi card, and motherboard/laptop model.
- Ensure utility alignment: Keep OpenCore, OCLP, and ProperTree updated.
Fix Steps
- Create a rollback point: Make a Time Machine backup and keep a copy of your last working EFI folder before editing OpenCore, kexts or root patches.
- Boot verbose: Add
-v keepsyms=1 debug=0x100so the final visible line gives a real clue. - Check firmware settings: Disable Secure Boot and Fast Boot, set SATA to AHCI, disable CFG Lock if possible, and use UEFI mode.
- Validate OpenCore: Update OpenCore, Lilu and core kexts, then run ocvalidate or ProperTree clean snapshot.
- Recreate the installer: Use a fresh USB installer and try another USB port; older Macs may need a USB 2.0 hub for input during setup.
- Reset NVRAM: Reset NVRAM from the OpenCore picker before retrying the installer.
Do Not Continue If
- Do not continue if: you do not have a working EFI backup, a Time Machine backup, or another bootable macOS installer.
- Stop and capture evidence: if the machine stops booting, take a photo of the last verbose line before changing more settings.
Verify It Worked
- Verbose boot moves past the previous stopping line.
- The installer reaches Disk Utility and sees the target disk.
- Keyboard, mouse and USB remain active during recovery.
- OpenCore picker still loads after a cold boot.
Rollback
- Restore the last booting EFI folder.
- Use the officially supported macOS installer to recover the machine.
- Do not erase the internal disk until the installer can boot twice consistently.
Next Action
- Test now: reboot twice, reproduce the original problem, and confirm whether the same symptom returns.
- If it still fails: record the Mac model, macOS build, OpenCore or OCLP version, GPU, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chipset, and the last visible error.
- Read next: use the related searches below for the nearest OpenCore or OCLP fix before making another change.
Related iATKOS Searches
- OpenCore · OCLP · EFI · kexts · config.plist · macOS troubleshooting
Original Question: "Migration Assistant authorization problems"
Upgrading from Monterey to Sonoma - Mac Pro 5,1. Have been running Monterey for some time with absolutely no problems. Needed to upgrade to Sonoma, but was leary due to problems have heard. So put in a seperated 1TB SSD in one of the optical drive bay slots. Used OpenCore 1.5, formatted a USB 3 drive and loaded Sonoma on it. Then proceeded to load Sonoma on to the new SSD. No problems until I went to use migration asssistant to load info. First time all seem to go smoothly but then found that I could not get any video (Utube) nor sound. Powered down, restarted, and Sonoma would not load. Monterey, no problem. Wiped drive clean and tried again. To make a long story short, keep getting a refusal from Migration Assisant to accept my Admin password. Finally gave up and cloned Monterey (using CCC V6) to the SSD I wanted to use for Sonoma. Rebooted - failed. Tried again and got to the log-in screen and into the system. Then OCLP applied, for some reason, a fair number of 'updates' - not sure why as the latest were on the USB 3 card used. However all seemed to be working. Rebooted from shut down a couple of times to make sure and now have Sonoma with all of the info that was on the Monterey installation. No glitches. If anyone else has run into similar problems Carbon Copy Cloner makes clonning a drive absolutely dirt simple.
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