How to Resolve USB Boot and EFI Boot Selection Issues on HP EliteBook 850 G3

How to Fix OpenCore Boot Option Missing on HP EliteBook Laptops

When attempting to install macOS Tahoe on a laptop like the HP EliteBook 850 G3, configuring the USB installer using Rufus or other tools can sometimes lead to a boot menu where only the Windows Option is displayed. This behaviour is due to UEFI firmware settings on HP laptops or incorrect EFI folder structures.

1. Prerequisites

• Hardware Specs: HP EliteBook 850 G3 with Intel Skylake CPU, Intel HD Graphics 520, and a formatted USB drive.
• Required Tools: ProperTree, USBToolBox, and a partition management tool.

2. Compatibility Snapshot

• HP UEFI: HP systems require very strict partition layout structures and BIOS configurations to recognize custom bootloaders.

3. Installation Preparation

1. Partitioning: Do not use Rufus to format your USB drive for Hackintosh if possible. Instead, format the USB drive on a macOS environment or use a raw flashing tool to write the recovery image, ensuring a FAT32 EFI partition and a GUID Partition Table (GPT) are created.
2. BIOS Configurations: Disable Secure Boot, Legacy Support (CSM), and Fast Boot. Ensure UEFI Boot mode is enabled.

4. EFI and config.plist Review

1. Folder Structure: Double-check that your USB drive\'s root directory contains a folder named EFI, which contains BOOT and OC. The path must look like /Volumes/USB/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.efi.
2. Drivers: Verify that OpenRuntime.efi and HfsPlus.efi are present in EFI/OC/Drivers and enabled in your config.plist.

5. Post-Installation

1. Mount SSD EFI: Once the system is installed, transfer the EFI folder to the internal SSD EFI System Partition.

6. Troubleshooting

Reported Issue: Only Windows boot option appears

1. Boot via file option: HP BIOS allows you to boot from a specific file. Go to the boot menu, select "Boot from File", navigate to your USB drive, and select EFI -> BOOT -> BOOTX64.efi.
2. Fix HP Boot Order: Use the BIOS settings to add a custom boot path pointing directly to \EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.efi.

7. Dual Boot and Advanced Configuration

• Avoid Windows Overwrite: HP laptops tend to prioritize Windows Boot Manager. Set OpenCore as the default boot loader using the bcfg tool in the UEFI Shell.

8. Verification, Maintenance and Rollback

• Rollback: Keep a working recovery USB in case your boot manager is overwritten by Windows.

9. References and Glossary

• GPT: GUID Partition Table, the modern standard layout for partition tables on physical hard drives.