High Sierra Automatic APFS Convert fix concept

[ITzTravelInTime]

Hi guys, I am creating this topic to discuss an idea I had about a way to force the Mac OS installer to not install using apfs.

So we know that apfs does not runs well on drives not made by apple because it's designed to run on apple firmware, so error correcting features will not work and this will cause data corruption and data lose over the long period of time, so some people will like more to not use apfs and avoid all that problems, but apple has integrated an ssd detection mechanism that will force to upgrade to apfs if an ssd is detected, so my idea is to create a kext that is loaded before the system initializes sata devices and then forces the system to detect all sata and nvme devices as hard drives, I think that is possible, but I do not know iokit so much well to do it, so I am creating this thread, to ask if it's possible to create something like that using io kit and other system libraries to create a kext the could work with clover kext injection and force the system to see all the ssd as hard drives, and also other idea for the kext is that it will enable itself to run only when you are booting into a Mac OS installer, maybe that could be also done using a clover kext to patch string directly on the sata family kext, so what do you think about my idea? is there someone that could help me to create the kext or a clover patch?

 

Thank you for checking out my thread, I hope that we will find a solution soon

 

PS: I know that there re things like scripts and commands to install without apfs, but my aim is to create a method that lets the users to tone perform any special task inside the Mac OS installer

[Guest ricoc90]

I think there's no need to (temporary) modify the sata family kext.

There actually is a script made by Pike R. Alpha that checks for APFS convertion and changes it's value to prevent the convertion from happening: https://pikeralpha.wordpress.com/2017/08/03/script-to-check-apfs-conversion-settings/

 

On the other hand:

Also, changing FFM and FM will prevent the APFS convertion.
So does passing --converttoapfs NO  as an argument to the startosinstall tool.

[ITzTravelInTime]

I think there's no need to (temporary) modify the sata family kext.

There actually is a script made by Pike R. Alpha that checks for APFS convertion and changes it's value to prevent the convertion from happening: https://pikeralpha.wordpress.com/2017/08/03/script-to-check-apfs-conversion-settings/

 

On the other hand:

Also, changing FFM and FM will prevent the APFS convertion.

So does passing --converttoapfs NO  as an argument to the startosinstall tool.

 

Yes, but I created this thread with the aim to create a solution that does not requires to perform special tasks in the Mac OS installer, because things like command line stuff and scripts are difficult to use for the average user, but I didn't know about the ffm and fm edit method, I tried using ffm and fm from my old Sierra config and it didn't worked

[Guest ricoc90]

I understand the purpose of this thread. Perhaps I should have been more clear:

 

There is no need to change any kexts, because it can be changed within the installer. I referred to Pike R Alpha's script as well as the other two methods as the reason how and why.

 

So it would be more ideal to implement something similar to Pike R. Alpha's script within Clover. That way the enduser is able to specify itself if the convertion needs to be done or not (Config Arg UseAPFS = false/true).

 

IMHO it's better than (temporary) changing any kexts

 

Edit: Alternatively a hotpatch to return ssd check to false would be a good idea too, however I dislike the "only at install" part, because then you either need to remove it after installation, or you're with an unused kext or patch after the install (which isn't a big deal, but still...  )

 

Edit2: ORRRRR.... you implement ^ in your installation tool on which we're still waiting   

[ITzTravelInTime]

Yes, I mean to have something that it's easy to enable and will let you to use the installer as usual without performing any script, and also for the kext I did not mean to mod system kext, but to create some sort of injector kext that forces to see ssds as hard drives 

[WinstonAce]

something change in latest "Install macos High Sierra"

no more --volume argument in startosinstall?

 

[ITzTravelInTime]

something change in latest "Install macos High Sierra"

no more --volume argument in startosinstall?

if you are installing from the usb installer the --volume argument is needed

[WinstonAce]

It used to work with startosinstall

without this argument won't the tool preform an upgrade to my sierra?

[ITzTravelInTime]

I don't know, but without the arg the tool do not know where do you want to install high Sierra 

[WinstonAce]

It was due to SIP enabled, with csr=67 I can use --volume again.

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

[ITzTravelInTime]

guys, i have discovered that exists a kext that does exactly what i said in the concept, lets the system to believe that your ssd is an hard drive to avoid automatic apfs conversion, it's the unsolid kext, some friends told me of it, it can be found here:

 

https://www.hackintosh-forum.de/index.php/Thread/34272-UnSolid-oder-ich-kann-kein-APFS-nie-nicht-leiden/

 

(note that the link is from the german hackintosh forum website)

[Loloflat6]

guys, i have discovered that exists a kext that does exactly what i said in the concept, lets the system to believe that your ssd is an hard drive to avoid automatic apfs conversion, it's the unsolid kext, some friends told me of it, it can be found here:

 

https://www.hackintosh-forum.de/index.php/Thread/34272-UnSolid-oder-ich-kann-kein-APFS-nie-nicht-leiden/

 

(note that the link is from the german hackintosh forum website)

 

Did you try this kext  ? (I had already downloaded it)

UnSolid.kext.zip

[ITzTravelInTime]

Did you try this kext  ? (I had already downloaded it https://applelife.ru/threads/ustanovka-macos-high-sierra-10-13-na-intel-pc.2210706/page-422 )

some friends did try it, it seems to not work to avoid apfs upgrade, but solves the slow boot issue using apfs on an ssd

[deek5]

some friends did try it, it seems to not work to avoid apfs upgrade, but solves the slow boot issue using apfs on an ssd

Hello everyone, not to automatically install high sierra in APFS on ssd (and as startosinstall did not render me the expected service) I simply changed "OSInstallAttr.plist" to the line "Do APFS Convert Boolean NO "and the file" minstallconfig.xml "has the line" <key> ConvertToAPFS </ key>

<False />

"

, these files are located in the "/ macOS Install Data /" folder of your USB key or

your preinstallation volume.

the installation is done on the ssd of my choice with HFS + formatting.

[ITzTravelInTime]

Hello everyone, not to automatically install high sierra in APFS on ssd (and as startosinstall did not render me the expected service) I simply changed "OSInstallAttr.plist" to the line "Do APFS Convert Boolean NO "and the file" minstallconfig.xml "has the line" <key> ConvertToAPFS </ key>

<False />

"

, these files are located in the "/ macOS Install Data /" folder of your USB key or

your preinstallation volume.

the installation is done on the ssd of my choice with HFS + formatting.

 

i know that method, but it's not so "user friendly" because you have to do it with the nano editor via terminal you do not have other mac installations on the same machine, and sometimes it seems to not work, at least for me

[deek5]

i know that method, but it's not so "user friendly" because you have to do it with the nano editor via terminal you do not have other mac installations on the same machine, and sometimes it seems to not work, at least for me

Hello ITzTravelInTime, when you want a hackintosh, it is very difficult to stay "user friendly", you have to put your hands in the "engine", this forum where participants propose, seek, find ... solutions to problems with the expertise and experience of each. Create a usb mac os installation key with only Windows as OS, for everyone here it's impossible. So yes it is true that it requires to have a mac os already operating (virtually or as a dedicated bone).

[chummdoggin]

Quite a few years later here, I am trying to do Mojave and did not know about the one besides ministallconfig.xml. I tried and got install failure.