Recommended OpenCore config.plist settings and EFI files for dual booting macOS and Windows 11

[jlrycm]

Hello everyone! I’ve been trying to configure OpenCore EFI to be capable of dual booting Windows 11 and macOS Sequoia and Tahoe and it has been a real challenge. I checked my custom ACPI SSDTs and edited them to wrap If (_OSI("Darwin")). The SSDTs that I use were created in SSDTTime and some of them didn’t require to be edited because they already get the if (OSI(“Darwin”)) wrap when generated in SSDTTime, and the other SSDTs were edited and compiled following the instructions I have found in acidanthera and other forums. However, Windows 11 is not loading from OpenCore. I’m gonna upload here my current EFI folder to see if any of the devs and experts can look at it and share me some light about what I’m doing wrong. I know there’s a fork of OpenCore that makes things easy with dual booting but it has not been updated since March so booting both macOS Sequoia and Tahoe has not been possible for me yet despite trying a build in that fork that I triggered the other day.

 

This is an example of one of the custom ACPI SSDTs I edited to get it wrapped. 
 

DefinitionBlock ("", "SSDT", 2, "CORP", "PCIBRG", 0x00000000)
{
    External (_SB_.PC00.RP21.PXSX, DeviceObj)

    Scope (\_SB.PC00.RP21.PXSX)
    {
        If (_OSI ("Darwin"))
        {
            Device (BRG0)
            {
                Name (_ADR, Zero)  // _ADR: Address
                Device (PXSX)
                {
                    Name (_ADR, Zero)  // _ADR: Address
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

 

 

OC.zip

Edited July 20, 2025 by jlrycm

[jlrycm]

28 minutes ago, eSaF said:

Hi, forgive me if I don't understand your query fully.

The difficulty you described is puzzling to me as I am multi-booting Sonoma, Sequoia, Tahoe and Windows 11, all on separate Drives.

 

Putting all OS on the same (large) Drive although doable, is/can be problematic now or in the future.

 

My own experience from long ago at dual booting is as follows, once Windows is booting up and closing down normally, this is the step I take.

Remove the Drive containing Windows to isolate it (Windows has a tendency to install part of its boot process onto other Drives) and proceed to install any other macOS.

 

The method of putting all OS on their own respective Drives is failsafe with 100% success rate when multi-booting.

If Windows is already installed and running, I would still isolate that Drive and would never attempt to put macOS on the same Drive as Windows.

 

That process will prove to be problematic sooner or later, possibly showing up in any future updates with cross corruption.

Hope this helps you to make an informative decision. Good luck.

 

 

thanks @eSaF Right now, Windows 11, macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe are each one installed in separate drives.

[jlrycm]

In the first post I uploaded the EFI folder minus two of the intel wifi/BT kexts to make it compliant with the 10 mb limit

 

Edited July 20, 2025 by jlrycm

[Anto65]

56 minutes ago, eSaF said:

Remove the Drive containing Windows to isolate it (Windows has a tendency to install part of its boot process onto other Drives) and proceed to install any other macOS.

 

The method of putting all OS on their own respective Drives is failsafe with 100% success rate when multi-booting.

If Windows is already installed and running, I would still isolate that Drive and would never attempt to put macOS on the same Drive as Windows.

 

That process will prove to be problematic sooner or later, possibly showing up in any future updates with cross corruption.

Hope this helps you to make an informative decision. Good luck.

 

 

 

Here, too, the WindowsInstall app from @Sergey_Galan  is a great option  🙏

 

It doesn't require creating a USB installation drive; you can install directly from an ISO file, or from macOS by carefully selecting the destination drive (e.g., disk3s4s1). without disconnecting the other units

 

Spoiler

 

The Windows installation files won't go anywhere.

 

The same goes for installing on a single disk, with macOS and a Windows partition. In the app, you can check " Deactivate Windows ESP "

 

Spoiler

This way, Windows won't overwrite the OC boot files, but will only copy the Microsoft folder to the EFI , toghether with Boot and OC folder

[jlrycm]

26 minutes ago, eSaF said:

Can you tell us at this moment, what your config.plist in its current state is abled to boot.

Remove the Drives containing macOS and boot Windows on its own, if successful do the same by removing Windows Drive and boor macOS Drive/drive on their own.

 

If these isolated OS can boot problem free, then put back the Drives into the machine with macOS Drives having priority in the attached array connection.

Insure the connection also reflects in the BIOS Disk Drives arrangement. 

 

I noticed in your Config.plist Section Misc/Security/SecureBootModel you have this entry as j60, you mist change this as Disabled (very important).

In boot-arg you can remove -lilubetaall, no need for it. Try the changes I mentioned and see if any improvement.

Good luck.

 

PS - Try this updated and revised EFI Folder.

EFI.zip 18 MB · 0 downloads

Thanks @eSaF for finding the typo in securedbootmodel. To boot Windows 11, I understand you are saying the securebootmodel setting must be disabled. What other changes have you made to the config file and EFI folder content? To answer your first question, the EFI folder I uploaded currently boots macOS Sequoia and Tahoe. 

10 minutes ago, Anto65 said:

 

Here, too, the WindowsInstall app from @Sergey_Galan  is a great option  🙏

 

It doesn't require creating a USB installation drive; you can install directly from an ISO file, or from macOS by carefully selecting the destination drive (e.g., disk3s4s1). without disconnecting the other units

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

The Windows installation files won't go anywhere.

 

The same goes for installing on a single disk, with macOS and a Windows partition. In the app, you can check " Deactivate Windows ESP "

 

  Reveal hidden contents

This way, Windows won't overwrite the OC boot files, but will only copy the Microsoft folder to the EFI , toghether with Boot and OC folder

@Anto65 thanks for your feedback. It is not my intention to erase and reinstall Windows 11 at the moment. It’s going to be a nightmare given how many apps, software and games I have in there despite having backups and all that (much easier dealing with macOS, no wonder why I only use Windows in isolated instances for gaming or use a program that only works in Windows and don’t respond well in Parallels)

[Anto65]

@jlrycm  It was a response to eSaF more than anything when you have to do a new installation

 

Most likely, it's some SSDT that's bothering Windows.

 

In your case 

You can do further checks beyond those already recommended by eSaF
by going through the SSDTs one by one.

 

Back up your EFI, then remove all the SSDTs in the ACPI folder and boot into Windows.
Add the SSDTs one at a time and boot into Windows until you find yet another SSDT added that's blocking Windows... so now you know which one it is and which one to fix. ... Since you have so many I predict many reboots  😆

[BALDY_MAN]

you must disconnect the Mac OS drive then install windows on its own drive. if you leave the Mac drive connected windows installed it boot manager files into the Mac OS efi partition instead of making one on the windows  drive

[Anto65]

30 minutes ago, BALDY_MAN said:

you must disconnect the Mac OS drive then install windows on its own drive. if you leave the Mac drive connected windows installed it boot manager files into the Mac OS efi partition instead of making one on the windows  drive

There is no need to disconnect anything

-install-windows-on-mac-

 

[jlrycm]

I have never disconnected macOS drive when installing Windows. That was the case in the old days but since Clover I haven't had to do it. 

[jlrycm]

@eSaF @Anto65 I found the problem: it’s the DMAR.aml. I was dropping the DMAR table to supposedly make the I-225v Ethernet work in my build and Windows doesn’t like it. After disabling it in ACPI/Add and ACPI/Delete, I now I can boot both Windows 11 and Sequoia (after all I did not need to drop DMAR). I had to skip the two Intel BT kexts that @eSaF updated since for some reason Tahoe did not like them. I had to revert to the kexts I was using before to have the Bluetooth working in both Tahoe and Sequoia. Thanks both for your suggestions. I should have disabled the DMAR from the beginning and I would saved a lot of time in testing.

[BALDY_MAN]

well each to there own. its a ten mins to take out the Mac nvm e drive 

and maybe 30mins to load windows 11 pro. from a Rufus. built usb stick. (old git set in his ways)

[jlrycm]

11 minutes ago, BALDY_MAN said:

well each to there own. its a ten mins to take out the Mac nvm e drive 

and maybe 30mins to load windows 11 pro. from a Rufus. built usb stick. (old git set in his ways)

There’s no need to take out the macOS drive. Nowadays it’s much easier. I have reinstalled Windows 11 without having any mess in my macOS installation or EFI.

[XanthraX]

Now I have only macOS on boot. Never tried dual boot with OC. Because the HDD where I had windows before, something happened with it and it cannot longer be bootable. Even trying to install Windows in it alone. But it can be used as storage. I have Windows only as a virtual machine on Parallels. But when I was using Clover, it was very simple. Install MacOSX first and Clover. Than Install Windows on a different disk and automatically it appeared in Clover boot menu.

[Anto65]

🤔 why ?

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2025 by Anto65

[BALDY_MAN]

I can see and boot from open core boot loader  to windows nvm-e but I just use F12 Key.

only use window to setup the temps and fan curves  and pumps on MO-RA  420 with the Aqua Computer. 

mite you tube sometimes as set up sound to light with the Farbwerk  for amusement

[Anto65]

eSaF Simply tried  to save as map > map-table.txt ?

 

You don't need to specify "Windows."
Just keep in mind which FS it is.

Edited July 22, 2025 by Anto65

[BALDY_MAN]

@eSaF I mite  treat myself to Mac mini M5 if there out while I'm I'm the States

[BALDY_MAN]

13 minutes ago, eSaF said:

Thanks Bro but also tried that formula but will try again.

 

Bro they will be out at the end of the year so yea if you're still state side go for it. 

I can hardly wait to get my hands on one since Tahoe is caning my butt on my hack. 

yes I know how you feel. been hacking 17 years. . time to move on times better spent on other stuff. when I do get a M5 all the pc water-cooling stuffs going

[BALDY_MAN]

@eSaF It been a great hobby for me. Hackintoshing. meet stunning people. and received magnificent help at times.  and I'm not knocking anyone . it's got to the stage  I've had enough. so after my little travel adventure. I'm tidying house. and mind