How to properly install kexts in a Hackintosh

In one of our previous articles we explained what are kexts and where they are stored. Here are a few different ways to install them. We also show how to repair permissions and rebuild the kext cache.

The easy way (KextBeast)

1. Download the kext you want to install and place it on your Desktop.
2. Download KextBeast from tonymacx86 website here. You will need to login with a free account on the site to be able to download the file.
3. Run the KextBeast installer and click Continue twice. 
4. Click Agree.
5. If you are replacing a vanilla system kext with a patched one, it should probably be on /System/Library/Extensions. Otherwise, select the /Library/Extensions option. 
6. Click Continue and then Install. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

 How to install kexts manually

1. Download the kext you want to install.
2. Now you can either copy and paste the kext to /Library/Extensions, and click Authenticate at the prompt, (and enter your password), or you can open up a Terminal window, and type this command in: sudo cp -R NewKext.kext /Library/Extensions where "NewKext.kext" should be replaced with the name of your kext and its location like so: sudo cp -R ~/Downloads/VoodooHDA.kext /Library/Extensions.
3. Both of the above methods for manually installing a kext, require that you rebuild the cache, something that you don't need to do if you're using the KextBeast method above.
4. In the Terminal, type: sudo kextcache -i / to rebuild the cache.
5. Restart your computer.
6. To verify that a kext is loaded, open up Terminal again and type kextstat | grep -y "kextName" where kextname should be replaced with the name of the kext you just installed, like so: kextstat | grep -y "AppleALC"

 

To install essential kexts needed for boot (using Clover)

1. Download, install and open Clover Configurator.
2. From the left side, click on Mount EFI. 
3. On the main EFI partition (should include your startup disk, Preboot, Recovery etc on the square brackets) click on Mount Partition.
4. From the top bar, navigate to File menu and click Open. 
5.  Navigate to EFI partition, then EFI folder, then CLOVER folder and open config.plist.
6. From the left side, navigate on Kexts Installer. Choose the kexts you want to install, such as WhateverGreen and Lilu.
7. From Partition drop-down, make sure EFI is selected, and from Location drop-down list, make sure /EFI/Clover/kexts is selected. From OS version drop-down, select Other.
8. Click Download and then close Clover Configurator. Restart your computer.

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