Installing MacOS Catalina on Legion Y540 Step 1 - BIOS Settings

It is easier to install the macOS in a SATA SSD drive, NOT on an NVMe, so I got a secondary Samsung 860 EVO SATA SSD for the macOS installation, while keeping my Windows 10 intact.

 

Click here to go back to Step 1 - Specs and What Works?

Here are the BIOS Settings I changed for the installation and running of macOS:

To select which device to boot from, press F12 during boot (when you see the Lenovo logo).
To get to the BIOS settings, press F2 during boot (when you see the Lenovo logo).

Disabling Secure Boot didn't cut it for me, so it was a bit tricky getting it to boot from the macOS Installer. Here's what you need to do.

1. In the BIOS settings, navigate to the Boot tab.
2. On Boot Mode, enable Legacy Support.
3. Boot Priority should be UEFI First.
4. Make sure USB Boot is set to Enabled.
5. Now navigate to the Configuration tab.
6. USB Legacy is set to Disabled.
7. Press Enter on Storage and check that you have it set to AHCI Mode.

The above should now get you to boot for installation. Other settings you need to have:

1. In the BIOS settings, navigate to the Configuration tab.
2. In Graphic Device, make sure you have it to Switchable Graphics.
3. Intel Virtualization Technology. This one they recommend that you have it disabled, and I had it disabled for the installation, but I have enabled it later on so I can use the Android emulators and virtual machines, and the MacOS still works fine with it enabled, so this one is up to you and your needs.

Since Windows 10 also boots from Clover, once the full installation is done, I have set my BIOS to boot directly from the Hackintosh SSD so that I don't have to press F12 every time I want to boot from a different OS.

Click here to go to the next step to create the bootable Installer.

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