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The Compendium · Chapter 5 of 20

Prepare Mac for Quad-booting

2 min read · 1 sections

This guide assumes you have one of the models above with: 1) a working macOS install and recovery drive, and 2) an admin level account already set up.  If you need to wipe the drive, and reinstall macOS and the recovery drive, you can do this by rebooting and holding down “Option + Command + R” and then following the prompts.

After reinstalling macOS, ensure there is a recovery drive by rebooting and holding down “Command + R”.  (Sometimes the macOS installer just refuses to create the recovery drive during reinstallation.)  If there is one, carry-on with the guide.  If there is no recovery drive, you will need to create a macOS USB installer.  Here’s a guide to do so in macOS and here’s one for Windows.

If you have a T1 or T2 Mac, you’ll need to enable USB booting (Step 0 below) just to reinstall macOS from a USB, but Step 0 is required for all T1 and T2 Macs anyway.  Use the USB installer to wipe and reinstall macOS.  If a recovery drive never shows up, you’ll need to take the Mac into an Apple Service Provider in your area and see if they can resolve the issue.

It is NOT recommended to restore from a Time Machine backup, as this can restore some unwanted settings.  It is better to use Migration Assistant once done with the entire quadruple-booting process.  Just create your account with the basics (iCloud, updates, and a few settings customizations), but don’t fully set up your profile, just in case something goes wrong and you have to start from scratch.

Step 0 (for T1 and T2 Macs only):

  • Power on Mac while holding “Command” + ”R” keys until you see the Apple logo and/or hear the startup chime
  • Once the Recovery Mode as fully loaded, you should see user accounts; select an admin level account and click “Next”
    • Type password and hit “Enter”
  • Select “Utilities” in top menu
    • Select “Startup Security Utility” in submenu
    • Type password and hit “Enter” in popup
  • In next popup window
    • Set “Secure Boot” to “No Security”
      • This process is impossible on any other setting
      • And if you change it after this process is done, you will be forced to reinstall rEFInd – See Optional Step A
    • Set “Allowed Boot Media” to “Allow”
  • Close popup window
  • Select “Utilities” in top menu again
    • Select “Terminal” in submenu
    • Turn off System Integrated Protection (SIP) by typing:
      • “csrutil disable” and hit “Enter”
      • Type password and hit “Enter”
  • Restart