Installing macOS first and then Linux is easier. The key is partitioning, boot settings and installation order. 1. Use GParted to reserve at least 50GB of unallocated space in advance; 2. macOS requires independent EFI partitioning and avoid GPT/MBR hybrid mode; 3. BIOS close Secure Boot and turn on CSM; 4. After installing macOS, use OpenCore/Clover to create a USB disk and format it as "MacOS extension"; 5. After installing Linux, install grub-efi and os-prober in Linux, execute sudo os-prober and update GRUB; 6. If macOS does not appear in the GRUB menu, manually add the boot item to /etc/grub.d/40_custom; 7. Frequently asked questions: Use efibootmgr and boot-repair tools to repair and backup EFI Partition content. The entire process needs to be operated with caution, especially EFI partitioning and boot settings.

Installing macOS and Linux dual systems is indeed a bit challenging, but as long as the steps are correct, the success rate is quite high. The key is partitioning, boot settings and installation order.

Preparation: Partition and hardware compatibility

Before you start, make sure your computer hardware is basically compatible with macOS. The Intel platform is relatively stable, and Apple Silicon (M1/M2) is not suitable for novices to mess with dual systems.

The key is to divide the good zones in advance:

• Leave at least 50GB of unallocated space with Linux GParted or partitioning tools on the installation disk
• macOS requires a separate EFI partition (if the motherboard does not have additional reservations)
• GPT/MBR hybrid mode is not recommended, which can easily cause boot problems

In addition, it may be helpful to turn off Secure Boot in the BIOS settings and turn on CSM (compatible support modules). Depending on the motherboard model, it may be helpful.

Installation order: Install macOS first and then Linux is easier

Many people mistakenly think that installing Linux first and then macOS is more secure, but in fact, it is simpler. Because Linux's GRUB boot can better identify macOS, and vice versa, it is prone to errors.

Pay attention when installing macOS:

• Boot the USB installation disk using OpenCore or Clover
• During the installation process, select "Mac OS Extensions (Log-style)" to format the macOS partition
• If the motherboard does not support native EFI, it may be necessary to manually mount the EFI partition and configure the patches

After the installation is completed, you can see yourself in the boot menu of macOS, but this is not enough, the next step is the key.

How to fix dual system boot after installing Linux?

After installing Linux, macOS is usually not in the GRUB menu. At this time, you need to use Linux to repair boot.

The operation steps are roughly as follows:

• Enter Linux system
• Install grub-efi and os-prober
• Execute sudo os-prober to confirm whether macOS is detected
• Update GRUB: sudo update-grub

If all goes well, macOS should appear in the GRUB menu after restarting. If it does not appear, you can try manually adding the startup item to the /etc/grub.d/40_custom file.

Frequently Asked Questions and Solutions

Some details are easily overlooked, such as:

• EFI partition permissions are not correct, causing macOS boot to be unable to write
• BIOS setting error causes system switching
• Overwrite EFI boot after macOS update, causing Linux to disappear

If you encounter these problems, you can try:

• Use efibootmgr to view and fix EFI boot items
• Running the boot-repair tool in Linux automatically repair
• Backup the contents of the EFI partition to prevent macOS update from breaking the boot

Basically that's it. The whole process is not complicated, but you can't be careless at every step. Especially EFI partitioning and boot settings, if an error occurs, it will not be able to enter the system.

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