> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://daton.gitbook.io/daton-mac/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://daton.gitbook.io/daton-mac/hackintosh/prepare-usb-drive.md).

# Prepare USB Drive

## Before start

Prior to installing OS X, it is a good idea to create an OEM recovery USB from Windows. If anything goes wrong and you want/need to get back to Windows, you can restore it via the USB. Use the utility provided by HP to accomplish this.

## **Setup the USB drive**

You must determine what the disk identifier is. With the USB plugged in to the computer, open a terminal and digit:

```bash
diskutil list 
```

The output should look like this:

```bash
/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS 10.10.x                 80.0 GB    disk0s2
   3:                  Apple_HFS 10.11.gm1               80.0 GB    disk0s3
   4:       Microsoft Basic Data Win10_TP                79.4 GB    disk0s4
   5:                  Apple_HFS 10.10.test              80.0 GB    disk0s5
[B]/dev/disk1 (external, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:                                                   *8.0 GB     disk1[/B]

```

{% hint style="info" %}
So I can see that the USB is at /dev/disk1. Be careful with diskutil as you can lose data without a mechanism for recovery if you repartition the wrong disk.
{% endhint %}

Now you can format the USB drive with:

```bash
# repartition /dev/disk1 GPT, one partition
# EFI will be created automatically
# second partition, "install_osx", HFS+J, remainder
diskutil partitionDisk /dev/disk1 1 GPT HFS+J "install_osx" R
```

The output of the operation looks like:

```bash
Started partitioning on disk1
Unmounting disk
Creating the partition map
Waiting for the disks to reappear
Formatting disk1s2 as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with name install_osx
Initialized /dev/rdisk1s2 as a 7 GB case-insensitive HFS Plus volume with a 8192k journal
Mounting disk
Finished partitioning on disk1
/dev/disk1 (external, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *8.0 GB     disk1
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk1s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS install_osx             7.7 GB     disk1s2
```

## **Installing Clover Boot Loader to USB drive**

Download <https://github.com/RehabMan/Clover> and run the Clover Installer package:&#x20;

* select the target of the install to `install_osx` using `Change Install Location`
* select `Customize`
* check `Install for UEFI booting only`, `Install Clover in the ESP` will automatically select
* check `BGM` from Themes
* check `OsxAptioFixDrv-64` from `Drivers64UEFI`

After making your selections you can continue to `Install` the Clover Boot Loader to your USB.\
Finally, we need one EFI driver not included in the Clover installer, `HFSPlus.efi`.\
It can be downloaded from [here](https://github.com/JrCs/CloverGrowerPro/raw/master/Files/HFSPlus/X64/HFSPlus.efi), then copy it to `/EFI/Clover/drivers64UEFI`

{% hint style="info" %}
Please, **DO NOT forget HFSPlus.efi**. Without it, you won't see any HFS+ partitions, including the HFS+ partition that the OS X installer is on.
{% endhint %}

If you're installing High Sierra (10.13) to an SSD, keep in mind that the file system will be APFS, which requires `apfs.efi` in `drivers64UEFI`. Without **`apfs.efi` in `drivers64UEFI`, Clover will not recognise APFS** boot volumes. You can find `apfs.efi` at `/usr/standalone/i386/apfs.efi` inside of `/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/BaseSystem.dmg`

Now you have the Clover bootloader on the USB, the resulting drivers64UEFI should look something like this:

![](https://3595171846-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LD7__2zPv5tlcGFmbZU%2F-LD87DUVO6n7hqvnLG58%2F-LD8CY9ctudju5xLBNb9%2F113866-d6ace5ddb250996e8d35523a71fa7d0d.png?alt=media\&token=075259d6-7793-4cfe-be59-6477f1f8289c)