Fix: Opencore Cant Boot into Linux in Simple Steps

So, yesterday I tried to get Linux booting on my old machine using OpenCore, and let me tell you, it was a bit of a headache. I thought it would be a straightforward process, but I quickly found out that it wasn’t.

Starting the Process

First, I downloaded the latest version of OpenCore and configured it following some guides I found online. I made sure to read through the documentation, but I guess I missed a few key points. Anyway, I got everything set up and ready to go, or so I thought.

Encountering the First Issue

I prepared a USB drive with the Linux installer and plugged it into my computer. I set my BIOS to boot from the USB and restarted the machine. OpenCore loaded up just fine, and I could see my USB drive listed there. Great, I thought, this is going to be easy.

Boy, was I wrong. I selected the USB drive from the OpenCore menu, and instead of booting into the Linux installer, my screen just went black. Nothing happened. I waited for a few minutes, thinking maybe it was just taking some time, but nope, still nothing.

Trying Different Solutions

I rebooted the computer several times, trying different USB ports, but the result was the same. I went back to my OpenCore configuration and double-checked everything. I made sure the correct drivers were loaded, and the settings seemed okay, but I still couldn’t get it to work.

Next, I tried a different Linux distribution. I thought maybe the issue was with the specific distro I was using. So, I downloaded another one, created a new bootable USB, and tried again. Still, the same black screen. At this point, I was getting pretty frustrated.

Digging Deeper

I spent hours searching online forums and reading through more documentation. I found some people with similar problems, but none of their solutions worked for me. I even tried different versions of OpenCore, thinking maybe the latest version had a bug. Nope, still no luck.

The Realization

Finally, after a lot of trial and error, I stumbled upon a post mentioning that you should disable secure boot in the BIOS. I was like, “Duh, why didn’t I think of that?” So, I went into my BIOS settings and disabled secure boot.

Success at Last

With secure boot disabled, I tried booting from the USB drive again. This time, instead of a black screen, I saw the Linux installer loading! I was so relieved. I went through the installation process, and everything worked perfectly.

Wrapping Up

So, yeah, that was my adventure trying to boot Linux with OpenCore. It was definitely a learning experience. I should have paid more attention to the BIOS settings from the start. Lesson learned: always double-check the basics. Hopefully, my little story will help someone else avoid the same headache I went through.