I have two MacOS installs as part of a dual-boot configuration on my MBP. Both happen to be Mojave 10.14. They are installed on two encrypted APFS volumes in the same APFS container.
I want to be able to set the next boot volume without supplying a decrypt password or holding down the option key during reboot. Related, I want the current 'other volume' to be the default volume. The current default is the second MacOS install that I performed.
The troubles I see:
1) Under System Preferences -> Startup Disk is that the decryption password is needed: "It must be unlocked to determine if it is a valid startup disk."
– this can't technically be true. When I hold down the Option key during boot the decryption passwords aren't known at that time yet two volume options are presented.
2) The examples of command-line bless command are based on a volume mounted under /Volumes which of course means the decryption password is made available.
Best Answer
I was able to change the default boot volume which is just a partial resolution of my question. This is done by using an alternate form of the
blesscommand based on an un-mounted storage device. From the intended default volume OS booted:$ sudo bless --device /dev/disk1s1 --setBoot(where disk1s1 is the current and intended volume which can be observed from Disk Utility -> Info ) Now the OS that I want to be default boot boots by default.
Unfortunately,
I can't set the next OS to boot from the command line with running from the other partition.
Google search of the error shows similar challenges related to System Integrity Protection (SIP) but to me no clear resolution.