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[Guide] Install High Sierra or Mojave on the Dell Optiplex 7010 / 9010 Desktop PC - Revision II

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First, I can report that I don't think the CMOS battery is at fault for me. I did swap it with a fresh battery, but I had the same result with unchecking the Enable Legacy Option ROMs setting - no display at all during boot up. The system doesn't hang while in this state, there just is no display until the OS initializes graphics, which is at the login screen for both macOS and Fedora.

With my 7010 USFF I tested the original battery with a multi-meter and it measured just slightly below 3V. Testing with a meter doesn't place any load on the battery. So to test further, I placed it in a Windows 7 legacy PC connected via VGA to see if it would hold the BIOS info. Doing this eliminates any macOS installed on a PC issues as a cause of booting problems.

After changing some bios settings on the PC, shutting down and unplugging it for a while, I tried to boot again. All the BIOS changes were lost and returned to default. That verified that the battery couldn't hold a charge anymore.

I put a brand new CR2032 in my 7010 and haven't had any problems since then, about 2 weeks ago. I think your graphics problems are probably related to something else other than the CMOS battery. If your BIOS is not going back to default settings, we know that for certain.

We'll have to keep researching this to find the cause. I haven't completely ruled out the last two Dell BIOS updates (the 2 2018 versions) as a problem but I'm looking into that.

For reference, with my testing last night, I made it about 3 or 4 system restarts before I encountered any issues, the changes I remember i had made after the last good boot was changing the wallpaper, signing in to the App Store, and then installing the iTunes and Safari updates.
Post a screenshot of what the Boot Sequence page of your BIOS looks like.
 
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but I do have some information to report.
Might you try booting without your ssdt in place - it might keep your cpu running full speed so check and dont run for too long if it does. Im wondering if this will effect your graphics.(if you dont have an ssdt - try one)
BIOS losing data - I've had several unexplained losses and not found a pattern, except maybe pulling power cable out whilst its sleeping. I'd be interested in your progress.
 
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I think your graphics problems are probably related to something else other than the CMOS battery. If your BIOS is not going back to default settings, we know that for certain.
Agreed, I have not had issues with the BIOS losing settings with either CMOS battery.

We'll have to keep researching this to find the cause. I haven't completely ruled out the last two Dell BIOS updates (the 2 2018 versions) as a problem but I'm looking into that.

If you want to keep track of this information, I have it on the latest version, A29.

Post a screenshot of what the Boot Sequence page of your BIOS looks like.
This is what it is currently with another fresh install done for testing - I have the drive with Fedora installed disconnected to remove any possible variables.
IMG_20181006_140358.jpg
This install, I completed the entire guide (and created an SSDT file,) did no additional configuration, and everything was working. I then restarted the system and had graphics issues.

Might you try booting without your ssdt in place - it might keep your cpu running full speed so check and dont run for too long if it does. Im wondering if this will effect your graphics.(if you dont have an ssdt - try one)

Interestingly (to me, anyway,) this will "reset" my graphics issue. If I remove it from the patched folder, the system will boot without any issues with graphics for a few times, and then the problems will return. But, if I put the SSDT file back in place, then the problems disappear again for another few boots, only to repeat this cycle again.
 
That doesn't work well because my patched DSDT is likely different in a number of ways that could prevent it from working on your HP. What I would suggest is a clean install from your Unibeast drive. Wipe the current install of HS by formatting the drive in Disk Utility and then implement the guide in post #1 precisely as it is presented and it will work. I know that for certain from the extensive testing that I did to write the guide for my 7010 USFF with an i5-3475S CPU and HD4000 graphics.
I have completed the install and gotten the HD 4000 graphics working good again and fully recognized. As before, everything works perfectly except a lot of times when I boot, the keyboard and mouse are not recognized. Do you know how to fix this? Has anybody ever had this issue before?
 
This is what it is currently with another fresh install done for testing - I have the drive with Fedora installed disconnected to remove any possible variables.
This is related to the problems you are having, you don't want the Mac OS X drive first in the boot sequence. You do want the UEFI WD drive to be first in the boot sequence. Uncheck the box next to Mac OS X or just delete it altogether, save the changes and see what happens.

See my UEFI boot sequence screenshot in post #273. That is the ideal way to have it set up.

IMG_20181006_140358.jpg
 
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I have completed the install and gotten the HD 4000 graphics working good again and fully recognized. As before, everything works perfectly except a lot of times when I boot, the keyboard and mouse are not recognized. Do you know how to fix this? Has anybody ever had this issue before?
Try putting the mouse and keyboard only in the USB 2.0 ports below the Ethernet jack and then test it again.
Another possibility is that your ram could be freezing up the system intermittently. You could test it with memtest 86+ run it from a usb flash drive. Minimum of 3-4 hours.
 
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Try putting the mouse and keyboard only in the USB 2.0 ports below the Ethernet jack and then test it again.
Same deal. I have tried all the USB 2.0 ports with both wired, and wireless devices.
 
Same deal. I have tried all the USB 2.0 ports with both wired, and wireless devices.
Plug your mouse and keyboard into 2 of the USB 3 ports then open up System Information > USB do you see this ?

Screen Shot 2018-10-06 at 3.35.41 PM.png
 
This is related to the problems you are having, you don't want the Mac OS X drive first in the boot sequence. You do want the UEFI WD drive to be first in the boot sequence. Uncheck the box next to Mac OS X or just delete it altogether, save the changes and see what happens.

See my UEFI boot sequence screenshot in post #273. That is the ideal way to have it set up.
I deleted the Mac OS X entry so that only the UEFI WD entry was there, but the graphical issues still remain.
 
I deleted the Mac OS X entry so that only the UEFI WD entry was there, but the graphical issues still remain.
Will you describe more precisely what the graphical issues are ? Post screen shots too. I'm not clear what the problem is.
 
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