Dell Optiplex 7020/9020 using OpenCore + Intel HD4600 or AMD graphics

[Feartech]

Whoops, sorry I missed that as I just changed the main hackintosh. Here goes.

so... what RAM did you buy and is it compatible? what is the maximum amount of RAM your machine can handle?

 

[P1LGRIM]

I get 3 orange blinks, a pause, then 3 orange blinks.

Dell OptiPlex 9020 Mini Tower Owner's Manual | Dell UK

 

[Popwell]

Normally 32 gb, I bought 4 Hynix / Timetec 4gb sticks for a total of 16gb, and all 4 works in the slots 4 & 2 in single channel (ie only 8gb at a time). I think when I took out the original RAM to check the specs, and put it back something happened as I couldn't get it back in it's original slot, and had to put it back in 4 & 2 (one white, one black slot, together) for it to work, and that is when the computer bios switched to single channel.
I'm certain it's just a Dell trouble shoot and the RAM is OK, but I tried all different ways of re-establish dual channel, even using he original 2 sticks of RAM, and I can't get it to work.
re 3,3 Yes that's it, it doesn't detect the full set. Only works when I remove the other two sticks and put the remaining ones in single channel. I'm 100% sure before I took the original RAM out, the computer was running the two sticks dual.

 

[P1LGRIM]

Not really the right terminology.
Dual channel is a type of memory which works in dual channel mode when two identical DIMMs are installed in the correct slots in matched pairs.

When only a single dual channel DIMM is installed then the memory works in single channel mode.

Multi-channel memory architecture - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

My guess (based on evidence so far presented) would be damage to the memory slot(s) :

something happened as I couldn't get it back in it's original slot

 

[Popwell]

Sorry, I'm a bit of a newbie to this.
Oh no, I meant, I put it back fine in the original slot, but I got the orange light again.
I checked the slots they are all fine and clean. I'm sure it's a problem that probably relate to Dell handling of memory, and since I already hacked the whole computer and changed the bios set up, maybe that has generated something wrong with the handling of memory. I'm wondering if I shouldn't reset everything, put windows 10 back in, put the ram in, and then redo the whole Monterey install.
EDIT: I used the MacMini configuration. It looks to me the MacMini only handle two sticks of RAM. So it might be that once I removed the RAM sticks (after Monterey Hack), the PC then can't set back to additional RAM. Maybe that's the reason it only handle now two sticks of RAM. So I may need to completely wipe Monterey, reinstall Win10, put the sticks in, then redo the whole OpenCore Monterey install after.

 

[P1LGRIM]

Which model is your Optiplex ?
Mini-Tower, Small Form Factor or Ultra Small Form Factor ?

 

[Popwell]

SFF. I only have 16gb total. I'm certain the RAM slots work well and this isn't a hardware problem. Probably we need to set the RAM up BEFORE doing the opencore Hack and MacOS install if choosing MacMini configuration, as something in MacOS refuse a MacMini config to use 4 RAM slots (unless they were baked in the initial Windows install before that). When I check Monterey specs, the memory parts is stating "no additional option available" in addition to the two slots. So it is clearly preventing the additional slots to work.
Remember, we have altered the bios in order to install Monterey. So these alterations + MacMini configuration not accepting 4 RAM slots = impossible to install two additional sticks after the fact?
It has to be that. Only way to be sure is for me to reset the Bios, and reinstall Windows, then add the RAM.
Or, choose two 8Gb sticks instead of 4x4Gb. But they will run single channel.
So I probably will redo the whole install from A to Z after making sure the four hynix ram full set of 16gb works fine.

 

[trs96]

I only have 16gb total. I'm certain the RAM slots work well and this isn't a hardware problem. Probably we need to set the RAM up BEFORE doing the opencore Hack and MacOS install if choosing MacMini configuration, as something in MacOS refuse a MacMini config to use 4 RAM slots

Are all 4 of your DIMMs brand new 4GB ones with the Timetec branding on them ? Are some Hynix ? The green or blue ones ? Note that Timetec DIMMs are dual rank and the Hynix ones that ship in these Dell Optiplex are single rank. Best to not mix the two together. All four of my Hynix DIMMs are single rank. Below you can see Timetec ram is 2Rx8 (dual rank).

I'm not using Mac mini 7,1 SMBIOS for my 7020 SFF right now but I did before adding a WX 2100 card. I had to switch to Mac mini 7,1 to install Monterey initially with the iGPU, HD4600. I was able to upgrade it from 2 x 4GB to 4 x 4GB and it recognized all the ram. So I don't think macOS fails to see all four slots because you are using Macmini7,1 SMBIOS.

It also runs in dual channel mode too. It's easy to temporarily change the SMBIOS to iMac17,1. Change it in the USB's EFI folder, Clear NVRAM and then boot to the desktop from the USB drive. Try that and see if it makes any difference in how your ram works or whether all 4 sticks and slots get recognized.

Or, choose two 8Gb sticks instead of 4x4Gb

Why not do this from the start ? A 2 x 8GB kit leaves room for an upgrade to 24 or 32GB later on and should cost less than two 2 x 4GB kits. I would advise anyone upgrading the ram with a new kit to go the 2 x 8GB route. One of those kits should run in dual channel mode.

That being said, I do have a 7020 SFF running with a 4 x 4GB configuration, so either way will work. Mostly makes it more expensive to upgrade to 32GB later on. I didn't buy the ram new, but it all matches in specs exactly.

Intel Support

Intel® Customer Support home page

www.intel.com

 

[trs96]

Here's an example of single rank Hynix ram kits I found on Ebay. You can see that all the timings are exactly the same. They all are 11-13-A1 That and PC3-12800U all have to be exactly the same to give you the best chance of it working together.

 

[Popwell]

My Hynix is 11-12-A1 so this might explain why it doesn't work right. No matter, I'll send it back the seller agreed when I bought them. I'll try to find the exact specs on ebay.
EDIT actually after googling, it's just faster memory with the same specs.
Now, I have deleted MacOS and reinstated Win10. Using the original RAM, the two slots near the processor still appear not to work. I googled and this seem an often found error on 9010. I tried cleaning up the original RAM, same (it only works with the two slots near the Hard Drive caddy).
Also, in my Monterey install, in the specs, the memory window with the image of all four grey ram slots did not appear (the hardware window though clearly showed the two original RAM as working).
People online say they solved the memory problem by upgrading the bios, but my bios were already upgraded as I had to, to install opencore/Monterey.
Here's what I think, the seller who is a pro-seller, original installed the ram in dual channel mode, using the older bios which were bios 14. My RAM problem started after I updated to 25, and before I started the hack. So maybe I need to flash back to the older bios, then check if I finally can use the two RAM slots.
EDIT downgraded to 14 and still the same problem. I suppose even the original RAM is faulty (problems started after I took it out and put it back), so next step would be to buy a complete new set of RAM and try to install it in dual channel mode.