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

[Popwell]

That's right when you get this, it's usually you bypassed some instruction and didn't format the SSD in the exact configuration stated. Happened to me a couple of times, and I sorted it out by re-reading the data on the first page. There's so much data, you have to take it slow and follow step by step and be precise.

Regarding my RAM problem, I received 2 Timetec 8gb DIMMs that are dual rank.
I put them in, and as before, only slots 2&4 work. However something interesting, when I put the initial Optiplex RAM in slots 1&3 in addition to the Timetec in 2&4, the computer boots, and I get no error messages, the only thing is it doesn't take the original RAM into account. As The Timetec are dual rank, and the original Ram single rank, it's probably predictable as mixing different can create problems.

So next I'm just going to re-order the same 2 Timetec 8gb DIMMs that are dual rank again from Amazon, and see if as it happened to other people, the Optiplex finally gets all the RAM to work in dual interleave.

Now something interesting, remember I told you the Optiplex had an hiss and I was considering changing the fans to make it quieter? With the 2 Timetec 8gb DIMMs in single channel in the computer, (ie 16gb single channel), that hiss is gone.

I saw some posts where a guy who had a ram slot problem, solved it by unplugging the processor fan from the motherboard, and plugging it direct to the PSU instead. As before my RAM went single channel, I unplugged the processor fan, I'm wondering if this didn't create and interference where it draws too much power (remember the two slots acting funky are right next to the processor).
We'll see.

 

[trs96]

There's so much data, you have to take it slow and follow step by step and be precise.

Agree 100%. You can't hackintosh in a hurry and expect it to work. Every last detail is important.

 

[trs96]

Now something interesting, remember I told you the Optiplex had a hiss and I was considering changing the fans to make it quieter? With the 2 Timetec 8gb DIMMs in single channel in the computer, (ie 16gb single channel), that hiss is gone.

Never heard of that before. Wasn't the noise/hiss coming from the PSU ? It would go away when you placed the PC horizontally instead of vertically ?

 

[Popwell]

It was, it went a bit further when I placed it horizontally, and now it's all gone with the new RAM slotted in. I think the RAM problem might have something to do with the PSU and how it powers the board.

 

[Prasident]

You guys were right, the disk was not formated in APFS. As it is a HDD, not a SDD, I thought APFS would make it work too hard. But it seems you have no choice, anyway.
Now I have a booting Monterey HDD. I am so happy!
Time for the post install things.

Big thanks for the help and all the documentation. I cannot imagine the number of hours it takes to put it all together.

 

[fred213]

I stated in this guide that when using AMD graphics this problem will happen without exception. No known solution. It's related to disabling Legacy Option ROMs which is required to use an AMD graphics card. Wake from sleep works fine when using an iGPU and enabling LORs.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I've already read the Q&A section and I'm just experimenting and trying to figure out what causes the problem with waking up when using AMD GPU.

I think we don't need to disable legacy option ROM to use AMD card. With my build I can boot to macos enabling or disabling it, and GPU decoding/DRM works either way. One thing I noticed though is my display resolution is limited to 1280x1024 in opencore boot menu with legacy option ROM enabled. If I disable legacy option ROM, opencore can display at native resolution of my monitor (4k).

It kinda bothers me that this is the only thing doesn't work on my build, I've already sorted out everything else like sound, wifi, bluetooth and airdrop. Besides, waking from sleep does work, just the display output is glitched. If I manually switch the output port on my wx4100, then display comes back to normal.

 

[trs96]

I think we don't need to disable legacy option ROM to use AMD card. With my build I can boot to macos enabling or disabling it, and GPU decoding/DRM works either way.

I've only done testing with the i5's and i7's that shipped in these models. So it sounds like these behave differently with a Xeon CPU installed.

Dell only sold the related T1700 workstations with Xeon CPUs. Those Xeons can work in the 7020's and 9020's but my guides were not written for that configuration. The T1700s and Haswell based Dell Optiplex PCs share the same motherboard yet the BIOS is different for each.

If using the Intel Haswell i5 and i7 CPUs then yes, you do need to disable legacy Option Roms or these Dell Optiplex models with AMD graphics won't boot. That's my personal experience. If you can boot your Xeon based system without LORs disabled and want to do that you certainly can.

Waking from sleep does work, just the display output is glitched. If I manually switch the output port on my wx4100, then display comes back to normal.

I don't consider waking up to a glitched display to be working fully, only partially. To manually reconnect your GPU video cable every time you wake from sleep is rather inconvenient. I wouldn't want that.

What does enabling LORs do exactly ? It's a mystery as there's no official Dell documentation. Generally it allows for loading of device firmware.

With Legacy Roms enabled sleep works properly. With it disabled either a firmware gets loaded that's causing this or something else. It's rather difficult to resolve this given the lack of pertinent information regarding what Dell Legacy Roms actually do or what Roms it actually loads.

It kinda bothers me that this is the only thing doesn't work on my build

I would prefer to have sleep/wake work normally too. Perfection and Hackintosh are two words that can rarely be used together. If a hack is 99.5% working like a Mac, that's pretty good. Better than or equal to the majority of User builds and Golden Builds posted here. If you do find a wake from sleep solution for AMD graphics card users that works 100% please post here again to let us know about it.

 

[fred213]

Just received the i7 4770k I ordered last week, tried it out in my 9020 and everything's still the same, if I use my Radeon wx4100 dGPU. With legacy option rom enabled, it wakes up to glitchy screen but goes away if I switch DP port. With legacy option rom disabled, system reboots on waking up.

If I connect my monitor to iGPU DP output and add back all iGPU patches, waking from sleep works without any issue (btw only the upper DP port works after waking up for some reason), but then I'm stuck with hd4600 and everything feels laggy. It also has no h265 decoding support so I think I'll use my wx4100 and disable sleep. Anyway thanks for the great guide.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

I am starting my install today using this guide. I don't have Windows installed on this USFF; it came with a wiped 500GB drive. I got stumped for a bit trying to follow the guide at the point to generate a SmUUID. I have a working hackintosh, and the guide suggests using the .dmg of OCAT as an alternative to installing Windows onto the 9020. However, the link provided in the More Info section takes us directly to the ReadMe of OCAT, and it took me a bit to realize that I shouldn't just download the zip from the Code dropdown list, but rather I needed to go to the Releases and expand that list to find the .dmg version. That's just me not being familiar with github.

 

[trs96]

I got stumped for a bit trying to follow the guide at the point to generate a SmUUID.

Sorry it's confusing. I could just put a dummy SmUUID in the config.plist. The problem with that is some people will leave it "as is" post install. Then there would be multiple hacks connected to the internet with the exact same ID. Not a good idea to have multiple machines with the same Universally Unique ID