The 4K Dell OptiMac - 9020 MT - Core i7-4790 - Radeon RX 570 - LG 4K IPS Monitor

[boomer1204]

Didn't miss it. I just thought it was irrelevant at this stage of the install process. Clearly I was wrong in that assumption. Sorry. I guess with me being able to install Mojave through a vanilla option and using the VGA, I thought it was only a factor when I wanted 4K since I was able to boot into it at one point through another guide. My apologies.

 

[rhhousehold]

Didn't miss it. I just thought it was irrelevant at this stage of the install process. Clearly I was wrong in that assumption. Sorry. I guess with me being able to install Mojave through a vanilla option and using the VGA, I thought it was only a factor when I wanted 4K since I was able to boot into it at one point through another guide. My apologies.

No worries. I'm glad you found the issue. I think using VGA has tripped up other users, too. It's a detail that is easy to overlook especially since things start out OK using the VGA output.

 

[boomer1204]

Yeah. I'm installing through DP now, and we will see what happens.

 

[trs96]

Didn't miss it. I just thought it was irrelevant at this stage of the install process.

It's easy and inexpensive to get a DP to HDMI adapter to get around this. There are also single DP to HDMI male to male cables for 6 or 7 dollars. Try Amazon or eBay. I know that most 1080p monitors don't have DP inputs so this is a common problem.

 

[boomer1204]

Worse part is I have one. I'm currently using on a lower end 9020 I have. I was able to install Mojave and boot into it through another guide through VGA. So I assumed (again incorrectly) that it was only a matter when I wanted 4K. Thanks for the correction and guide much appreciated. This install through DP is already install macOS to the HDD.

 

[lofidub]

Clover 5103.

This is your problem.
Use all the files and versions from this thread and it will work.
You can make it work with 5xxx versions of clover but the drivers and driver locations are different. (from memory)
I know cause I went through the same issues.

 

[lofidub]

Worse part is I have one i'm currently using on a lower end 9020 I have. I was able to install mojave and boot into it through another guide through VGA so I assumed (again incorrectly) that it was only a matter when I wanted 4k. Thanks for the correction and guide much appreciated. This install through DP is already install mac to the HDD

 

[jay7201]

Does anyone have a updated guide to install Catalina on a Dell Optiplex 9020.

 

[trs96]

Does anyone have a updated guide to install Catalina on a Dell Optiplex 9020.

I'll be testing Catalina at the 15.3 update release and will write up a mini guide after that. Unless you have an urgent reason to update now, I'd wait a short time till 10.15.3.

EDIT: I've posted an earlybird Catalina install guide that is very short but has worked in my brief testing today.

The 4K Dell OptiMac - 9020 MT - Core i7-4790 - Radeon RX 570 - LG 4K IPS Monitor

Thanks for this! But I still can't get HDMI sound. I used Integrated Graphics, and not 4K monitor. Is that same? I appreciate if the whole EFI folder can be uploaded.

www.tonymacx86.com

 

[trs96]

This thread has some info and an EFI folder that works: https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/success-catalina-10-15-on-dell-optiplex-9020.285382/

I personally used it and can vouch for success. I used elements of the guide in this thread too: BIOS options and post install steps.

There are a few downsides to copying and pasting someone else's EFI folder. So I don't recommend anyone that has installed via this OptiMac guide do that. Of course you're free to do what you choose, but I don't promote that approach.

Here's one example, if someone has used SMBIOS 15,1 and they copy paste the EFI folder from the linked guide, now they have 14,2 instead and all of their serial #s and SmUUID are changed. Here's what they'd be changed to. Other people will copy that same EFI, use the same serials and SmUUID and then your Apple ID may get blacklisted/blocked by Apple. Not something I would want.

The EFI copying approach requires redoing the whole iMessage step or replacing all the numbers/serials they were using previously. Not a great idea in my opinion.

I was able to get audio working through the internal speakers as well.

Anyone that has followed this guide already has audio fully working. Using that EFI uses an outdated approach that I would not try using. This Golden Build guide will work with Catalina via an in place upgrade if you simply update Lilu and WEG first. The version of Clover in this guide works for Catalina as well. Not sure why people are jumping over to other 9020 threads that do things completely different than in this guide ???