The Ultimate Low Cost Big Sur Hackintosh - Core i5 Dell Optiplex 3020 SFF

[trs96]

Just noticed your System date (5-28-19) is off by over two years ! Did you replace the CMOS battery with a fresh new one as instructed ? A failing CMOS battery can cause numerous problems.

 

[launton]

I'm following the way you have instructed, pull battery, short pins, apply power, power press for 30 seconds etc, the clock is reset so I'm guessing it's correct? And after it being bricked it boots again.

I have a virtual machine running big sur for all the legwork. I used that to make the installer usb from apples servers then injected the efi folder with diskgenius. Opencore boots fine, now I need to find out why my entered variables are bricking the bios. Incidentally after entering the var texts Reboot says command not found, reboot however works. I'm flummoxed

Thanks for the advice so far

 

[launton]

Yes brand new battery, after bios reset the date goes back to that. I have changed it in setup now but the failure still sticks

 

[trs96]

I used that to make the installer usb from apples servers then injected the efi folder with diskgenius

We don't support any kind of VM install of macOS even if downloaded via gibMacOS. It's actually a rules violation here. It generally doesn't work correctly for making the USB installer. You'll have to use Windows to make your USB installer if you don't have access to a real Mac or hack.

Making the installer in Windows | OpenCore Install Guide

 

[launton]

Oh I'm very sorry I had no idea, I'll delete it. I do have access to a real mac but an old one and if not I'll use Windows.

I'll go and read the rules while I'm at it

 

[trs96]

Yes brand new battery, after bios reset the date goes back to that.

I would reflash the Bios to A20 again. Load Optimized defaults, set the BIOS as per the guide, date and time again too.

Then just remove the CFG lock with ModGRUBShell.efi Make certain it gets set correctly. Post a screenshot after you change it so I can verify it worked.

 

[launton]

Thank you all so much, I reflashed A20 and did everything to the letter creating installer as suggested. I'm going for a lie down I think I must have messed up the var instructions on my initial try and there were remnants. Thank you!

 

[Nodarkthings]

Hi!
So, I followed most of your guide except that:
1) I restored disk images of the OSes I already use on my other hacks
2) I really want to stick to Mojave for a number of reasons
3) I'm using a DP>VGA adapter as I don't have any DP monitor...

I've got it booting Mojave until the display gets in a loop of:

IOConsoleUsers: time(0) 0->0, lin 0, llk 1,
IOConsoleUsers: gIOScreenLockState 3, hs 0, bs 0, now 0, su 0x0

Then I restored El Capitan instead: all is working perfectly!

Is it possible that Mojave won't support display through the DP>VGA adapter while El Capitan does? (i5 - 4570 with HD4600 here)
Can you think of something I should modify in your EFI to change that?

Once it goes in the loop, I can access through the network in Library/Logs, where DiagnosticReports get filled with WindowServer crashes.
Here are the log files I get.

P.S.: if you prefer, I can open another thread, as I haven't followed your exact procedure?

 

[trs96]

Is it possible that Mojave won't support display through the DP>VGA adapter while El Capitan does?
Can you think of something I should modify in your EFI to change that?

Any kind of DP to HDMI or VGA adapter can introduce erratic graphics behaviors. Even different brands of adapters can behave differently. In looking at the diagnostics it's saying HD 5000. Not sure why. These 3020s have HD 4600.
You could try remove the three -igfx boot arguments and see if that makes any difference.

-igfxmpc -igfxcdc -igfxdvmt

I've only tested these with Catalina and Big Sur and none of the older versions of macOS.

Do you have even a basic TV with HDMI input you could try with a DP to HDMI adapter ? That would have a better chance of working in Mojave. You could also try a different brand of DP to VGA adapter. Ultra low cost at $4.00

Amazon.com

 

[Nodarkthings]

Any kind of DP to HDMI or VGA adapter can introduce erratic graphics behaviors. Even different brands of adapters can behave differently. In looking at the diagnostics it's saying HD 5000. Not sure why. These 3020s have HD 4600.
You could try remove the three -igfx boot arguments and see if that makes any difference.


I've only tested these with Catalina and Big Sur and none of the older versions of macOS.

Do you have even a basic TV with HDMI input you could try with a DP to HDMI adapter ? That would have a better chance of working in Mojave. You could also try a different brand of DP to VGA adapter. Ultra low cost at $4.00

Amazon.com

Thanks a lot! I'll try your suggestions.
What puzzles me is that it works in El Capitan (that recognizes it as HD4600)...