New RAM on the way, how to install?

AlanD

I have 4 gigs of RAM on it's way from crucial for my MacBook 2.0 GHz.

Is there anything special I have to do prior to installing it, or do I just put it in and boot up?

big_moe

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/MacBook-Core-Duo/RAM/86/3/

couldn't be simpler!

AlanD

do I need to use one of those grounding wires so I don't fry the memory sticks?

xebec

Em...

Can the macbook take 4GB of RAM? Thought the max was 2x1GB?

WUSBDesign

Apparently, 4GB in a C2D machine was attempted and works! See the ever-useful www.macsales.com , or http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Micron/53DDR2MICP4G/

Or this, rather:

http://eshop.macsales.com/Reviews/MacBook/Testing/Memory_Benchmarks

Hugh_C

from experience you need to use quite a bit of pressure until you feel a positive CLICK. I was wussing about for a while not using enough pressure and (obviously) the machine didn't recognise it.

Earthing strap recommended.

WUSBDesign

Oh, one more thing. When your MacBook is assembled back, do run a memory check first to make sure all are OK. I use MemTest - the free version just before they decided to start asking for a "fee".

Oriel

Contrary to popular belief, RAM is actually a suppository.
True story.

ZENER

WUSBDesign wrote: »

Apparently, 4GB in a C2D machine was attempted and works! See the ever-useful www.macsales.com , or http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Micron/53DDR2MICP4G/

Or this, rather:

http://eshop.macsales.com/Reviews/MacBook/Testing/Memory_Benchmarks

The limit is 3GB. Not just because it won't work but because the top 768MB addressing space is used for I/O operations by the chipset. The Mac will show there is 4GB installed but only 3.3GB will be usable.

The C2D chip is 64bit but the memory controller is still 32bit so 2^32 = 4,294,967,296 - the system uses part of this address space to access hard disk, cd and other memory locations hence the upper limit.

ZEN

AlanD

Got it installed alright and Leopard recognises the 4gigs. Pity I didn't know about the 3 gig limit before I bought. I just went with what crucial recommended on their site. A marketing man's dream, eh?

Needed a little pressure to click them in alright, so they were recognised first time.

I thought i'd notice some things run a little bit quicker, but oddly, since I've booted up today, I've had quite a few spinning beachball moments!!!

....and dare I say it, it feels a little slower.

What have I done!

WUSBDesign

Well, if your MB is really slowed down by that 4Gb and you think bringing the memory down to 3GB might be a solution, then go get one 1GB stick and sell the 2GB stick. With RAM prices predicted to go up, you're still won't lose .

My basket at Dabs indeed is showing a upwards price correction for the said RAMs...

Creamy Goodness

ZENER wrote: »

The limit is 3GB. Not just because it won't work but because the top 768MB addressing space is used for I/O operations by the chipset. The Mac will show there is 4GB installed but only 3.3GB will be usable.

The C2D chip is 64bit but the memory controller is still 32bit so 2^32 = 4,294,967,296 - the system uses part of this address space to access hard disk, cd and other memory locations hence the upper limit.

ZEN

ZENER is right. but i think the time they done that sly upgrade on the macbook pro's last year they do a sly upgrade on the macbook with replacing the memory controller to handle 4gig's.

AlanD

I might swap back in one of the 512's just to see.

Is it possible that the 4 gig's could be detrimental to the system over 3 gigs?

Price difference wasn't too much so I don't mind, so long as machine is faster than it was. If not, I'll do as you suggested.

AlanD

Apparently, late C2D MacBook's can take 4 gig's of RAM.

http://forums.macnn.com/66/macbook-and-ibook/358184/a-guide-to-macbook-ram-upgrades/

WUSBDesign

Good find there. Enjoy the 4GB RAM.

BTW, did you find out what was causing the slow down you mentioned? Or is it gone now?

EDIT: actually, Apple has stated on it web-shop that 4GB RAM is optional.

ZENER

AlanD wrote: »

Apparently, late C2D MacBook's can take 4 gig's of RAM.

http://forums.macnn.com/66/macbook-and-ibook/358184/a-guide-to-macbook-ram-upgrades/

Nice one !! Does your MacBook match that spec then ?

ZEN

AlanD

WUSBDesign wrote: »

Good find there. Enjoy the 4GB RAM.

BTW, did you find out what was causing the slow down you mentioned? Or is it gone now?

EDIT: actually, Apple has stated on it web-shop that 4GB RAM is optional.

No I didn't find out yet at all. To see if it was the RAM, I now have 2.5 Gigs installed, so I need to put back in the other 2 gig chip and see how it goes.

When I installed it first, I was getting a lot of spinning beachballs for very simple tasks, and when I looked in Activity Monitor, all 4 gigs of Memory were filling up, I think it might have been Safari doing it. Perhaps the latest 10.5.2 update fixed it. I don't know.

Will up the RAM to 4 gigs again in the afternoon to see.

Well, what might help me.....what does the spinning beachball actually mean?

AlanD

ZENER wrote: »

Nice one !! Does your MacBook match that spec then ?

ZEN

Yep, matches exactly!