Upgrading Macbook ram/hd

nitromaster

Hi
Got a late 2007 macbook last January with stock 1GB of RAM and have been planning on upgrading the RAM ever since :pac: (bought to upgrade ram later, apple charges outrageous amounts for ram as we all know )
Never got around to upgrading it though

During the last week though I've decided to upgrade as the slowness is really beginning to annoy me when i have loads open. (add into that I can't open large Garageband files, Parallels,etc) so went looking for ram. Komplett had 2x2 GB sticks of crucial for 42€ i think and i was about to order but they don't take Paypal so that kinda ruined that. (When you have 55 euro in a paypal and it's too much hassle to get a 3v voucher or whatever that means a lot sale )
I've since decided in the last week to do a clean install as well so might as well upgrade my hard drive while i'm at it.

This is what I'm currently looking at on dabs
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4XGR&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=ddr2+sdram+667mhz&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0
Is corsair reliable? Personal experience of course.
And this as hard-drive (linked from another topic)
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=56MX&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=scorpio+black&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

Both look ok as in Macbook compatible? (bear in mind it's a late 2007 model so no ddr3 for me :pac:)

Outlining installation procedure:
Install Leopard from original disc.
Install .6 combo update.
Remove iLife if there's no option to not install while installing Leopard.
Monolingual to remove everything that's not needed in terms of languages,etc.
Install iLife 09, iWork 08/09 (depending on if I buy the new one) and other nessecary software.
Install all updates via Software Update.
Import iTunes libary and possibly iPhone libary from external devices.

I missing anything?
Only thing which may have serial problems AFAIK is Spore but I don't think I really need that, one of those things which I play once and then leave

Thanks

Hugh_C

your machine may only be able to address 3GB ram, depends on what model it is.

whiterebel

nitromaster wrote: »

Hi
Got a late 2007 macbook last January with stock 1GB of RAM and have been planning on upgrading the RAM ever since :pac: (bought to upgrade ram later, apple charges outrageous amounts for ram as we all know )
Never got around to upgrading it though

During the last week though I've decided to upgrade as the slowness is really beginning to annoy me when i have loads open. (add into that I can't open large Garageband files, Parallels,etc) so went looking for ram. Komplett had 2x2 GB sticks of crucial for 42€ i think and i was about to order but they don't take Paypal so that kinda ruined that. (When you have 55 euro in a paypal and it's too much hassle to get a 3v voucher or whatever that means a lot sale )
I've since decided in the last week to do a clean install as well so might as well upgrade my hard drive while i'm at it.

This is what I'm currently looking at on dabs
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4XGR&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=ddr2+sdram+667mhz&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0
Is corsair reliable? Personal experience of course.
And this as hard-drive (linked from another topic)
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=56MX&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=scorpio+black&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

Both look ok as in Macbook compatible? (bear in mind it's a late 2007 model so no ddr3 for me :pac:)

Outlining installation procedure:
Install Leopard from original disc.
Install .6 combo update.
Remove iLife if there's no option to not install while installing Leopard.
Monolingual to remove everything that's not needed in terms of languages,etc.
Install iLife 09, iWork 08/09 (depending on if I buy the new one) and other nessecary software.
Install all updates via Software Update.
Import iTunes libary and possibly iPhone libary from external devices.

I missing anything?
Only thing which may have serial problems AFAIK is Spore but I don't think I really need that, one of those things which I play once and then leave

Thanks

I wouldn't look beyond crucial.com for RAM TBH. Handy configurator on their site, too to make sure you get the right ones. Absolue doddle to change/add to as well.

J-blk

nitromaster wrote: »

And this as hard-drive (linked from another topic)
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=56MX&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=scorpio+black&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

Yep, I recommended that drive in another thread - got it myself a few days ago but for one of the unibody MacBooks. AFAIK, it should work just fine in the previous gen. MacBooks as well - just avoid the BJKT Western Digital models and you'll be ok. I'm very happy so far with the drive upgrade - it's a 7200RPM model instead of the 5400RPM my MB shipped with and it does feel snappier .

For memory, just like Whiterebel, I'd recommend Crucial - I've gotten pretty much every memory upgrade off them for years and have never been disappointed.

nitromaster

Thanks
Just about to order
ww.crucial.com/uk/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=2709378FA5CA7304
Actually they won't take Paypal on their UK/EU stores for some strange reason and won't ship to Ireland with their US store (which does accept Paypal as payment)
*Sends them an email about it*

akeaveney

Hi Nitromaster,

I am currently upgrading the RAM on my MacBook Core 2 Duo (Merom) Mid-2007 Model A1181.

I would recommend Corsair Mac-branded SODIMMS, they are available from Dabs.ie who by the way also accept PayPal, as per your request.

The 2GB 667Mhz SODIMMS are €22.60 from Dabs at the moment.

I have found Corsair very good in the past and they have a lifetime warranty on RAM.

There is a handy application I came across lately with specs and upgrade options for macs and various Apple products including those well in the legacy category. It is called Mactracker.

An interesting thing Mactracker reveals is differences between the advertised (by apple) maximum RAM capacity for Apple Hardware, and the maximum (greater amount) the system can actually facilitate. For an interesting benchmarking of RAM options , viz matched pairs 1GB+1GB for a system apple advertise as supporting 2GB but 3GB is actual amount chipset can support, versus 1+2, versus 2+2, with resultant performance benchmarks.

Alan.

nitromaster

akeaveney wrote: »

Hi Nitromaster,

I am currently upgrading the RAM on my MacBook Core 2 Duo (Merom) Mid-2007 Model A1181.

I would recommend Corsair Mac-branded SODIMMS, they are available from Dabs.ie who by the way also accept PayPal, as per your request.

The 2GB 667Mhz SODIMMS are €22.60 from Dabs at the moment.

I have found Corsair very good in the past and they have a lifetime warranty on RAM.

There is a handy application I came across lately with specs and upgrade options for macs and various Apple products including those well in the legacy category. It is called Mactracker.

An interesting thing Mactracker reveals is differences between the advertised (by apple) maximum RAM capacity for Apple Hardware, and the maximum (greater amount) the system can actually facilitate. For an interesting benchmarking of RAM options , viz matched pairs 1GB+1GB for a system apple advertise as supporting 2GB but 3GB is actual amount chipset can support, versus 1+2, versus 2+2, with resultant performance benchmarks.

Alan.

Hi Alan
Thanks for the link to that app, it lists the real max for my model as 6 gigabytes as opposed to the 4 I though. Paired is much better though so I'll go with 2x2 as I earlier planned (Not that I'd ever need more than 2GB though :L

I think I'll go with Crucial though

Can I just make sure that
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4Q9N&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=crucial+2GB+ddr2&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0
is the same as
http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=2709378FA5CA7304

Thanks

akeaveney

Hi Nitromaster,

They both seem to me to be the exact same specification, i.e. speed and latency CL5, just that one is sold as a kit. If you are being fussy, there is "some" additional merit in preferring the Kit option as you are more likely to get 2 modules from the exact same manufacturing process/batch, and as I recall from getting high-performance matched-module kits of desktop RAM from Corsair in the past, they tested these modules in pairs to assure high similiarity/tolerences for best dual-channel performance.

Alan.

J-blk

TBH, I wouldn't be that worried about getting a kit for the memory - I just bought 4GB of DDR3 for my unibody MB off Komplett and it's pretty much the same story: Crucial sells a matched kit, Komplett only sells individual 2GB chips, so I bought 2 of those. There are definitely benefits from the matched pair, but I'd say with the kind of usage a typical MacBook gets (i.e not high end gaming/professional video editing), you won't notice any difference between a matched kit or 2 identical 2GB chips purchased individually.

A further note on the hard drive now that I've had it for awhile: when my MB fans are under 1600RPM or so (only possible with 3rd party software I believe, by default they never drop below 2000RPM), I can hear the hard drive (sounds like a fan is going...). With the factory installed 5400RPM, I could never hear the drive. Not a deal breaker, just something to keep in mind if any noise gets to you. There is a performance gain with the 7200RPM drive though.